Cannabidiol, also known as CBD, has become a major health trend over the last few years.
It’s no wonder more and more people are beginning to praise CBD. It offers a wide range of health benefits, it’s legal in most states, and, as anyone who uses it will immediately tell you, it doesn’t get you high!
Many people have seen great results from CBD products. In fact, a recent survey found that 42 percent of people who use products containing CBD have stopped taking over-the-counter and prescription painkillers.
However, some people have been left feeling less-than-impressed with CBD’s effects. If you’ve tried CBD and didn’t see the results you were hoping for, it’s tempting to assume it’s not for you.
Before you give up on CBD altogether, though, keep in mind that there are many reasons why it might not have helped relieve your symptoms. Listed below are three tips that can help you make CBD work better for you in the future.
Increase Your Dosage
Getting the correct CBD dosage can be tricky, especially when you’re working with oils and other edible products. Part of the problem is that the amount required varies greatly depending on the specific condition you’re trying to treat with CBD.
A good rule of thumb is to consume 2.5-15 milligrams per day for general health and up to 20 milligrams per day for chronic pain.
People taking CBD for its anti-seizure benefits often consume between 200 and 300 milligrams per day, and those who take it for sleep disorders can take anywhere from 40 to 160 milligrams per day.
Clearly, there’s a lot of room for error (so it’s a good thing it’s virtually impossible to overdo it on CBD).
When you’re trying to figure out your ideal dosage, it’s good to have a consistent baseline to start with. It’s best to take the less-is-more approach and then add more if you’re not seeing the effects you’d like.
Start with the recommended dosage on the package and then work your way up from there.
There are also some handy online tools that can help you figure out the best dosage for your needs. However, these should always be taken with a grain of salt, of course. You know your body better than a computer does, so your experience will always trump what the calculator says.
Consume it More Efficiently
There are a ton of CBD products out there. Oils, capsules, topicals, there’s something for everyone. However, not all of these products are created equally.
Lots of people first try CBD in an edible form, either as an oil or an edible. It makes sense why these forms are appealing to new users. After all, they come in a recognizable form and are far less intimidating than smoking or vaping.
While products like CBD chocolates are fun and easy to consume, they’re not necessarily ideal for people who need immediate relief from pain or anxiety.
This is because edible forms of CBD take longer to be absorbed into the body. They have to pass through the digestive system, so it can take up to an hour to feel their effects. When you need immediate relief, you don’t exactly want to wait around for the product to kick in.
When you vape CBD, it’s absorbed through the lungs and makes its way directly into the bloodstream. As a result, you feel the effects almost immediately.
For people who take CBD in hopes that it will help with pain or anxiety, vaping can be a better option than oral methods.
If you’re not interested in vaping, you may want to try sublingual (under the tongue) ingestion with a spray or tincture. Second to vaping, this is the fastest way for CBD to get into the bloodstream, which means you’ll feel the effects much faster.
Invest in a Quality Product
As with anything, if you’re not using a quality product, you’re not going to see the desired results from consuming CBD.
The problem with CBD is that, because the market is so new, it can be difficult to identify which products are considered high-quality. There are no regulations in place for manufacturing CBD products, and many companies use imported plants that were grown in toxic soil.
When you’re shopping for any kind of CBD product, keep these tips in mind:
Find Out How it’s Processed
There are several different ways that CBD can be extracted.
CO2 extraction, specifically supercritical CO2 extraction, is considered the safest and most effective method. While it is more expensive and requires a greater level of technical ability, this method yields a purer form of CBD that is free from toxins.
Avoid CBD products made by manufacturers who use petroleum solvents to extract the CBD from the plant. Some manufacturers use this method because it’s cheaper and more efficient. However, it can also leave behind petroleum residue in the CBD products, which comes with a variety of health risks.
Furthermore, petroleum extraction also produces a lower concentration of CBD compared to other methods.
Check Independent Lab Results
Only buy CBD products from companies that pay for independent third-party lab testing. This is a sign that the company is invested in distributing a safe, high-quality product.
Labs test for a variety of chemicals, including heavy metals, microbiological contaminants, and pesticides.
Manufacturers should have the results of these tests readily available on their website. If you can’t find any results, try contacting them directly. If they don’t respond or brush off your request for lab results, find a different company to buy from.
Look for Whole Plant Products
Ideally, your CBD products will be made with whole plant CBD oil. This means that the oil comes from, you guessed it, the whole plant, including the seeds, stalks, and stems.
The benefit of a whole plant product is that you not only get the benefits of the CBD itself, but you also get the benefit of other naturally occurring components, including the terpenes (responsible for the plant’s aroma), sugars, flavonoids (responsible for the plant’s color), and secondary cannabinoids. Many people believe that, when all these components are included in a product, the CBD is more effective and they experience more health benefits.
Consume it with THC
The rise in popularity that CBD has experienced over the last few years has, all in all, been a positive step forward for those who support the legalization and benefits of medical marijuana. However, in their effort to teach people about the safety and benefits of CBD, some companies have made THC out to be the enemy.
There’s a misconception out there that, because of its psychoactive properties, THC is the “bad” cannabinoid and CBD is the “good” one. This couldn’t be further from the truth. In fact, THC and CBD often work best in conjunction with one another.
THC and CBD are particularly beneficial for treating neuropathic pain. Several studies show that a combination of the two cannabinoids is more effective than either one on its own.
Combining THC and CBD has also been shown to be more beneficial to those who are suffering from nausea, and the pairing also has increased anti-tumoral effects.
Wrapping Up
Of course, not everyone lives in a state where they have legal access to THC-rich products. For some people, CBD is their only option.
Luckily, there are other ways to enhance the effects of CBD products if those are the only things you have access to. Give the first two tips on this list a try today and see how your experience changes.
Remember, too, that it takes time to figure out the ideal dosage for your specific health needs. Don’t get frustrated if you don’t find relief the very first time you try CBD. Stick with it, do a little experimentation, and you’ll be on your way to feeling your very best!
Natalie Thongrit is a freelance writer who focuses primarily on fitness, health, and wellness-related content. She is also an avid yogi who is fascinated by natural medicine. You can connect with her on Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn, or check out her portfolio to read more of her work.