What IS CBD?
Cannabidiol (CBD) is a type of cannabinoid, a chemical found naturally in cannabis (marijuana and hemp) plants. Early research has shown serious promise regarding the ability of CBD oil to help relieve various symptoms like sleep and pain.
Unlike THC, another very common and popular type of cannabinoid, CBD doesn’t cause any feelings of intoxication or the “high” you may associate with cannabis. Now that you know what CBD is, lets see how CBD works! Learn more about the potential benefits of CBD oil for anxiety, sleep, pain or other symptoms and whether it could be a treatment option for you.
How CBD works
We all know how wondrous the human body is. What we dont always know is why or how. Where CBD is concerned we do have a great idea based on facts. The human body has many different receptors. Receptors are protein-based chemical structures that are attached to your cells. They receive signals from different stimuli. CBD is thought to interact with CB1 and CB2 receptors. These receptors are mostly found in the central nervous system and the peripheral nervous system, respectively.
The exact way CBD affects CB1 receptors in the brain isn’t fully understood. However, it may alter serotonin signals.
Serotonin, a neurotransmitter, plays an important role in your mental health. Low serotonin levels are very commonly associated with people who have depression. In some cases, not having enough serotonin may also cause anxiety, and when your body does not feel right your head will not either, or vice versa.
The conventional treatment for low serotonin is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), such as sertraline (Zoloft) or fluoxetine (Prozac). SSRIs are only available by prescription. Some people, including myself personally, with can possibly manage their conditions with CBD instead of an SSRI. While no research shows that CBD interacts negatively with any pharmaceutical treatments, you should talk to your doctor before making changes to your treatment plan. I would personally suggest trying CBD as soon as safely possible!
How Do I Know CBD is Working?
Now that we've familiarized ourselves with how CBD works and the many benefits that CBD can offer, you may be wondering how long it will take to notice the beneficial effects of CBD oil. To be honest, this will vary from person to person and will depend on several other factors including your tolerance to cannabinoids, age, weight and height!
For starters, the manner in which you consume your CBD oil products will also affect how quickly you feel results from them. CBD oil products can be ingested orally, inhaled, or applied to the skin in the form of topical cbd oil products. Inhaling CBD oil vapes is normally recognized as the fastest way to get the product assimilated and start feeling the results of its use. Because inhalation bypasses the digestive tract, the benefits of CBD oil are noticed more quickly. In contrast, oral ingestion of CBD oil is generally recognized as the slowest manner in which to see results since the product must go through the digestive tract and be filtered by the liver. Though commonly misconceived, you do not immediately swallow CBD oils orally, it is best to allow them to soak at least 10-15 seconds at the minimum before swallowing,
Finally, the dosage of CBD oil that you take will also impact how quickly you recognize results. Your CBD oil will come with a recommended dosage to start with, but this often has to be adjusted depending on your weight and what existing health issues you have. Consider this a recommended starting point but not something set in stone.