At this point, you probably know that CBD may have a variety of benefits for both your mind and your body. Now, you might not like smoking or vaping, which is totally fine because you can always ingest your CBD in the form of oil.
CBD oil is believed to help relieve a variety of symptoms associated with conditions such as chronic pain, stress, anxiety, and more. However, you might not know how to take your CBD oil, because there are different ways to do so.
Today, we're going to talk about the best way to take CBD oil. We will cover all the differences between benefits that CBD oil might have, and we'll then talk about all of the different consumption methods, including which one might be best for you.
Let's get to it and figure out how to take CBD oil.
Key Takeaways
- CBD oil is made by adding a CBD extract into a carrier oil like MCT or coconut oil.
- CBD oil is believed to help you manage symptoms associated with conditions like pain, stress, and anxiety.
- CBD oil can be taken sublingually, mixed into food and beverages, or applied topically.
- There is no one best way to take CBD oil. We recommend you try several consumption methods until you find one that works best for you.
What Exactly is CBD Oil?
First, CBD stands for cannabidiol. This is one of the most common cannabinoids found in both the hemp and the marijuana plant. This is one of the most popular active compounds found in these plants.
What is interesting to note is that CBD is known for not being psychoactive. This means that you can reap its benefits without being high or intoxicated.
If we are talking about CBD oil, this is the type of oil that contains high enough situations of that same cannabinoid. CBD oil is generally made by extracting that CBD from hemp flower using a variety of methods, usually by simmering the decarboxylated hemp flower in some sort of carrier oil.
CBD is oil soluble, so by simmering the hemp flour in oil, the CBD will be slowly released into the oil. This is a good at-home method.
However, there are also other ways to make CBD oil. Both ethanol extraction and CO2 extraction are popular methods, although these tend to be more industrial or professional in nature, and these are not things that you usually do at home. They can actually be quite dangerous.
CBD is extracted from hemp flower in this way, and it comes out as pure CBD, which is then mixed with a carrier oil for easy consumption.
Health Benefits of Taking CBD Oil
Now that we know what CBD is and how CBD oil is made let's take a quick look at all of the potential benefits that CBD oil may have for you.
Anxiety and Stress Reduction
Although the exact reasons are not known, it is thought that CBD may have the ability to help reduce feelings of anxiety, stress, and depression. The reasoning behind this is that CBD may affect the production of serotonin in the human brain.
Serotonin is a hormone or brain chemical that makes you feel happy. Serotonin helps to relieve stress and anxiety, and it acts as a mood regulator. It is thought that CBD may help to activate these serotonin receptors, therefore helping to balance mood and increasing overall happiness.
These feelings of happiness and calmness also have to do with the way that CBD targets the various endocannabinoid receptors throughout your nervous system.
Chronic Pain Relief
Another potential benefit that CBD oil may have for you is chronic pain relief. CBD is thought to interact with a variety of biological processes in the human body. It is thought that CBD may work as an antioxidant, an analgesic, and an anti-inflammatory.
In terms of being an anti-inflammatory and an analgesic, both of these factors should help to relieve a variety of chronic pains. In simplest terms, analgesics are painkillers, and anti-inflammatories help to control inflammation.
CBD may be able to help relieve pain and block pain signals at the same time. In other words, CBD may help stop pain signals from getting to the receptors in your brain. What is interesting is that you can ingest CBD oil to help with a variety of inflammation and pains, but it can also be applied topically for local pain and inflammation management, such as for joint or arthritis pain.
Improved Sleep
It is thought that CBD may also be able to help improve your sleep, or in other words, help you sleep much better at night. There are many people out there who take CBD oil to help combat insomnia and sleeplessness.
Although CBD generally doesn't have the same sedative properties as THC, it still has the ability to help calm you down, and make you feel happier and less stressed out, all factors that should help you get a better night's sleep.
How to Take CBD Oil
Now that we know what CBD oil is and what its potential benefits are let's take a closer look at exactly how to take CBD oil. As you are about to see, there are a few different consumption methods at your disposal.
Ingest CBD Oil with Food
One of the easiest ways to take CBD oil is to simply ingest it with food. Some people choose to just ingest CBD oil as is. You can always put some of that oil in the dropper and just pour it right back. This is probably the easiest consumption method.
Some people may choose to also use that CBD oil for cooking. You could pour some CBD oil over your pasta afterward, put some on your pizza, butter your toast with it, or even bake with it. Many people may use CBD oil to make CBD-infused chocolates, gummies, candies, and other baked goods.
