Welcome to the Happy CBD Oil’s guide to CBD.
If you find yourself confused about all the information out there, don’t worry. We have the answers to your burning questions about CBD and its benefits.
This guide is continually updated with new studies and research as it emerges.
We’ll also continue updating with commonly asked questions and relevant information to help you fully understand CBD (cannabidiol).
Let’s dive in…
What is CBD Oil?
Quick Answer: CBD stands for Cannabidiol. It’s one of the many cannabinoids contained in the male and female cannabis plants. It’s thought that CBD is where the majority of the medicinal benefits of marijuana are derived.
CBD oil (cannabidiol oil) is a hot topic lately because it’s showing promising results for a variety of problems. However, it’s still a relatively new supplement so there are gaps in the long term studies.
But what we do know is that CBD is considered safe, legal in most areas, and has an extremely low toxicity (source).
But what is CBD Oil really?
CBD is simply the extract from the cannabis plant which is non-psychoactive and does not produce any “high” feelings.
It can be extracted from both the male and female cannabis plants but the highest concentration of CBD is found in the resinous trichomes.
However, its also found in the rest of the plant which is why CBD can be extracted from the male plants as well.
CBD does not create an intoxicated effect of any kind and is safe to use by most people.
However, this does not mean it’s legal in every state.
There’s confusion about the legalities of CBD oil and many people think that, as long as it contains less than 0.3% THC, it’s considered hemp oil and perfectly legal.
Unfortunately that’s not accurate. Right now CBD with some THC is legal in 30 states which have medical and recreational marijuana and 17 more have specific CBD laws.
Our CBD oil happens to contain 0% THC making it one of the few that are legal in all 50 states.
For a list of laws by state, check this reference on Americans for Safe Access.
What Does CBD Oil Do?
CBD Oil does not produce any “high” feelings or intoxicating effects.
It’s common to think that because it comes from the same plant as marijuana, it would make you high.
However, most CBD is free from THC.
In fact, CBD can help to counter the effects of THC which is why many commercial marijuana growers attempt to lower the amount of CBD in their strains as much as possible.
To give you an idea of how safe it is, many of our clients give CBD to their children as a means of helping with everything from seizures to behavioral issues. They also give our CBD products to their pets to help with pain, inflammation, and anxiety.
Here’s how CBD works…
CBD works with your bodies natural endocannabinoid system (ECS). which regulates a number of functions including:
- Sleep
- Pain
- Appetite
- Immune response
There’s a few things to note:
- Your body already produces it own cannabinoids which is why we have these receptors (source).
- CBD works within your body to reduce inflammatory responses which can be linked to autoimmune problems and many other issues (source).
Being that your body already has these receptors, and that CBD has an incredibly low chance of toxicity, it’s generally considered not only safe but also a natural remedy to many everyday issues.
With that said, all of us are different so we advise you to perform your own research before using CBD or any supplements.
Benefits of CBD
There’s a reason CBD’s so popular – it packs lots of benefits and offers a potential solution to problems that would otherwise require medicine with more intense side effects.
Many people report success using CBD as a remedy for headaches, arthritis pain, anxiety, depression, acne, cancer symptoms, general pain, epilepsy, and more.
CBD For Pain Relief
Our specialized endocannabinoid system regulates pain in our body.
CBD has been shown to help reduce chronic pain (source) by interacting with these receptors and reducing inflammation.
CBD was also found to reduce sciatic nerve pain in rats (source) as well as the pain from surgical incision (source).
And another double-blind, randomized study of 339 patients with MS found that THC/CBD spray was an effective remedy for relieving central neuropathic pain in patients with multiple sclerosis (source). A pain that’s been historically difficult to deal with.
For anyone dealing with the pain of arthritis, a study in the European Journal of Pain used a topical gel on rats with arthritis.
What they found was that there was a substantial drop in inflammation and pain without negative side effects (source).
More studies need to be done on humans but the testimonials are promising.
Those are just a few of the pains that CBD has been scientifically studied as a treatment for.
And it appears that we’re finding CBD is promising for many other daily aches and pains we deal with as well.
One thing is for sure, it has massive promise as a non-toxic, healthy remedy for the average person.
Unfortunately, big pharma is currently trying to monopolize the production of CBD by passing legislation that would make it illegal (source).
Naturally this means they would turn it into a highly profitable drug for everything from headaches to epilepsy and it would require a prescription to obtain.
CBD For Anxiety And Depression
Anxiety and depression are two of the most common disorders in the United States and they don’t appear to be getting any better.
Both have severe impacts on overall feelings of well-being as well as quality of life for anyone suffering from them.
