CBD or Cannabidiol needs no introduction, and it has become trendy in such a short time. CBD has come a long way from being an illegal product to being readily available at every nuke and corner. The credit for this paradigm shift goes to the 2018 farm and agricultural bill, which legalizes the hemp-extracted cannabinoid such as CBD. However, in the CBD market, there are too many options from CBD to CBD-containing products, and the new users often find themselves overwhelmed with so many options available. So, if you are also wondering, “how do I start with CBD?” You are at the right place, and you will find every query related to CBD products here. Let’s start with the basic questions like What is CBD?
What is CBD?
CBD or Cannabidiol is the 2nd most active constituent of the cannabis plant, preceded by THC or Tetrahydrocannabinol. The THC makes the Cannabis sativa plant unique due to its psychoactive property, but it is also the reason which makes it illegal. Now, you would wonder, if the presence of THC makes the Cannabis plant illegal and CBD also comes from the Cannabis plant, then how is CBD legal and THC isn’t? The answer lies in the non-psychoactivity of CBD and the 2018 farm bills. Moreover if you want to know some of the Top 14 Amazing Health Benefits of CBD, the following sections will help.
Although both CBD and THC have more or less the same medical properties, THC is intoxicating and can make you high. There is a stringent marijuana law in the United States, but the government tweaked the rules due to medicinal and recreational usage. Due to this, now it is possible to extract CBD and other cannabinoids from the hemp plant; however, the THC limit in products must be less than 0.3%.
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Benefits of CBD:
If you wonder why people are going gaga over CBD, don’t worry, you are not alone. The thing is, marijuana has been used since time immemorial for many recreational purposes across the world. Because CBD is the second most active constituent of the plant, it has a significant role in giving out the effects of marijuana. Although modern research about CBD is in the preliminary stages, the results are pretty promising. According to many regular CBD users, CBD can be helpful in many medical conditions. Some of them are listed below:
● Pain relief:
One of the most popular and widespread uses of CBD is pain management. Many researches have shown that CBD oil may help in treating arthritis. In addition to this, CBD can also help in reducing the swelling in the pain-affected areas.
● In the treatment of Epilepsy:
Recently, the FDA has authorized the use of Epidiolex, the first CBD-based medicine that is very helpful in treating some rare childhood epilepsy. So far, this is the only authorized clinical use of CBD.
● Insomnia and loss of appetite:
CBD shows its effect on the human body by affecting the cannabinoid receptors present in the brain. These cannabinoid receptors are part of the endocannabinoid system, responsible for the sleep cycle, appetite, pain, memories, and stress level.
In addition to these, CBD also has high anti-oxidative properties, which help fight the body’s free radicals and protect the body from cancer. Most people take CBD for lowering anxiety, feeling relaxed, enhancing mood, and focus.
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Types of CBD:
Based on the number of cannabinoids and alkaloids present, CBD has three broad categories, viz. Broad-spectrum, Full-spectrum, and CBD isolate.
- Full-spectrum CBD: It contains a maximum amount of extracts, including THC. It is the most potent CBD variety out there, and due to a large number of pure and native compounds, it is pretty hard to extract from the plant.
- Broad-spectrum CBD: The broad spectrum contains almost all of the native components of the hemp plant except THC. Due to the absence of THC, these are a little bit less potent than the full spectrum.
- CBD isolate: This is the purest form of CBD, and it doesn’t contain any other native compound of the hemp plant except CBD.
These differences matter because according to the concept of the Entourage effect- cannabinoids produce more desirable actions when delivered with a high number of native plant cannabinoids and flavonoids.
Types of CBD products and how to take them?
CBD is available in many forms, which give users the power to choose the best-suited options for themselves. Let’s have a list of some of the most popular forms of CBD.
● Oils and Tinctures:
CBD oils are the most popular and widely available form of CBD. These oils are usually administered sublingually as the oral mucosa have widely distributed capillaries that absorb the oil and quickly show the effect.
● Gummies and other edibles:
CBD gummies have gained popularity pretty fast as they are rich in flavors and sweet in nature. Gummies are easy to carry and discrete to use, which gives them an edge over oils and vapes.
● Creams:
CBD creams and other topicals are used to apply on skin to get relief from chronic pain and arthritis-like conditions.
● Capsules and tablets:
Recently, FDA has approved the use of Epidiolex, and it comes as a capsule. Capsules are used to treat seizures and digestive complications. However, capsules first go to the stomach and are absorbed, taking longer than usual to show effect.
● Vapes:
Vapes are the fastest way to experience the effects of CBD, as after inhalation, it is directly absorbed from the lung’s surface to the bloodstream.
Dosage:
If you are starting with CBD, it is recommended to start with a lower dosage and increase it gradually for the desired effect. In the case of gummies and capsules, the dosage is pretty much simple compared to oils and vapes.
Conclusion:
CBD is legal in most parts of the United States only if extracted from the hemp plant and contains no more than 0.3% THC. Although CBD is relatively safe and there aren’t many ER visits due to the use of CBD, however, except Epidiolex, FDA doesn’t approve any other CBD product. So, all other CBD products are sold as health supplements. Sometimes, these products contain other unauthorized compounds and a high percentage of THC, so always buy your CBD Stock from a reputed seller who provides third-party lab test certificates with their products.
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