How long does CBD Oil take to work?
With so much conflicting information surrounding how to take CBD and how long it takes to work, it is hard to know what to follow and believe. Misinformation surrounding cannabidiol can lead to new users dismissing it as a fad when they do not see immediate results. This may be the case due to the rise in oral products with low absorption – such as CBD gummies, coffee and chocolate. But before you give up on cannabidiol after taking your first trial, read through the Dragonfly article exploring a little more about different types and their effects on the body.
What is CBD?
CBD is one of just over a hundred known cannabinoids in the Cannabis plant. It is legal, safe and non-psychotropic, which means that it will not get you “high”.
What is Bioavailability?
Bioavailability is the speed and degree to which substances are absorbed into the blood. You may have heard this being called the “absorption rate” in your science classes.
For example, if a medication was injected directly into your bloodstream, it would have 100% bioavailability. This is, however, not possible or recommended with cannabidiol. When you take substances through other means, such as orally, sublingually, or topically, it must go through many parts of the body before it gets to your blood. This is affected by the strength of your product, its quality and your consumption method.
Each of the administering options offers a different level of bioavailability.
What are the different methods of CBD consumption?
The main ones include:
1. Sublingual
Taking cannabidiol sublingually means that it is placed under the tongue and held for 1-2 minutes. There is a vein called the sublingual gland, which is right under the tongue. When substances are placed on top of this, it gets quickly absorbed into the bloodstream. These effects are typically felt within 15 – 30 minutes.
The sublingual method produces the maximal absorption rate for CBD oils compared to oral administration. Dragonfly recommends that you do not swallow the oil too quickly, as this results in oral ingestion.
2. Oral Ingestion
Oral ingestion means that cannabidiol is swallowed. This may be through capsules, gummies, food and drinks, or directly swallowing the oil. The cannabidiol has to pass through the digestive system before reaching your bloodstream. Passing through various metabolic systems leads to a reduced absorption rate than the sublingual route. This also means that oral ingestion can take between 30 minutes to two hours for some to feel the effects. However, this can be an excellent method to conveniently build cannabidiol into your routine.
3. Topical
Topical CBD involves applying it directly to the skin. This results in local absorption in a particular area and is excellent for targeting specific regions. However, this method produces the lowest bioavailability.
Topically applying cannabidiol will not make it enter your bloodstream, instead of interacting with local receptors on the skin. This means that some may feel effects within a few minutes, whereas others may take a few hours. Topical application may be made through body moisturisers and face creams such as those products in Dragonfly’s skincare and body creams. You can also apply a few drops of CBD oil directly to the skin or mix it into your moisturiser.
What else affects how long CBD takes to work?
Your product strength, quality, and consumption method are the main elements affecting bioavailability. Dragonfly Biosciences produces the finest organic CBD and clearly states the level of cannabidiol on its packaging so that you do not have to worry about what you are ingesting. We offer strengths from beginners right up to 3000mg!
The way cannabidiol operates throughout your body depends on many other variables between people. Therefore it is hard to say precisely how long it will affect you.
1. Your body
A person’s body weight, type, water content, and height can significantly impact the effects of cannabidiol and how long it takes to feel it. Metabolism also plays a large part, as it affects how long your body takes to break down compounds – as well as how long it stays in your system.
2. How often should you take it
Furthermore, the frequency of use also plays a prominent role. This affects how long you take to feel it and how long it stays in your body. Cannabidiol builds up in your body as you take it over time, which is why it is recommended to try it for at least a week.
3. Food
The rate of absorption is also affected by when, how much and what you have eaten.
In our conversation with Professor Saoirse O’Sullivan, we learnt that cannabidiol is a highly lipophilic compound, meaning that it loves fats, so taking CBD after a meal can improve absorption by up to 5 times! Especially if the meal is high in healthy fats.
It is a core part of Dragonfly’s mission to educate consumers on the science behind cannabidiol and feel reassured about our product range’s quality. To this end, you can find batch-specific, third-party lab results for all of our products.
However, do not just take our word for it; check out some Dragonfly CBD reviews and find a product that’s right for you.
Discover our CBD Oil range today
Dragonfly CBD is an award-winning UK-based CBD company that creates all its products from seed to shelf. You can buy Dragonfly CBD online or in retailers like Boots, Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Amazon.
Feel free to contact us for more expert advice.