Does CBD Work?

With CBD being the talk of 2019, it is no wonder that “Does CBD work” is one of the most commonly searched questions on Google and YouTube. Now, we are not medical professionals, so we have searched the web and asked our customers for their stories in answer to does CBD work. 

In this blog, we are going to talk you through:

• How the cannabinoid is thought to work
• What it might help with
• The evidence
• Whether CBD is a scam
• The hemp scam
• Why CBD isn’t working for you
• How best to take CBD
• How to find quality CBD
• How long does CBD take to work

If there is anything that we don’t cover in this blog, drop us a DM or chat with us live on our website. We will then answer your question and add it on to the blog if it is something others are asking too. 

How does CBD work?

CBD is still in its infancy with research into exactly how it works. However, there are a few theories from scientists and researchers. 

Here’s one. The human body produces its own cannabinoids through the endocannabinoid system. There are two receptors for cannabinoids, these are called CB1 and CB2 receptors. 

CB1 receptors are mainly in the brain, however, they can be found throughout the body. These receptors deal with movement, pain, emotion, appetite and mood. 

All cannabinoids, including CBD, produce effects in the body by attaching to certain receptors CB2 receptors are common in the immune system and impact pain and inflammation. Some researchers believe that using CBD directs the body to use its own cannabinoids. 

Other research suggests that CBD attaches to CB2 receptors to have various impacts. CBD has also been found to increase and activate serotonin levels, relax smooth muscle tissue amongst other effects. 

What conditions could CBD help with?

• Pain and inflammation
• Depression and anxiety
• PTSD
• Nausea
• Sleep disorders
• Period pains
• Menopause symptoms
• Fibromyalgia 
• Epilepsy 
• Skin conditions such as psoriasis and eczema 

Here are just a few conditions and ailments that CBD may help.

What’s the evidence of the cannabinoid working?

Does CBD work and if so, what is the proof? Well as we have said, CBD research is still in its infancy. However, there have been studies as well as a great deal of anecdotal evidence.

Before we dive into the science, check out the video below where we hear from a local lady about how CBD has helped her. 

CBD for Anxiety 

CBD is widely used to calm those who suffer from anxiety. In a 2019 study involving 103 adults taking 20-175 milligrams of CBD per day. The anxiety scores of the participants decreased by 79% in the first month and continued to decrease over the three-month duration. 

Another study looked at two groups of people who suffered from anxiety. Half of the group were given a placebo, the other half CBD, in a blind study. They were then given a public speaking task. Those who took the CBD were said to feel considerably less anxious than those who took the placebo. 

One Dr said “CBD reduces anxiety by mediating the neurotransmitter GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid). GABA, a naturally occurring brain chemical, directs neurons to slow down or stop firing. It calms the nervous system, induces sleep, relaxes muscles and reduces anxiety, in essence, directing the body to power down.”

We put together a short video on CBD for anxiety. Watch it below.

CBD for pain 

There have been a number of different studies on pain and CBD’s effects. One such study analysed whether CBD has any effect on pain and how it is perceived and experienced. 

The researchers concluded that there is evidence “CBD influences different dimensions of the response of rats to a surgical incision.” This is amongst the first studies to show how CBD can affect the perception of pain.

One Doctor writes “Cannabinoids appear to modulate and interact at many pathways inherent to acute and chronic pain via opiate pathways, suggesting potential synergistic or similar benefits. Cannabinoids also play a role in many regulatory physiological processes including inflammation.”

Pain that CBD could help with includes period pain, chronic pain, joint pain and more.

CBD for Seizures

Research from Ohio State University found that individuals with a severe form of epilepsy, Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome (LGS) who took cannabidiol (CBD) every day for 14 weeks saw the frequency of atonic seizures fall by more than 50 per cent. This type of epilepsy is very difficult to treat, so reducing the number of seizures by half is a real feat. 

CBD for sleep disorders

Sleep disorders often go alongside another condition, such as stress, pain, anxiety, and menopause symptoms. CBD has been found to help to help in the way it eases these other symptoms, allowing you to get to sleep. One small study found that sleep scores were up  66% when subjects took CBD.

Watch our short video below on CBD for sleep.

How long does CBD take to work?

A question asked by many, how long does CBD take to work? This will also be a deciding factor for how you take your dose, so to make life easier,below is a snap shot of the pharmacokinetics of each method.

How long for edibles to work?

You can take CBD in the form of a gummy, or you can get creative in the kitchen. For example, you can add ABV (already been vaped) CBD to a chocolate topping on finished brownies, or mix it into butter or a chocolate sauce to top pancakes. However, remember that eating CBD takes a little longer to have an effect as it has to mix with digestive juices and make its way into your bloodstream. Click here to watch our CBD brownies video.

Eating CBD this way takes around 30 minutes to 2 hours to have an effect. However, the effects can last around 4-6 hours when you take CBD this way.

Via tinctures

These CBD oil drops go on the inside of your cheek or under the tongue, where the skin is thin. It is one of the faster ways to find relief and used by many. The effects come into play after around 30 minutes and last for anything between 3-6 hours, depending on different factors.

