CBD’s non-psychoactive nature, along with its potential benefits relating to pain, anxiety, sleep and stress, means that CBD products are hot on people’s wish list. Pat Lawrence Centre For Alternative Medicine
By now you’ve probably heard of cannabidiol (can-a-bi-di-ol), better known as CBD oil. The CBD market will soon be worth over $2 billion, and people are rushing to buy CBD products, but why?
We will answer all of your questions such as: What is CBD? Why is CBD so popular? What are CBD oil benefits? Is CBD oil legal? We’ll give you an overview of where to buy CBD oil, how to take CBD oil and the side effects of CBD oil.
What Is CBD Oil?
CBD is one of over 100 compounds known as cannabinoids that are found in cannabis or hemp plants. Unlike it’s more famous cousin tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), CBD is not psychoactive, meaning that it does not get users high.
Hemp plants are rich in CBD and low in THC, and, in 2018, CBD products that contain less than 0.3% THC and are derived from hemp plants were made legal across the USA.
CBD oil is made by extracting CBD from the cannabis or hemp plants and then mixing it with a carrier such as MCT oil. Other CBD oil infused products include capsules, gummies and creams.
CBD’s non-psychoactive nature, along with its potential benefits relating to pain, anxiety, sleep and stress, means that CBD products are hot on people’s wish list.
Scientific studies that indicate there are are many potential benefits of CBD oil, such as helping ease an array of symptoms, along with anecdotal reviews, mean that, in 2020, the popularity of CBD is set to rise. So here are some of the most popular CBD oil benefits.
CBD Oil Benefits
1. CBD Oil for Pain
One of the most popular uses of CBD oil is for pain relief and pain management. Recently, studies have uncovered that CBD can help reduce pain by interacting with the human body’s endocannabinoid system.
The endocannabinoid system regulates many essential biological functions, including pain. Our nervous system contains cannabinoid receptors that receive endocannabinoids. CBD can impact the interaction between endocannabinoids and these receptors, thereby potentially providing some pain relief through this process.
2. CBD Oil for Anxiety
Anxiety is a common condition that can wreak havoc on a person’s life. There are a plethora of pharmaceutical drugs used to treat anxiety, but they can have harmful side effects that include headaches, drowsiness and sexual dysfunction.
Several studies have taken place, and CBD oil has shown a lot of potential in helping with anxiety due to the way in which CBD interacts with the part of our brain that regulates mood and social behavior.
A study on public speaking and anxiety showed that people who received CBD before public speaking were less anxious than their counterparts who only received a placebo.
3. CBD Oil for Depression
There are many forms of stress and many ways to deal with it, but if you let it pile up, you can end up feeling down and depressed.
What we know about CBD oil for depression is that there are some benefits over antidepressant medications, and this is because of the way in which CBD works with receptors in our central and peripheral nervous systems, known as CB1 and CB2. Similar to using CBD oil for anxiety, CBD oil could potentially help with depression by altering serotonin signals.
It should be noted that no matter what the perceived benefits of CBD oil are, you should never stop taking prescribed medication without talking to your doctor first.
4. CBD Oil for Sleep & CBD Oil for Insomnia
Sleep is essential to our well-being, yet many of us take it for granted and deprive ourselves far too often.
There are a variety of things that can affect our sleep, including stress, sleep apnea, alcohol, caffeine and insomnia. To sleep better, many of us turn to pharmaceuticals or over-the-counter drugs, but these can then cause their own problems, such as addiction or bowel irritability.
A 2019 study in the Permanente Journal found that 67% of participants reported improved sleep after taking 25 mg of CBD per day. In another study, CBD has also been found to improve the symptoms of REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD).
On the flip side, a 2017 study saw that low doses of CBD through the day has the potential to help with excessive daytime drowsiness, meaning that CBD may also act as an energy booster.
5. CBD Oil for Seizures
A major reason for the explosion of CBD’s popularity can be traced back to a CNN documentary titled Weed. The series revolves around a story about a little girl suffering from a rare form of epilepsy called Dravet syndrome.
