What Are the Benefits & Effects of CBD?

Whether you’re using CBD oil or vaping CBD vape liquid, there are a variety of different potential benefits to this natural compound. It seems that everywhere you look people are talking about CBD, but what is CBD, how does CBD work, and what are the benefits of CBD?

Cannabidiol (CBD) is one of over 113 different cannabinoids that are found in both the hemp and marijuana plants. If you look at both hemp and marijuana plants side by side, they look almost identical. However, hemp is high in CBD and low in THC, while marijuana is the opposite. 

While the two most prevalent cannabinoids are CBD and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), there are a variety of other cannabinoids that scientists around the world are rushing to investigate. 

CBD, unlike its big brother THC, has no psychotropic properties. What does that mean? It means that when you use CBD products, you aren’t going to experience that ‘euphoric high’ that is so common with strong marijuana products.

Humans have been using hemp products for thousands of years for its medicinal benefits in ancient China, as well as a variety of other products made from hemp fiber, including paper, rope, and clothing. Lately, hemp’s primary use has been as a high source of CBD. The 2018 US Farm Bill made it legal at a federal level for people to cultivate hemp plants as well as make products from hemp, including CBD. 

The Federal Government has defined hemp as containing less than 0.3% THC. Around the world, that level varies from 0.2% in Europe to 0% in many other countries around the world. One of the things that makes CBD so popular is its versatility. There are a variety of different ways to use CBD, and one of the newest is vaping CBD.

A lot of people enjoy the benefits of vaping CBD because the effects of vaping CBD oil are felt much sooner than CBD oil, and there’s also less wastage as the CBD avoids the digestive system and CBD vape liquids have much higher bioavailability compared to oils and tinctures.

The benefits of vaping CBD over other more traditional methods such as CBD oil and CBD edibles are its increased bioavailability. Different compounds are absorbed into the body at different rates. Through this process, a percentage of the compound is lost. Whenever you take CBD oils and edibles, the CBD must pass through the digestive system, where a large percentage is destroyed by the body. 

CBD vape benefits include bypassing the digestive system. This means that the benefits of vaping CBD are higher than taking edibles or oils. There are advantages and disadvantages to both methods. The effects of vaping CBD oil are felt within minutes, but they also don’t last as long as CBD oils. The CBD is absorbed into the bloodstream via the thin tissue in the lungs.

On the flip side, oils can take longer to be processed by the body, and more CBD is wasted, but the effects last much longer, and it requires less frequent dosing throughout the day. 

It’s another essential factor that you need to consider when you’re choosing the right CBD product for you. If you can freely vape CBD all day, then the benefits of vaping CBD may outweigh the disadvantages. It’s vital that you only vape CBD vape liquid that’s designed to be inhaled. Never try to vape regular CBD oil as the ingredients may not be compatible with vaping.

One of the benefits we already touched on was the different ways that you can use CBD. This versatile natural compound has proven that there are dozens of different ways that you can incorporate CBD into your daily life. Below, we’re going to take a closer look at the different ways that you can use CBD and how quickly you can expect to feel the results. 

To help make your choice a little easier, we’ve started at the fastest delivery methods and worked our way down the list to the slowest delivery methods:

1. 1. Vaping CBD – This is the fastest method of using CBD. There are a variety of different vaping devices and CBD vape liquids that you can use to vape CBD. The CBD liquid is heated to the point where the cannabinoids are released as a vapor and then absorbed through the thin tissues of the lung when inhaled.
   2. Smoking or Vaping CBD Flower – Fresh flower is another fast way to experience CBD. Vaping fresh flower heats the flower below the point of combustion and to the point where the cannabinoids are released. Vaping is preferred over smoking as smoking fresh CBD flower produces carcinogens, which can lead to a variety of negative health conditions, including cancer.
   3. CBD Tinctures – CBD tinctures are drops that are placed directly under the tongue where the CBD is absorbed by the sublingual gland. It’s vital that you hold the drops under your tongue without swallowing or rinsing for 60-90 seconds to give the sublingual gland time to absorb the CBD. This way, the CBD bypasses the digestive system.
   4. CBD Patches – Another popular method is to wear CBD transdermal patches. The CBD enters the bloodstream via the thin outer layer of the skin. They’re an excellent way for people to utilize CBD discreetly.
   5. CBD Edibles & Oils – One of the most popular CBD products available are CBD oils and edibles, such as gummies. When you use CBD edibles, the CBD must pass through the digestive system where it’s broken down by the body. The CBD then enters the bloodstream and is distributed throughout the body.
   6. CBD Capsules and Pills – CBD capsules and pills aren’t as popular but work in a remarkably similar way to CBD edibles such as gummies and oils.
   7. CBD Topicals – CBD topicals such as creams and lotions are a great way to use CBD products to treat localized areas such as muscles and joints. The CBD is absorbed through the thin outer layer of the skin.