Typically, both of these conditions are treated with drugs.
And many of these drugs carry long term side effects including withdrawals, sexual problems, weight gain, feeling emotionally numb, agitation and more (source).
And many of the anxiety medications such as benzodiazepines like Xanax and Valium can be highly addictive and cause severe withdrawals if stopped abruptly (source).
However, CBD has shown promising results for the treatment of both anxiety and depression.
One study conducted on a group 24 individuals with Social Anxiety Disorder put them in a simulated public speaking environment.
Before the simulation, 12 were given CBD and the other 12 were given a placebo.
The study concluded that pretreatment with CBD significantly reduced participants anxiety, discomfort in performance, cognitive impairment, and improved their speech (source).
Additionally, CBD has been shown to demonstrate antidepressant like properties in multiple animal tests (source, source)
Another study shows that CBD demonstrated promising results as a fast-acting antidepressant drug in humans and mice (source).
As you can see, CBD is an overall promising remedy for many daily issues we face and we’ve only discovered the tip of the iceberg.
CBD For Sleep
If you’ve ever tried CBD before bed, you probably don’t need a scientific study to prove that it helps with sleep.
But if you’re interested in the science, let’s look at a few of the studies that have been conducted on CBD for sleep.
One study on 4 patients with RBD, a sleep disorder associated with their Parkinson’s disease, demonstrated that CBD had quick and measurable reductions in RBD related events.
Another study administered on lab mice found that those which were administered higher doses of CBD achieved more total sleep time (source)
However, it’s important to note that the dosing does matter. In small amounts, CBD can actually increase wakefulness (source).
Other Benefits of CBD
In addition to the benefits mentioned above, CBD has shown promise in other areas including:
- Quitting smoking (source)
- Drug withdrawal (source)
- Reducing alzheimer’s effects (source)
- Treating seizures (source)
- As an antipsychotic in schizophrenic patients (source)
- Diabetes (source)
- Cancer (source)
How Long Does it Take For CBD Oil to Work?
Now that you’re ready to take CBD Oil and you know it doesn’t produce psychoactive effects, you may be wondering, “how long does it take to work?”
After all, you won’t feel “high” or anything so how do you know it’s working at all?
Even though you don’t get “high” you’ll notice a distinctly calmer sensation. Namely, you’ll notice far less irritability and a stronger desire to enjoy your day.
As for how long it takes to work, there’s a few factors that can influence how quickly your CBD takes effect.
Just like alcohol and medications, if you take it on a full stomach, it will naturally take a little longer to digest and kick in.
It can take anywhere from 5-60 minutes for the CBD to enter your bloodstream and start working. If you mix it in with your food or drink, it’s around the same timeline for it to work.
Let’s cover the different means of using CBD as well as how long each takes to work…
How Long Does It Take If You Vape CBD?
Vaping CBD has become an increasingly popular means of ingestion.
It’s the fastest way for CBD to start working since it doesn’t have to go through the process of digestion. Instead, it’s inhaled into your lungs where it enters the bloodstream directly.
When vaping, you’ll typically feel the relaxing effects within 5-10 minutes.
How Long Do CBD Drops Take?
CBD drops can be taken sublingually (under the tongue) and held there for about 60-90 seconds before swallowing.
This holding process allows some of the CBD to absorb directly into your bloodstream which results in the CBD beginning to work within about 10-15 minutes.
It’s important to note that you won’t absorb all of the CBD through the mucous membranes in your mouth.
You will have to swallow the oil which carries a percentage of the CBD into your digestive system.
With this means of delivery, you’ll feel the early effects within a few minutes and it will fully take effect within the hour.
How Long Do CBD Topicals Take?
CBD topicals don’t work in the same way that ingesting CBD does.
When placed on your skin, a number of factors influence both the amount of CBD that will actually be absorbed into your blood and the time it takes.
With that said, there’s no way to determine when it will be absorbed.
We don’t recommend topical CBD products for anything beyond skin conditions you’re treating, muscle pain, and general soreness.
For example, you could apply CBD lotion to dry skin, psoriasis, skin cancer, acne, and sore muscles.
But we would not recommend using it to “calm” yourself down as there are much better ways to ingest CBD to achieve that result.
How Long Do CBD Capsules Take?
CBD capsules, like other pills take around 45-60 minutes to fully be absorbed.
When you swallow CBD capsules, they have to first be broken open by your stomach acids and then be absorbed into your bloodstream.
Having a full or empty stomach at the time you take the capsules can affect how long it takes to fully absorb and begin working.