The girl found miraculous improvements after taking a cannabis oil high in CBD. The treatment of epilepsy with CBD has garnered the most positive results.
On June 25, 2018, “the first drug comprised of an active ingredient derived from marijuana (AKA CBD) to treat rare, severe forms of epilepsy” was approved by the FDA. Across the pond in the UK, the government changed the law to allow specialist doctors to prescribe medicinal cannabis products, such as CBD oil, to help manage epilepsy and seizures.
Additional CBD Oil Benefits
CBD studies are not limited to pain, anxiety, depression, sleep and seizures. Academics and doctors around the world are also currently researching the impact of CBD in:
- Improving Heart Health—research has found that CBD oil not only reduced blood pressure but somewhat regulated it.
- Treating Acne—a study found that CBD may be useful in fighting acne, as it prevents not only oily secretions but also possesses anti-inflammatory properties.
- Helping With Psychotic Symptoms—specifically, those caused by mental disorders.
- Anti-Tumor Effects—animal studies have been promising in showing CBD’s anti-tumor effects.
It should be made clear right now, there is no evidence that CBD oil benefits those with cancer. People around the world are using CBD oil for its potential benefits; however, research is still in its infancy, and you should not replace any medication you are on. It’s also recommended to speak with your doctor before you begin using CBD oil to see how it can affect you.
If you’re new to CBD and wondering what product is best for you, check out this CBD quiz.
Now that we’ve talked about the benefits, let’s move on to the legality of CBD oil.
Is CBD Oil Legal?
Due to its association with marijuana, people get confused about the legality of CBD oil. In 2018, the Agricultural Improvement Act (the Farm Bill) was passed, and this removed hemp from the Controlled Substances Act.
This means that hemp-derived CBD is legal in the U.S.—but under specific certain conditions.
For CBD oil to be legal, CBD should be derived from hemp and contain no more than 0.3% THC. CBD that comes from the marijuana plants remains illegal under the Controlled Substances Act.
Is CBD Oil Legal in My State?
However, at the state level, things get more complicated, and although CBD is legal federally, the laws of some states are not in-line with federal regulations. Although most online e-commerce stores will ship CBD oil to all 50 U.S. states, if you live in Idaho, Nebraska or South Dakota, you are risking the wrath of authorities if you get caught with CBD oil.
Where to Buy CBD Oil?
So now you understand the potential benefits and uses of CBD oil and know that it’s legal. Naturally, the next question on your lips is probably about finding the best CBD product for you, so you’re going to type the following into Google:
There are advantages and disadvantages to both, but one thing for sure is that you should not buy CBD oil from Amazon.
A simple search on Amazon brings up over 3,000 searches; however, Amazon does not allow you to buy CBD oil. Amazon prohibits the sale of products containing CBD, so what you see there is actually hemp seed oil, which is extracted by cold-pressing hemp seeds.
Buy CBD Oil Online
Not purchasing from Amazon does not mean that you shouldn’t buy CBD oil online.
We’ll talk more about this later. Still, reputable e-commerce companies always include information about the source of CBD; they’re happy to provide customers with lab results that let them prove the quality of their products.
Buying CBD online also means that you can easily compare the prices between different CBD companies.
CBD Oil Near Me
Depending on where you’re located in the U.S., buying CBD oil from a dispensary might not be the best idea.
Many dispensaries that sell CBD oil are actually illegal, and therefore the brands they stock are on the black market.
Instead of getting high-quality CBD oil, you’re probably buying CBD oil that does not contain the ingredients on the label.
You can buy CBD products in some major retail stores; however, they are much more expensive than what you can find online, and they’re not the highest quality.
There are many e-commerce companies out there that offer fast shipping and good quality CBD oil, so if you’re new to CBD, then do your research and buy from a trusted online store.
How to Buy High-Quality CBD Oil
Price should not be an indicator of the quality of CBD oil.
Profit margins in CBD are huge. In early December, Charlotte’s Web blamed their poor financial results on the fact that they have “seen many companies entering the CBD segment due to a lower barrier of entry and ample supply of hemp raw materials.”
