What is CBD Oil?
cannabidiol (CBD) oil seems to be everywhere these days. People are dropping it into their tea, swallowing capsules, and loading it into their vape pens, claiming it relieves depression, masks chronic pain, and helps them sleep deeper. And although CBD oil is often derived from marijuana / hemp plants, it won’t get you high.
Cannabinoids are the primary chemical compounds found in hemp and all cannabis plants. The two you have probably heard of are CBD and THC. CBD is the best known non-psychoactive cannabinoid, and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the only psychoactive cannabinoid. Hemp oil contains only trace amounts of THC (less than .3%).
Types of CBD
- Crystalline Isolates – ZERO THC
- Full Spectrum -Some THC (less than 0.3%)
- UNREFINED Full Spectrum – Some THC (less than 0.3%) PLUS CBN, CBG, CBN,
All CBD products fall into one of these 3 categories.
- Crystalline isolate products are good because they have zero taste and zero chance of failing a drug test since there is zero THC, only CBD. Downside is that since they are so stripped of all the plants nutrients, the products are weak and take alot of product to feel the CBD effects.
- Full spectrum products are good because they are less refined than crystalline isolate products and have some THC. THC amplifies the effects of CBD and makes the product much more effective. This is called the “entourage effect.”
- UNREFINED full spectrum products are good because contain THC to amplify the effects of the CBD, AND they contain many OTHER cannabinoids and plant nutrients like CBN, CBG, CBN, CBDV, terpenes, plant sterols, omegas 3,6,9, etc. – The downside is that there is a small risk of drug test failing and the taste can be earthy if not flavored properly by a good company who makes it.
How Does It Work?
Did you know we actually produce cannabinoids inside of our bodies and have an actual system of them working together? What are cannabinoids you say? In easy terms, think of cannabinoids as little soldiers in your body fighting to keep everything balanced in there.
Everything on earth with a vertebrate has what is called an ENDOCANNABINOID SYSTEM or ECS that produces these little soldiers. This system is a relatively new discovery in the human and animal body that many are still completely unaware of. Like the nervous system and immune system, the ECS has specific duties. It is in charge of regulating homeostasis or maintaining balance in the body by producing your very own army of cannabinoid soldiers. It regulates things like mood, memory, motor control, pain perception, appetite, and sleep, just to name a few.
CBD is the most prevalent of over 100 different phyto-cannabinoids found in the cannabis/hemp plant; (phyto meaning plant) These plant-based cannabinoids naturally stimulate your ECS by giving it reinforcements! Once you use CBD and your army of cannabinoids is fresh, the body re-balances. Do you have chronic anxiety? Your body is out of balance. CBD as a plant soldier stimulates your bodies’ natural defenses to rebalance and help soothe the ailment.
No pills, no dangerous chemicals, just a natural reinforcement that the earth gave us.
Forty-two percent of CBD users said they stopped using traditional medications like Tylenol or prescription drugs like Vicodin in favor of CBD, in a survey conducted by Brightfield Group and HelloMD, an online community bringing doctors and cannabis patients together. Eighty percent of those people said they found the products to be “very or extremely effective.” Download Survey here
The benefits of CBD oil
There’s pretty legit science to back up some of the claims about CBD oil. “Several studies show that CBD reduces chronic pain with muscle spasms, arthritis, and nerve pain,” says Bhatia. “A study published in the Journal of Experimental Medicine found that CBD use led to reduced levels of chronic pain and that patients didn’t develop the dangerous tolerance noted with opiate medications. Another study that looked at using a topical CBD oil found reduced arthritis pain.”
Additional studies also show that CBD reduces many different types of inflammation, which can be caused by physical or emotional trauma, diet, food intolerances, diseases, and viral and bacterial infections.
And since autoimmune diseases are almost always linked to inflammation, it makes sense that research shows CBD can help with disorders like multiple sclerosis, Hashimoto’s disease, asthma, lupus, celiac disease and more.
Researchers have also found that giving CBD to schizophrenic patients reduced psychotic symptoms such as hallucinations and disordered thinking.
What’s the ideal serving size for me, and how often should I take it?
The following chart may help in determining a “STARTING POINT” of how much you might want to take. Again, there is no scientific statement as to what is right, the following is a “best practices” guideline put together for your help:
To restate, the amounts above have been reported by others as a good point at which to start, then adjust as your body dictates.
What does CBD do?
CBD interacts with the body through the endogenous cannabinoid system (ECS) or endocannabinoid system. The endocannabinoid system regulates the body’s normal homeostasis, or general state of balance. This can maintain a healthy mood, sleep habit, appetite, and pain response.
As the environment around us affects our normal state of balance, the endocannabinoid system keeps us level by mediating our body’s reaction to external stimuli. Taking a CBD supplement can enhance your body’s ability to maintain homeostasis and manage physical and emotional stress as a result of changes in your immediate environment.
Does CBD oil have side effects?
The simple answer here is that we don’t know if there are side effects or downsides to CBD oil. “We haven’t seen a lot of negatives with CBD oil,” says Bhatia. “But we don’t know the long-term effects yet of using this yet.”
All medications have side effects, Cohen adds—it’s whether they’re measurable or dangerous that’s the question. The World Health Organization, though, has said that “CBD exhibits no effects indicative of any abuse or dependence potential,” and that “CBD is generally well tolerated with a good safety profile.”
One thing to be aware of: “There’s currently no industry standard for calculating the percentage of CBD in an oil, so it can be difficult to determine what you’ll get in a given product,” says Bhatia.
One recent study of 84 CBD products sold by 31 different online companies found that only a third contained within 10 percent of the amount of CBD actually listed on the label, while others contained marijuana components that were not listed on the label, including THC.
As with any medication, “if you are considering trying CBD oil, do your research and discuss it with your doctor before making a decision,” says Bhatia. Source
Does CBD oil make you high?
Let’s be very clear: “CBD oil will not get your high,” some legal varieties that contain .3mg and below may give you mild effects that you can feel when you first start taking CBD. “The compound in marijuana that causes characteristic psychoactive ‘high’ is found in THC, not CBD.” That doesn’t mean it’s not psychoactive, though, says Cohen, as it can be helpful in reducing anxiety and depression in many individuals.
FYI: It is possible for extracted CBD oil to have trace amounts of THC, since both compounds are present in the plant. So if your workplace has a zero tolerance policy, you might want to steer clear.