How do you know when CBD takes effect?

CBD oil is a top trendy ingredient on the market right now. It's so popular, in fact, that revenues from products made with CBD are projected to grow to $20 billion by 2024.

Índice Show

Topical Forms of CBD
Ingestible Forms of CBD
You Might Experience Side-Effects In The First Few Weeks
Delayed Effects
It’s Not A “Cure” For Anything
You’ll Have Many Flavors Of Oil To Choose From
Increased Focus
Better Sleep
Decreased Anxiety
The Bottom Line
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So what is CBD, exactly? Here's a quick refresher: CBD is a naturally occurring compound present in the flowers and leaves of cannabis plants. There's no THC in it, which means it can't get you high, no matter how much you take.

CBD is compelling for its laundry list of promising purported health benefits, from reduced muscle pain and anxiety to help with nausea, insomnia, and inflammation. CBD products are not approved by the FDA, though it "recognizes the potential opportunities that cannabis or cannabis-derived compounds may offer and acknowledges the significant interest in these possibilities." Research on CBD's perks is ongoing, but in the meantime, many Americans are eager to test out the positive potential of this ingredient.

If you're wondering whether it's time to jump on the CBD bandwagon, you're not alone. But as with any new food, drink, or supplement, it's best to start slow—and smart.

A common question among those trying CBD for the first time: How long it will take to have an effect on your body? According to Boris Shcharansky, the chief operating officer at Papa & Barkley, the length of time depends largely on the dosing method. Here's a simple breakdown.

Topical Forms of CBD

CBD topical products, like balm, ointments, and lotions, should take effect almost immediately. Once you apply these products, you should start feeling relief within about 15 minutes.

Ingestible Forms of CBD

For ingestible products, like tinctures, capsules, and gummies, the results can vary. When kept under the tongue, tinctures are typically absorbed within 30 seconds, and the effects are felt within 15 minutes. When ingesting CBD (i.e., swallowing it or consuming a food that contains CBD), you can expect to feel the effects within about 45 minutes to two hours.

Dosing

You may have aches, inflammation, or other issues that you're hoping to soothe with CBD stat, but be wary of taking high doses early on. Instead, wait the appropriate period of time before increasing the dose. "Ingesting CBD is typically associated with more attentiveness, less anxiety, and less inflammatory-related pain," explains Shcharansky. "While higher doses—over 200 milligrams—have been associated with drowsiness." In other words, dosing should be determined systematically on an individual basis.

To feel the effects of CBD as quickly as possible, Shcharansky recommends taking a tincture sublingually: Drop it under your tongue, wait a few seconds, and swallow.

"But the benefits of CBD are less about immediate effects and more about cumulative benefits," he explains. "If you take CBD daily, you'll continuously reduce your inflammation, which over time, should reduce your pain and keeps flare-ups at bay."

If you’re thinking of taking CBD, you’ll be entering an exciting world of benefits backed by science and appreciated by millions of users on a daily basis. CBD is a naturally-occurring compound found in the cannabis plant, but don’t let that fool you; CBD doesn’t produce a high and comes from a strain of cannabis called hemp, which contains very low concentrations of THC.

Whether you want to take CBD oil for pain management, anxiety, post-workout, or better sleep, you’ll probably want to know what you can expect when you first introduce it into your health regimen. Here, we’ll cover what might occur within the first 30 days, how to navigate it, and when to expect real results.

You Might Experience Side-Effects In The First Few Weeks

Anytime you introduce something new to your body, there’s a potential for side-effects. Everyone’s body chemistry reacts differently to new stimuli, so here’s a chance you’ll experience one or more of these symptoms within 7-14 days of starting your CBD oil journey.

Fatigue: Fatigue is a common side-effect of introducing CBD into your lifestyle. CBD relaxes muscles, relieves pain, and even helps minimize anxiety, so you’ll likely feel incredibly relaxed and even tired. Not to worry, though. Most users report that fatigue symptoms dissipate once you pass the 2-3 week mark, but if they don’t, try lowering your dose or letting your doctor know.

