As researchers discover more about cannabidiol (CBD) and its seemingly endless health benefits, many people will board the CBD bandwagon for more natural solutions to their medical conditions, like anxiety.
But, what's the best way to use CBD to calm your mind?
Taking CBD orally
Cannabidiol is one of the two dominant cannabis compounds, the other being tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). The latter is well-known for the "high" it induces in users.
On the other hand, CBD does not generate a palpable 'high' though it's believed to be psychoactive in some quarters, not just in the same manner as THC.
Nonetheless, it's becoming increasingly apparent that CBD has many health benefits as researchers dig digger into it. Therefore, most users are naturally interested in learning the best ways to use CBD to get the most out of it.
Indeed, there are several ways to use CBD oil. But does CBD work better if it's ingested or applied topically?
We know that CBD needs a carrier element for it to be usable. MCT (medium-chain triglyceride) oil has emerged as the best carrier for CBD due to its equally unique health-impacting properties. Further, MCT oil and CBD complement each other so well that they are considered the "power couple" in the world of supplements.
MCT oil is derived mainly from coconut oil. In fact, 50% of the fat in coconut oil is due to MCTs.
MCT oil helps make CBD orally usable due to two reasons. It helps CBD bypass the "first pass" process, allowing larger quantities of CBD to enter the bloodstream. This means you're able to derive the full benefits of CBD.
First pass is a phenomenon where a drug metabolizes before reaching the systemic circulation. This occurrence is caused by the digestive enzymes in the gut wall and liver.
So in the case of CBD, MCT oil enables it to be quickly absorbed by the body before it reaches the liver, where the first pass happens.
The combination of MCT oil and CBD is powerful. MCT oil doubles as a carrier element, making CBD usable. MCT oil is flavorless and odorless, so it's best taken orally.
How to ingest CBD
The various CBD products on the market suggest more than one way to get CBD into your system. Ultimately, the goal is to have CBD absorbed into your body so that you can feel its effects.
So, here are ways to ingest CBD.
Orally
Most CBD products are ingested orally (through the mouth). CBD oils and tinctures are taken sublingually (put under the tongue). The main difference between CBD oils and tinctures is the carrier element.
As the name suggests, CBD oils use an oil base, e.g., MCT oil or glycerin, while CBD tinctures use a high-proof alcohol base. Tinctures are bitter due to the alcohol, but this is usually remedied with sweeteners and flavors.
Inhalation
Ingesting CBD via inhalation also has significant benefits. For instance, if you want to cut down on your smoking or even quit altogether, you can try CBD vapes or inhalers. According to clinical studies, you can reduce the number of cigarettes you smoke in a day by 40% simply by using CBD inhalers.
People with asthma may also go for CBD inhalers. A 2019 study on mice showed that CBD might reduce airway hyperresponsiveness and inflammation induced by allergies. If these properties have been noted to reduce asthma flare-ups in mice, it could likely have the same effect on humans.
Topical application
Here, we have CBD products like lotions and creams. These products are applied directly onto the skin to help relieve skin inflammation, joint pain, and muscle aches. The skin is porous, so CBD can easily penetrate it and exert its calming properties.
A study investigating the efficacy of different mediums used to carry CBD found that propylene glycol (79%, w/w) hydrophilic gel was the most ideal for topical CBD formulations. The researchers established that propylene glycol achieved the best skin retention and permeation rates.
It's, however, important to note that CBD does not always go deep enough to enter your bloodstream when applied topically.
The popularity of CBD lotions and creams has increased since 2017, with many beauty care manufacturers incorporating CBD into their products.
How to take oral CBD
There is a wide variety of CBD products on the market right now. From CBD oil and tinctures, creams and lotions, to edibles and vaporizers, you are spoilt for choice on which form to use.
Most CBD users prefer CBD oils and tinctures because they are usually taken sublingually (placed under the tongue). The advantage of this mode is that the CBD is absorbed quickly into your systemic circulation. Considering the benefits, it's even better if the carrier element is MCT oil.
Fortunately for you, our Premium CBD Drops are one of our range of CBD products that you can ingest. What's more? We've used the venerated MCT oil as our cannabidiol carrier, which means you get the best quality, doubly potent CBD product.
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Our Premium CBD Drops are made with clean organic ingredients to help soothe your body and calm your mind. So, after a hard day's work, our drops are just what you need to recover and relax into deep restorative sleep.
However, there are CBD products that are not alcohol (tinctures) or oil-based (CBD oils). This doesn't mean that they are indigestible, so don't worry. CBD is also processed in food form (edibles), available as drinks or chocolates. Gummies are also common CBD edibles that come in various flavors and strengths.