Generally, as a rule, the faster your body absorbs the CBD, the faster that it’s going to leave your system. This is going to require more frequent dosage throughout the day. If you work in an office building, taking a break every hour or so to go and vape more CBD isn’t going to be practical. Slower delivery methods, such as edibles or CBD oils, maybe a better option for you.

One of the most significant benefits of vaping CBD oil and using CBD products is to help promote relaxation and reduce stress. Interestingly, if you use too much CBD, it can make you drowsy and sleepy, but in smaller doses, CBD can make you more alert.
Most of the people that are using CBD around the world are looking to:

• Relax more and reduce the amount of stress or anxiety that they’re experiencing
• Improve their overall mood and comfort level
• Boost their alertness in lower doses
• Help them sleep in higher doses

While we understand a lot about CBD and what it does, more research and clinical trials are required before we can make any definitive claims about its benefits. However, there has been a variety of different studies done on CBD using animal models, as well as a lot of anecdotal evidence that supports some of CBD’s potential.
Below, we’re going to look at some of the exciting areas where CBD is showing a lot of potential.

• CBD for stress and anxiety – One of the biggest potential uses for CBD is to help people reduce the amount of stress in their life. Stress is a useful response that’s helpful for us in small doses, but too much stress can lead to anxiety, a mental health condition affecting millions of people across the United States every year. Studies have shown us that CBD has a lot of potentials to help people reduce the amount of stress they’re experiencing in their life. It makes sense that if you can reduce the amount of stress you’re dealing with, you’ll reduce the chances of developing anxiety.
• CBD for healthier skin – Another exciting area that’s been getting a lot of attention is utilizing CBD for healthier skin. Conditions such as eczema, psoriasis, and acne can have far-reaching consequences. Not only does it leave your skin red, sore, itchy, and inflamed, but they can also leave you feeling depressed, anxious, and worried about going out in public. Studies have shown that CBD has a lot of potential to reduce the inflammation associated with a variety of different skin conditions. If you can reduce the inflammation associated with these skin conditions, your body will be better able to fight off the condition, and your skin will be healthier. There are also a variety of skincare products and beauty products which are incorporating CBD as one of their active ingredients for healthier looking and feeling skin. 
• CBD for epilepsy and seizures – One of the exciting areas we see CBD used is as a treatment for seizures and conditions such as multiple sclerosis and epilepsy. Millions of people around the world are affected by epilepsy. Studies have shown us that CBD can reduce not only the severity of seizures but also reduce the frequency of seizures. 
• CBD as an anti-inflammatory – One of the most significant growth areas is the use of CBD as an anti-inflammatory. It’s particularly popular for people that enjoy working out and competing in sports at an elite level. When you work out, you are causing microscopic tears in your muscles. The body floods these areas with inflammatory bodies while you recover. When the tears are healed, the muscles come back stronger. This process is repeated every time that you work out. Studies have shown us that CBD can help to reduce inflammation and speed up the post-recovery after working out. It makes sense that if you can get back to working out faster and reduce inflammation, you’ll be able to increase the amount of muscle you build. 
• CBD for insomnia – If you struggle to get to sleep, you’re not alone. Millions of people across the United States are struggling to get a good night’s sleep. Research suggests that higher doses of CBD could be the solution for your trouble sleeping.

Although CBD is considered relatively safe by the World Health Organization, with an excellent safety profile and relatively minor side-effects, ‘CBD is generally well tolerated with a good safety profile. Reported adverse effects may be as a result of drug-drug interactions between CBD and patients’ existing medications.’  CBD isn’t for everyone. 

What works for one person may not work for another. No two people or their conditions are the same, and CBD is not a ‘magic bullet’ or cure-all for every ailment in the world.

Thanks for checking out our article on the benefits of CBD. It’s essential that if you are considering taking CBD, and you’re currently using any pharmaceutical medication, that you speak with your healthcare provider or doctor first. Although CBD is considered to be generally safe with relatively no side-effects, it can interfere with the way that the body processes some medications.

While we have identified a variety of potential benefits associated with the use of CBD and vaping CBD, we still have a lot to learn, and more research is required. If you have had a good experience using CBD, then we’d love you to comment on the article and share it so that other people can learn from your experiences.

If you have any questions about CBD or the article, then please don’t hesitate to reach out and contact us directly. We’d love the opportunity to talk to you further about CBD.