People around the globe are using CBD to take care of a variety of ailments, including chronic pain, anxiety, or depression.
What happens to you if you take too much CBD?
If you’ve ever been interested in CBD and are considering trying it for the first time (or are an avid user already), keep reading to learn more about how much CBD is safe for you.
How Long Does CBD Stay in the Body?
Studies show that CBD is unlikely to last in your body longer than a week.
In that particular study, participants were given 700mg of CBD each day for a month and a half. After the study was finished, researchers found that CBD was basically undetectable in the participants’ bodies when they checked a week later.
This means that these participants were using CBD every day for a long period of time and it still didn’t last in their bodies very long.
More research in this area is needed to be sure, but it does seem that the specific amount of time that CBD stays in the body will vary for person to person.
Part of this depends on your personal factors, like age, weight, or gender. It also can depend on how you consumed the CBD.
CBD Dosage Breakdown
If you’ve tried understanding CBD dosage requirements and are finding it difficult to determine how much you should take, we will break it down a little more for you here.
A big thing to remember is that the dosage you need is dependent on your personal factors, how you are consuming the CBD (which we cover below), and what type of feeling you are aiming for.
Vaping or Smoking
Inhaling the CBD is the fastest-acting option you can choose. When you smoke or vape, the compound will enter your bloodstream through your lungs.
The effects don’t last as long, but they have an onset that is generally much faster than other methods.
If you choose to vape, you can do so with CBD oil, concentrates, or dried CBD flower.
The onset time for smoking or vaping CBD is between 5 to 15 minutes and the effects will last for up to 4 hours.
Topical
Cannabinoid receptors are found in the skin and this makes it possible for CBD to be topically applied.
Applying CBD lotion, oil, or gel is a great way to treat specific spots that you might have pain or inflammation. You can get fast relief this way without the CBD ever needing to enter your blood.
If you have issues like chronic pain or arthritis, a topical CBD product may be a good choice for you.
The onset time for this method is between 20 to 40 minutes and the effects can last up to 4 hours.
Edible
Eating or drinking CBD instead of inhaling can give you a longer-term effect. The cannabinoid is broken down throughout the body in the digestive tract before it gets to your blood, so it is more of a holistic effect.
Because it has to go through your digestion system first, it takes longer to feel the effects of the CBD with this method.
This can be one of the best ways to consume CBD if you are considering what you are eating or drinking (watch out for excess sugar).
With edibles, the onset time is typically going to occur within 2 hours of ingestion. The duration of the effects will last longer and you may still feel it for up to 8 hours.
Tincture
Tinctures are liquids that you can put on your tongue, in your food, or in your drinks to consume CBD. They come in a variety of options, such as oil or alcohol, and usually are sold in eye-dropper bottles.
You can use CBD throughout the day in small doses with this method, which is generally the reason that people choose it.
The onset of this method will happen within 2 hours after ingesting it and you will continue to feel the effects in your system for up to 8 hours.
Transdermal Patch
This method requires you to put a medicated patch on your body that supplies CBD through the skin (similar to the topical method).
Transdermal patches are great if you want long-term effects that you can consistently apply throughout the day. If you suffer from chronic conditions, this may be the right option for you.
The onset for a transdermal patch is about 20 to 40 minutes after application and the effects will last between 4 and 6 hours before the patch needs replaced.
How Much is Too Much CBD?
As you can see, there are vast differences in onset times and how long the effects last in the body depending on the method you choose for CBD consumption.
Even after the effects of CBD wear off, it can still be found in your blood.
This may concern some people that are worried about using too much CBD or even overdosing.
The good news is that you are not going to overdose on CBD.
There is not one single “standard” dose of CBD that will be the right amount for each person because everyone is different. This study shows that CBD is overall a safe option, but that each person experiences its effects differently.
It is a good idea to talk with your doctor about how much CBD may be the right amount for you, especially considering some drugs (such as Epidiolex) have CBD in them already. This will help you avoid any potential medical problems and make your experience with CBD better.
CBD is safe to use and is not going to react with receptors that work with cardiac and respiratory functions.
It is always better to start with a smaller dose and work your way up. That way, you will know how you feel based on what you’ve tried and how much CBD may be the right amount to give you the effects you want.
Using CBD Safely
If you’re worried about using too much CBD. it is important to remember that it is relatively safe for everyone and it would be extremely difficult to take too much in one sitting.
CBD is non-toxic and is a great way to relieve some pain or other issues in the body.
Talk to your doctor to find out if CBD is something that you should start incorporating into your routine.
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Image Credits: Enecta
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