Dry Mouth: Perhaps the most common symptom of consuming cannabinoids is the classic dry mouth sensation. It’s believed that cannabinoids interrupt saliva production by binding to cannabinoid receptors in your saliva glands, so you’ll want to keep some water handy if you start experiencing this side-effect.

Diarrhea: CBD is known to cause digestive issues in some cases, up to and including diarrhea. Diarrhea is certainly unpleasant, but it tends to go away once you’ve been taking your CBD regularly for 3-4 weeks. If it doesn’t, you might want to try lowering your dose.

Delayed Effects

There’s a myth going around that you’ll feel CBD effects immediately after taking them, and this simply not true. Even if you’ve been taking CBD for years, it still has to be absorbed into the bloodstream and can take some time to kick in. If you’re new to CBD oil, you might not experience anything until you’ve been taking it regularly for several weeks.

New users often grow frustrated with their CBD oil because they’re not feeling any effects from it during week one. Don’t let yourself become frustrated; the CBD oil isn’t going to automatically reduce your anxiety the first time you take it!

It will take one to three weeks at least of regular dosages for you to notice a difference. Your body has to adjust to the new cannabinoid in your system, and it will do so, but it may take some time. Be patient, use the right dosage, and buy high-quality, potent CBD oil or CBD gummies to ensure you’re not getting a sub-par experience.

It’s Not A “Cure” For Anything

We need to address the myth that CBD is a cure-all, or that it cures anything at all. The fact is, while scientific research certainly supports the use of CBD to aid in the management of certain conditions and their symptoms, it’s simply not a cure for anything.

CBD is more of a symptom management tool than anything else. It’s great for promoting overall health and homeostasis, for pain management, anxiety management, and even a post-workout routine, but it’s not a cure.

You’ll Have Many Flavors Of Oil To Choose From

One of the great things about the CBD market is that it’s loaded with diversity. You’ll find all kinds of products, flavor varieties, doses, and more. CBD oil comes in flavors like mint, orange strawberry, melon, and vanilla. If you want something with a more “natural flavor”, there are unflavored oils that sport the earthy taste of hemp instead of sweet orange or mint.

Since CBD oil can be taken under the tongue or included in your favorite recipes, it’s one of the most versatile ways to get CBD. Some people cook with it, while others simply include it in a smoothie or their morning coffee, and others simply take it under the tongue every day.

hemp leaves on wooden background, seeds, cannabis oil extracts in jars.

Increased Focus

One of the most commonly reported benefits of taking CBD regularly is the clearing of brain fog and an increase in natural focus. It’s so easy to become distracted in our modern world, and CBD seems to be effective in improving the ability to focus by reducing anxiety and brain fog.

You know the feeling. You’ve got something really important to do, but when you try to focus on it, you just can’t seem to get around the heavy feeling in your head. You’re unfocused, which makes you unmotivated, which makes you unproductive. That’s not a place anyone wants to be in.

Better Sleep

The best CBD oil before bed has been shown to improve sleep patterns in adults, making their sleep more restful and less interrupted. If you’re someone who tosses and turns at night, CBD can help ease you into a more restful night’s sleep. Users report that taking CBD oil an hour or so before bed works the best; giving the CBD time to work its way into your system.

Decreased Anxiety

We could all benefit from less anxiety and stress, and while you can’t exactly control your stressors all of the time, you can always control how you react to them. Stress causes anxiety, which causes racing thoughts, increased blood pressure, and a pervasive sense of worry.

CBD has natural anti-anxiety properties and is even thought to aid in the management of certain anxiety disorders such as depression.

The Bottom Line

It’s important to understand that your body may take some time to adjust to your CBD oil. Having realistic expectations and knowing what you could experience can help you navigate the adjustment period without becoming worried or overwhelmed.