In other words, CBD companies can no longer charge customers ridiculous amounts. CBD oil does not have to be expensive.
A 30 mL tincture, with 500 mg of CBD oil for sale costs between $50-$60, while a 1000 mg, 30mL CBD oil for sale should cost between $80-$100.
The main things you should consider when buying CBD oil are listed below.
1. Lab Results: Does the company you are buying from offer lab results before you purchase?
2. Full-spectrum vs. CBD Isolate: Remember, for CBD oil to be legal in the U.S., it must contain less than 0.3% THC.
- Full-spectrum CBD contains less than 0.3% THC and lets you experience the entourage effect.
- The entourage effect lets you experience all the benefits of the other compounds found in the hemp plant. Some people prefer this, for example, those wanting CBD oil for pain.
- CBD isolate products contain pure CBD. These CBD oils contain zero THC. These are great for people who are new to CBD and want to test it out or those who want absolutely no other compound in their system.
3. CBD Strength: Power users or those looking for stronger effects may prefer CBD oil that is available in 1000 mg and 1500 mg, whereas those new to CBD should go for something lower, for example, a 500 mg product.
4. Extraction Method: You want to make sure that the CBD that you buy is cleaned of any unwanted toxins. The supercritical carbon dioxide extraction method allows this. Any other CBD extraction method will result in inferior quality CBD oil.
So when buying high-quality CBD oil, make sure that you don’t overpay. Expensive does not mean better; however, consider the lab results of the CBD oil company, the type of CBD you need, the CBD strength and the extraction method to create the CBD oil.
How to Take CBD Oil
CBD oil can be consumed in several different ways; here are the most common:
1. CBD Oil Tincture: A form of oral CBD oil ingestion. CBD tinctures are sold in dropper bottles. Simply use the dropper and place one or two drops under your tongue.
2. CBD Gummies: CBD gummies are treats that have been infused with CBD oil and come in tasty flavors. Simply eat a gummy for your dose of CBD.
3. CBD Capsules: CBD oils can be created in the form of a capsule. Ingest it like conventional medicine.
4. CBD Cream: CBD topicals are also called CBD creams; these are infused with CBD, and they penetrate the skin. The best CBD creams are made with “nano-CBD.” This is CBD that is small enough to penetrate the skin and be absorbed by your blood stream for targeted relief.
How Much CBD Oil Should I Take?
The amount of CBD oil that you should take to experience the benefits of CBD oil depends on several factors, the main ones are your weight, and the effects you want to experience. You can use our handy table to work out what the best dose for you to experience CBD oil’s benefits.
Side Effects of CBD Oil
According to the World Health Organization, “to date, there is no evidence of public health-related problems associated with the use of pure CBD.” However, in studies side effects have included:
- Tiredness from taking too much;
- Changes in weight; and
- Interactions with other medicines.
CBD is considered safe, and you should not worry about taking it. However, it’s always best to consult your doctor before you take it to experience CBD oil benefits.
CBD Oil: Is It Right for Me?
Anecdotally, CBD oil benefits are plentiful. People use CBD oil for pain, CBD oil for anxiety, CBD oil for sleep and many other ailments. The benefits of CBD oil have yet to be proven by concrete scientific research, but the existing studies show promise.
Still, with all the purported CBD oil benefits, it’s worth doing your due diligence. If you’re choosing to try it, you can check out a list of recommended products here.
Buying CBD oil online lets you do full research and shop at your own convenience. We also recommend using our helpful guide to find your correct dose, as well as keeping up to date with state and federal legislation to ensure the CBD that you’re using is legal.
For now, CBD that is derived from hemp, contains less than 0.3% THC, grown by licensed producers, and not marketed to have any therapeutic benefits is federally legal.
Remember to buy CBD oil from brands that are trusted. When it’s all said and done, monitor the CBD oil benefits daily, as it affects everyone differently. If you’re new to CBD, then when it comes to dosage, start low and go slow.