Vaping Delivery Action

Vaping is the most bioavailable way to take CBD. It enters your bloodstream via the lungs and quickly takes effect. You can vape CBD using e-liquid or CBD flowers in a dry herb vaporizer. As with all CBD products you are able to get different strengths depending on your sensitivity. We always recommend you start with a lower dose and work your way up when you see how it affects you personally.

So how long does it take to work?

As you can see this is a loaded question. It depends on how much you take, how you are taking it and then personal factors too. Some people are more sensitive to CBD and will need a low dose for a fast effect. Others need a higher dose which takes longer to kick in. The best thing to do is to choose the method you feel most comfortable with and then give it a try. See how long it takes you to find relief from the method. If it is too long, then try something faster such as vaping.

Is CBD a scam?

There are 117 cannabinoids in the cannabis plant, one of which is CBD. Even though this comes from the cannabis plant it won’t get you high. It contains trace amounts of THC if any.

For thousands of years, CBD has been used as alternative medicine. People have used it to help with pain, inflammation, menstrual cramps, menopause, depression, cancer, anxiety, sleep disorders and more. However, substances masquerading as CBD won’t work. It might even give you more health concerns, especially if it contains Spice.

What is Spice? 

Spice, known as the zombie drug, is a mix of herbs and laboratory-made chemicals which have mind-altering effects. Not something you want to get mixed up in. People who use this synthetic cannabinoid have found the following symptoms:

• Relaxation
• Altered perception
• Psychosis
• Fast heart rate
• Sickness
• Hallucinations
• Nervousness and anxiety
• Violence
• Confusion
• Suicidal thoughts 

When you are using CBD to help battle anxiety, nausea and depression having Spice by accident won’t do much good at all. 

How do I know that CBD isn’t a scam?

Your best bet is to buy CBD oil, e-juice, flowers and everything else from a reputable retailer. You need one who is willing to share certificate of analysis and detailed information about the product. At CBDStar we will happily share all the information with you about any of our products. We are very transparent. 

If you ask a CBD seller for the certificate of analysis for their products and they are unable to show you, run a mile!

You can find out more about the drug Spice here.

What’s the Hemp Scam on Amazon?

Amazon is legally not able to sell CBD. So when you type in “CBD oil” into Amazon, the results you see will not be CBD, they will be hemp. Hemp oil contains very little, if any, CBD. It is the oil produced by cold pressing the seeds. It is a good oil to supplement and high in Omega 3-6, however it is not CBD. 

Hemp seed oil should be much cheaper than CBD, it should not be more expensive. If you are buying very pricey hemp oil then you will be best shopping elsewhere. 

So it isn’t exactly a scam on Amazon’s part, however, it can trick you into thinking you’re buying cannabinoids when actually you’re just buying seed oil. 

Why isn’t CBD working for me?

Here are a few reasons why CBD might not be working for you and what you can do about it.

• You’re using hemp oil

As we have said above, hemp oil is not CBD oil. They are two different things and you can’t expect hemp oil to work the same as cannabinoids. Make sure you check the ingredients before you make your purchase. 

• Your dose is too low

CBD comes in a number of different doses, from 100mg to 2000mg. Everyone has a different tolerance to the cannabinoid so you will need to make sure that you use the correct dose for you. We suggest you start low and build it up over time. 

• You might not be taking it the best way for you

There are many different delivery methods for CBD. You can vape it, use oil drops, eat CBD products or enjoy infused drinks. You can even get it as a topical cream. However, the fastest-acting method is vaping as it moves through the capillaries in your lungs to your bloodstream in minutes. The second most bioavailable way is tincture drops. If you are finding that edibles or capsules aren’t having the desired effect, try vaping or oil drops. 

• Your product isn’t from a reputable company

Unfortunately, some companies see a way to make a quick buck with the popularity of CBD. They might be diluting it or selling it as CBD when it is actually hemp oil or worse, synthetic and illegal drug Spice. 

Make sure you thoroughly research your company, check reviews and even chat with them if you can. At CBDStar we will share certificate of analysis so you can see exactly what is in your product. We believe in full transparency!

• You need to give it more time 

CBD may need time to build up in your system. Don’t give up if it doesn’t work after the first drop hits your tongue. Give it time. 

How long does CBD take to work and how best to take it? 

How long CBD takes to work varies from person to person. It depends on facts such as your tolerance, metabolism and even your size. 

Eating CBD way takes around 30 minutes to 2 hours to have an effect. However, the effects can last around 4-6 hours when you eat CBD infused products, such as brownies.

The effects of tincture drops come into play after around 30 minutes and last for anything between 3-6 hours, depending on different factors.

Vaping CBD is the fastest method to get into your bloodstream. The cannabinoid may have an effect within minutes, however, it might not last as long as other methods. Again, this varies from person to person. 

Read more about how long CBD takes to work in our blog >>

How to find quality CBD

Finding quality CBD is easy when you know where to look for it. Here are a few indications of quality CBD:

• The vendor will share the certificate of analysis
• Product reviews are good 
• Contains less than 0.2% THC if any
• Retailer shares information on the product 
• There is no mention of Spice