Capsules are a great way to take CBD in higher doses. For example, if you’re dealing with severe anxiety, the capsules might be the perfect solution for you. Ours come in 25 mg per capsule which means you know exactly how much CBD you’re taking.
What Does CBD Feel Like?
Most people are somewhat reluctant to try CBD because of the natural and understandable concern they’re going to get high. Fortunately, CBD itself causes no buzz whatsoever.
Our CBD causes no “buzz” whatsoever. It results in a soothing calm feeling that notably reduces stress and anxiety.
However, it’s important to note that some companies produce CBD tinctures which do contain larger amounts of THC and will produce a buzz.
Many other CBD Oils will contain a trace amount but it’s generally lower than 0.3% which has no psychoactive effects.
Our CBD drops contain 0% THC which produces no head change or buzzed state. It’s also legal in all 50 states since its tested and certified to be pure and free from THC.
You need to experiment with the amount of CBD you take since each person’s body is different.
10 mg might be the perfect dose for one person and 30 mg might be right for another. When you first begin taking CBD, you may feel a little drowsy the first few days.
For that reason we recommend you start with a few drops before bed and then assess your needs from there.
Within 2-3 days the drowsy feeling goes away and you just feel calm. At this point you can begin taking it in the morning.
Relaxed and calm
After taking CBD you’ll feel a gentle relaxation and remain fully focused and alert with a distinct lack of stress.
It brings about a calm state kind of like you just meditated for 20 minutes. While THC can trigger feelings of anxiety, studies show CBD actually releases those feelings.
Relief from pain
We spoke about the pain relieving properties of CBD before but it’s commonly used for arthritis, cramps, headaches, muscle soreness and many other pains you might be feeling.
After taking CBD, you should begin to feel pain relief within an hour or less.
Reduced nausea
CBD and THC have been used for cancer patients dealing with nausea.
The circuit in your body which regulates nausea is influenced by your endocannabinoid system. When we take CBD or THC (cannabinoids) they interact with your endocannabinoid system to reduce nausea and vomiting (source).
Improved mood
Let’s face it, when you’re relaxed, you’re in a better mood. You’ve probably noticed that when you’re on vacation.
But you might be wondering, “If CBD doesn’t produce psychoactive effects, how does it improve my mood?”
Studies show that CBD has antidepressant effects which, naturally result in a better mood.
And it’s often been referred to as a “fast acting” antidepressant which means that if you’re feeling stressed, taking a few drops can change your mood quickly.
What’s The Difference Between CBD & Hemp Oil
When you’re looking at CBD and Hemp Oil, you’ll notice that many small bottles of hemp oil are marketed as if they’re CBD. However, they’re two very different things.
Hemp oil is a great anti inflammatory, contains lots of healthy fats like Omega fatty acids, and it’s a great substitute for olive oil.
Other uses for hemp oil:
- Lotions and beauty products
- It’s often used in plastics
- It’s sometimes used as a fuel source
- Used as a moisturizer in soaps and lotions
However, hemp oil is taken from the seeds of the hemp plant.
These seeds are very low in cannabinoids including CBD and the oil itself is generally cold pressed from the actual hemp seeds.
CBD Oil on the other hand is rich in cannabinoids, namely CBD.
This oil can come from hemp as well as all parts of the female marijuana plant including its flowers.
However, it’s different from hemp oil which is pressed almost exclusively from the hemp seeds and does not contain the cannabinoids.
CBD is useful for many things including it’s many medicinal uses. You may find some sellers market hemp oil as having these same benefits but this is misleading since it isn’t the same at all.
(Related: Hemp oil vs CBD oil | An easy & accurate explanation)
The only similarity is that they come from the same plant but they don’t share the same properties or benefits.
Another difference is that CBD can contain THC in different concentrations (which are specified on the bottle). You may find dilutions that read things like:
- 1:1 CBD:THC
- 2:1 CBD:THC
- 4:1 CBD:THC
- 8:1 CBD:THC
- 13:1 CBD:THC
- 18:1 CBD:THC
- 28:1 CBD:THC
Those are the most common but you may find some things in between. The less parts CBD to THC, the higher the THC concentration by volume.
So a 1:1 CBD:THC would have psychoactive effects and produce a high. While a 28:1 concentration would produce absolutely zero psychoactive effects.
Of course this is only relevant if you live in a state with legal cannabis.
If you live in a state where CBD is allowed but medical or recreational marijuana is not, you’ll see something that says “0% THC” or something along those lines.
These are also non-psychoactive CBD products.
To sum it up, Hemp Oil is better used as a cooking product in your home and CBD is better suited for things like cramps, muscle pain, anxiety, certain types of epilepsy, and headaches.
