Why is my CBD oil not having an effect?
Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the last couple of years, you will have heard of CBD. It is one of the compounds – or cannabinoids – which is found naturally in the cannabis plant and that is showing great potential for helping people with a number of health issues.
The future is looking promising for CBD and there are many people who are already benefiting from the properties of CBD and other compounds that are found in the hemp plant, often seeing great results. Please remember to not confuse hemp oil and or hemp seed oil with CBD oil.
But what happens if you try CBD and it’s not working for you? CBD works differently for everyone and that’s why it’s not one size fits all.
That doesn’t mean that you should give up on it though. It could be one of these 4 things:
Dodgy CBD Dealers
As with a lot of ‘new’ industries, there still isn’t enough regulation of the CBD field. This means that CBD buyers are open to exploitation from unscrupulous CBD dealers, who aren’t giving you what they claim that they are.
It might be that they aren’t giving you the dosage that they say that they are or it might even be that there is no CBD actually present in the bottle. The best way to avoid this situation is by finding a CBD producer who can give you detailed information about what is included in their CBD oil products through lab testing from an independent company.
A reputable and trustworthy CBD store will make the results of lab testing easily available to all, offering a complete breakdown of all of the cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids that are present. This is called a COA (Certificate of Analysis) and this transparency should be central to any reputable CBD company.
Full Spectrum CBD oil or CBD Isolate?
CBD oil can be classified into one of three groups – full spectrum, broad spectrum or CBD isolate. Full spectrum CBD is made from the extract of the whole hemp plant. This means that you not only get CBD, but also the other compounds that are in the plant. Broad spectrum CBD contains some of the compounds, and CBD isolate is as pure a CBD oil that you can get.
Research suggests that full spectrum CBD is more effective than broad spectrum and CBD isolate, thanks to the entourage effect. It may, however, include some traces of THC (the cannabinoid which makes you ‘high’).
If you are finding that the CBD oil that you are taking isn’t being as effective as you hoped, check that you are taking full or broad spectrum CBD oil.
Pesticides, Chemicals and other Additives
Some CBD companies will claim to be organic, or that they are giving you ‘natural’ CBD whilst also using hemp which has been exposed to nasty chemicals or other additives. Generally speaking, the best CBD oils to use is the ones that is natural as possible.
Check on the COA for what is in the CBD oil, and if it has chemicals, pesticides, microbes or other strange ingredients, you’ll be best to give it a miss.
It is worth remembering, however, that CBD should be taken with a carrier oil (usually coconut, MCT oil, hemp seed oil or olive oil) to help it to be absorbed into the body – so this is the only other ingredient that you need!
Dosing
Getting your CBD dosing right can be a little complicated and requires a degree of trial and error. It might be the case that you are taking too little or too much (yes, too much!) for what you need. CBD is what’s known as biphasic, meaning that it can have different effects on your body according to how much you take.
As a general rule, it is recommended that adults take 10-15mg active cannabinoids, once a day to start. It can take a couple of days to get going, so only change your dosage every 2 or 3 days. Gradually increase it by 5 to 10mg, until you find that it is having an effect.
Remember, you can’t overdose on CBD – you just won’t feel any additional benefits, and this is when you know that you have taken to much. Stop increasing and go back down to the dose that you feel is most effective to you.
It is important to speak to your doctor before trying CBD, especially if you are already taking medication.