This consumption method allows absorption for 100%. All of that CBD oil is going into your body. It takes a while for you to feel the full effect of CBD, up to two hours, because it takes a while for your body to digest and process it. It has to go through your digestive system so it can get into your bloodstream.
However, ingesting CBD oil in this way may allow it to remain active in your body for a maximum amount of time. So, the takeaway here is that ingesting CBD oil in this manner will make it last the longest, although it will also take longer for it to take effect.
Also, keep in mind that some people may suffer from gastrointestinal upset when ingesting CBD oil, or in other words, get a bit of an upset tummy, which could include some diarrhea. However, as far as viewing the full effects of CBD goes, especially in terms of pain relief, inflammation, and sleep, this is a good method to consider.
Mix in CBD Oil with Beverages
Although it is very similar to mixing your CBD oil with some food, you can always mix your CBD oil with some beverages. All you have to do is pour some CBD oil into your favorite beverage, whether a glass of water, juice, coffee or anything you want.
This is another very simple ingestion method that really doesn't take any work at all. In terms of its effects, including both how it makes you feel and how long it takes to take effect, this is going to be very similar to mixing in CBD oil with food.
It's going to take quite a while for you to feel the effects, but they will also last longer. The same issues regarding side effects may occur here, including some diarrhea and an upset stomach. People do like this method because it's just really quick and easy.
Take CBD Oil Under the Tongue
Another method to consume CBD oil is by putting it under your tongue, which is also known as a sublingual application.
Now, this is different from ingesting or just swallowing CBD oil. All of those mucus membranes under your tongue allow for very quick absorption into the bloodstream. Those mucous membranes are quite thin, and there are many blood vessels underneath them.
This means that if you let the CBD oil sit under your tongue for a few minutes, a whole lot of it is going to absorb directly into your bloodstream. This means that taking CBD oil sublingually allows for extremely quick absorption and activation.
You are going to feel the effects of CBD within minutes of putting it under your tongue. However, because the effects take hold so fast, they also might not last quite as long as with ingestion.
Do keep in mind that when you put CBD oil under your tongue, you'll still end up swallowing the rest of it anyway, so you should get all the benefits from ingesting it and taking it sublingually.
If what you are looking for is to feel the effects as soon as possible, and to feel the maximum effect possible, then taking it sublingually is probably your best bet.
Mix Into a Homemade CBD Salve
The other thing that you can do is mix the CBD oil in with some kind of cream that you apply to your skin. Technically speaking, you can apply CBD oil directly to your skin, which should work fine. However, you may enjoy it more if you mix it in with some kind of moisturizing cream, as you'll get the added benefits of the moisturizer, plus it will make the CBD oil smell a little better.
If you have just some local inflammation or pain, such as a sprained elbow or some arthritis pain in your wrist, then using a homemade CBD salve is always a good option. This allows you to apply it directly to the affected area without having to ingest it, therefore avoiding any potential gastrointestinal side effects.
What is the Best Way to Take CBD Oil?
There is no right or wrong answer here, as the best way to take CBD oil is the way that you enjoy the most. For instance, if you like the quick-acting effect of taking CBD oil sublingually, then that is the best method.
If you don't like the taste of CBD oil and you would like to mask that flavor with some beverages or food, then mixing it in with a beverage or cooking if it is your best option. Ingesting it is also a really great way to help relieve pain, inflammation, and sleeplessness.
However, if you are having local pain, such as a sprain, painful arthritis, or anything else of the sort, then applying CBD oil directly to the affected area may provide you with the biggest benefit.
As you can see, the best way to take CBD oil depends on the benefits you are looking for.
How Much CBD Oil Should You Take?
If you are looking to get the best long-term benefits from CBD oil, it is recommended that you take 0.25mg of CBD for each pound of body weight, on a daily basis. This means that if you weigh 200 pounds, the recommended daily dosage would be 50mg of CBD. However, this depends on what benefits you are looking to reap and how severe the symptoms are that you are looking to treat.
If you have extreme insomnia or extreme pain, you might want to take a look for more than that, twice the dose. After all, CBD is not psychoactive, so you don't have to worry about it making you feel intoxicated. Just be aware that if you ingest too much CBD oil, it can upset your stomach a little bit, or even give you diarrhea.
If you are worried about the effects, you might want to take a little less. For instance, if you weigh 200 pounds, you might want to start with around 25mg of CBD. Unfortunately, there is no definitive answer here, and this is somewhat of a trial-and-error type of exercise.