At FOCL, we have a stack of CBD gummies that will give you the relief you're looking for. Our CBD + CBN Sleep Gummies are an excellent choice for anyone having trouble sleeping. We have also incorporated cannabinol (CBN) into these products to increase potency.
Like CBD, CBN is a cannabinoid known to have sedative properties. For this reason, it is widely used in treating sleeping disorders like insomnia and providing relief from pain and inflammations. Each of our CBD + CBN gummies contains 25mg of premium CBD and 15mg of CBN and will get you sleeping better than ever.
Topical application
Topical CBD formulations come in the form of lotions, creams, and balms. These are usually applied to the skin. As mentioned earlier, these products offer localized relief, which means they help resolve mild physical discomfort and soreness in a particular area.
For instance, sportsmen and women often experience delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) due to the physical nature of their routines.
In simple language, DOMS is the temporary discomfort you tend to feel after strenuous exercise. In such scenarios, CBD topicals are the most preferred to reduce discomfort.
How does topical CBD work?
When in a topical formulation, CBD penetrates the skin through the hair follicles and enters the sebaceous gland. After its absorption, it activates various cannabinoid receptors in the endocannabinoid system.
The endocannabinoid system's primary function is to regulate homeostasis – a process through which the body maintains an equilibrium state. This state is vital for all body processes to function optimally.
CBD activates the cannabinoid receptors to boost the soothing abilities of endogenous cannabinoids and other pain-relieving agents like analgesic histamine dihydrochloride. CBD does not penetrate the skin beyond the sebaceous layer, so you run no risk of overdosing by topical application.
However, if you're interested in a CBD absorption option that goes deeper than the sebaceous gland, try transdermal CBD.
Generally, the skin's outer layer (epidermis) prevents toxic substances like bacteria, germs, and harmful UV rays from reaching the lower layers. However, transdermal CBD uses a carrier medium that penetrates the lower layers of the skin and allows CBD into the bloodstream.
Once in the bloodstream, CBD can affect the body in various ways, including making it calmer, more relaxed, and comfortable. These effects are usually attributed to the activation of CB2 receptors in the body by CBD molecules.
So if you want to feel more effects of CBD but want it applied to the skin, then transdermal CBD patches are your go-to.
How long does it take for CBD topicals to work?
The time it takes for CBD topicals to work depends on the carrier medium used in the formulation. You'd expect a CBD topical using a propylene glycol-based hydrophilic gel to be more fast-acting than a CBD topical with a different carrier element.
That said, many factors determine how long it takes before you feel the effects of CBD topicals. These include dosage and your body composition. But on average, it takes somewhere between one and two hours before the effects kick in.
Best way to ingest CBD oil for anxiety
If you're suffering from anxiety, then it's probable that you're looking for quick relief. Of all the ways to use CBD, oral ingestion is the most effective and efficient way to feel the effects of CBD faster. This offers you two options: you can place a few drops of the required dose under your tongue (sublingual ingestion) or vape it.
You may feel the effects within 10 to 15 minutes. For example, 10-20mg of our Premium CBD Drops are enough to give you calming relief from everyday stress.
However, the thing with CBD is that effective dosage varies from person to person. Some people may require higher doses than others. Therefore, we recommend starting with lower doses and working your way up gradually until you attain your 'sweet spot.
Similarly, our CBD + CBN Sleep Gummies contain broad-spectrum hemp CBD, passion flower, and L-theanine extracts to help calm your mind and ease stress and anxiety. These products are made from organic ingredients and are third-party tested to the highest quality. These soft-chew gummies are a fun and easy way to ingest CBD oil.
CBD dosage for anxiety
The truth is that there is no clear-cut dosage when using CBD products because it hasn't been officially certified as an anxiolytic medication. This is why we urge users to start with smaller doses and gradually increase until they feel consistent effects.
Alternatively, consult a health expert to help you determine the ideal dosage.
That said, we base our recommendations on recent studies that examined the effects of CBD on people with social anxiety disorder (SAD). One such study found that 300mg of CBD was more effective in reducing anxiety than 150 and 600mg doses. This perhaps attests to the notion that with CBD, more is not always better.
Another study tested even lower doses of CBD among participants with sleep disorders and anxiety. The three groups of participants were given 25, 50, and 75mg of CBD daily. The results showed that most participants recorded reduced anxiety levels. However, sleep quality initially improved but fluctuated later on.
So as you can see, there is no precise dosage of CBD. However, smaller doses seem to have more impact than larger doses.
Recommended daily dosage of CBD
We recommend that you start with smaller doses and scale up gradually. 10-20 milligrams of our Premium CBD Drops in the morning should make you more focused during the day. An equivalent dose in the evening should help you unwind and relax as you prepare for bed.
