There is a growing awareness of CBD these days as it is everywhere. Bars, shops, online stores, dispensaries, etc. all make them available for people who are interested and want them.
There is also a growing market and a lot of research on it. This is not surprising as using it is beneficial in many ways and also, with the recent farm bill passed into law, it became legal and easily accessible.
Cannabidiol or CBD is a substance found in cannabis plants like hemp. It mostly does not contain delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) which is mostly found in marijuana and gives a psychoactive effect that makes people get high.
The cannabis plant contains several compounds which include cannabinoids, terpenoids, flavonoids, omega-fatty acids, etc., but cannabidiols are at the forefront of medical research and usage. This is so because it is the most useful of all the compounds.
Please, note that any product that contains more than 0.3% of THC is illegal in the United States.
Cannabidiol can be used and taken into the human body in different forms including smoking hemp directly, inhaling it, as an aerosol spray, etc. It could also be taken in as oil which is referred to as CBD oil.
What is this Oil?
It contains concentrations of cannabidiol. It is extracted from different parts of the hemp plant like flowers, stem, leaves, stalks, and seeds with only cannabidiol as the active ingredient.
This means that it contains no THC or terpenes. This results in a raw concentrate of the product and can be used to produce a wide range of other products. Most times, manufacturers sell CBD oil with carrier oils.
This is usually because cannabidiol in its pure form is highly concentrated. Question is, can one take it that way? Yes, it is possible but there is no way to measure the dose so there is a risk of taking much more than you should.
Uses of CBD oil
Before talking about its uses, let’s see the different ways of using it.
Ingestion
CBD oil can be ingested in drops or as tinctures and capsules. It can also be added to food. Swallowing it makes it goes through the digestive system and will be worked on by the liver through the process of metabolism. This makes it available to work in the body for several hours.
Sublingual
This is placing a few drops of the oil under your tongue. By holding drops of oil under the tongue for between 30 seconds to 1 minute, the active ingredients are easily absorbed through the mucous membrane in the mouth making it effective almost immediately.
Topical
This is when it is simply applied to the skin. This may be purely CBD oil or it may have been mixed into other products which may come as balms, salves, shampoos, lubricants or lotions.
Uses and Benefits
Most users usually use it to treat some form of medical condition or another.
Pain and Inflammation: People suffering from any form of pain have reported having found relief when they use CBD oil. It also helps to significantly reduce chronic inflammation and prevent nerve damage. Chronic inflammation can lead to other diseases and health conditions like heart disease, and type 1 diabetes but CBD helps in treating and preventing this.
Anxiety: Studies have shown that patients that were given CBD oil capsules felt better after a short while. It can be used as a treatment for different kinds of anxiety such as general anxiety disorder, social anxiety, post-traumatic stress, and panic disorder. It reduces stress and discomfort.
Depression: It has also been seen to help eradicate or reduce depression. This is it achieves by enhancing the serotonergic and glutamate cortical signaling which are usually lacking in people suffering depression. Daily usage of it induces antidepressants-like effects and enhances confidence.
How CBD Works In The Body
To put this simply, the human body contains a complex system called the Endocannabinoid system. It plays a major role in the body by helping to balance its most important functions including appetite, mood, sleep, memory, bowel movements, etc.
Researchers believe that cannabidiol helps to influence and activate receptors that allow the endocannabinoid system to function well by helping to provide support for it.
It blocks the breakdown of the endocannabinoid system so it is available to do its work of balancing endocannabinoids in the body against external factors like stress and environmental changes.
Where to Buy CBD oil
When buying any cannabidiol product, be careful you are buying the right product and with less than 0.3% THC. That is why you need to buy from trusted sources. There are several places you can make a purchase.
Reliable online stores like sell different range of CBD products. You can only be sure of purchasing the real thing when you visit an official site or an authorized reseller for your purchases.
As a result of its growing popularity and increasing demand, everyone seems to want to sell CBD products. This does not make buying a high-quality product easy, which is the more reason why you should only buy from trusted sources.
Keep in mind that if you do not buy the right product, you run a risk of running afoul of the law and also taking in harmful products.