CBD Isolate Vs Full Spectrum
So what’s the difference between isolated and full spectrum CBD?
The difference lies in the spectrum of cannabinoids found in each option.
CBD isolate refers to CBD which is purely CBD that’s been “isolated” from the cannabis plant and other cannabinoids contained within.
Full spectrum CBD on the other hand contains all the cannabinoids including CBD, CBN, CBG, CBDA, CBG, CBGA, CBC, CBCA, THCA, THC, THCV and a few others.
It’s important to note that the THC concentration in our full spectrum CBD is 0% and non-psychoactive.
While we know that the majority of the benefits of the cannabis plant are derived from CBD itself, we’re still unsure if one works better than the other or if they work synergistically.
One study performed at the Lautenberg Center for General and Tumor Immunology noted that CBD isolate had a “bell shaped dose response”.
In other words, when given CBD alone, it would become less effective as higher doses were administered.
However, when the mice were given a full spectrum CBD compound, they were able to continuously increase the dose and get increasing responses.
This indicates that a full spectrum CBD may be more effective for medicinal uses since the spectrum of cannabinoids seem to work together to increase the effectiveness of CBD.
Which should you choose?
I’m inclined to recommend full spectrum CBD since studies show that it continues producing responses even in higher doses.
However they’re both very new and there are still no conclusive studies showing one over the other.
With that said, a CBD isolate is a good option if you’re on lower doses or just starting with CBD.
But when you’re increasing your doses or if you find yourself plateauing, then it’s a good time to switch to full spectrum.
Ultimately the only way you’ll know which you prefer is to try both and see what you think.
Another factor to consider is the taste. An isolate has virtually no flavor which makes it easy to add to shakes, smoothies, and any other food.
While full spectrum tends to have a slightly earthy flavor which is a little harder to mask but still not bad.
Some bottles have flavors like mint added which makes them slightly more palatable. However, unless you’re adding a significant amount to your smoothie, you shouldn’t taste the earthy flavor.
What’s The Best CBD Dosage?
Unfortunately there’s no exact science to the best CBD dosage.
It comes down to experimenting with your body to find an amount that gets you the result you want.
We recommend you start with as little as 5 milligrams and work your way up from there. It should only take a few days to find your perfect dosage.
If you’ve never taken CBD before, we recommend you take your first doses in the evening an hour or two before bed.
It’s common to feel sleepy at first and you probably don’t want that during the day. After 2-3 days that drowsy feeling should subside and you’ll be able to take it during the day.
When calculating the dosage you’ll need to factor in a few things:
- The concentration of your product
- Your body weight
- Severity of the condition being treated
Concentration of your product
When you purchase a CBD product, especially a tincture or vape, you’ll have to do a little math to determine how much is in each serving.
If you purchase a 300 mg tincture, for example, each half dropper should be around 0.6 ml (or about a half dropper or 20 drops). This will contain about 6 mg of CBD.
From there, it’s pretty easy to calculate the dosing and increase as needed.
Your body weight
As with most things, your body weight will play a role in the dose you need. Individuals with larger body mass will require more to get the same result as a smaller person.
As a general guideline, anywhere between 1-5 mg for every 10 pounds of body weight is a good dose for pain management and other more serious issues.
However, as little as 5 mg can work for simply calming the nerves so it will require some experimentation.
Using the guidelines of 1-5 mg per pound, these are the approximate amounts you would take in a day:
Weight | 100-150 lbs | 150-200 lbs | 200+ lbs |
Pain Level | |||
Mild | 10-15 mg | 15-25mg | 25+ mg |
Moderate | 20-25 mg | 25-30 mg | 30+ mg |
Severe | 30+ | 40+ | 50+ |
Severity of the condition
As you can see from the chart above, the severity of your pain level and your body weight play a role in how much CBD you should take.
The more severe the condition, the higher your dose should probably be. The table above is not an exact dose or medical advice so you’ll need to test it until you get relief.
If you don’t feel relief right away, it’s because you’re not taking a high enough dose. So increase the amount until you do get relief – because you will.
Talk to your Doctor
It’s always a good idea to speak with your doctor before starting any new health regimen.
While CBD is considered safe for everyone, all of us are different and we don’t always know how our bodies will react. You may also be on medications that could adversely react with CBD.
So, our advice is that you speak with your doctor first.
If you’re searching for a quality CBD product, give ours a try. It’s specifically formulated to contain 0% THC, be quickly effective, and easy to mix. We have a variety of products to choose from as well so you can definitely find something you like.
Additionally, we offer free overnight shipping for orders in before 11 am EST, guarantee quality, and give you 90 days to return it if you’re not satisfied.