If you’re not a big fan of THC, you might be wondering about the effects of CBD.
Although CBD is usually considered non-psychoactive, it can alter your mood. That’s why it’s touted as a possible remedy for anxiety. Yet most people haven’t found it terribly effective.
So what’s the deal? Does it actually work?
The Effects of CBD
The ‘scientific’ name for CBD is cannabidiol. After THC, it’s the second most abundant cannabinoid in cannabis.
CBD has been effective in treating severe forms of childhood epilepsy. The CBD-based drug Epidiolex is FDA-approved and the first of its kind. But that’s a very specific example of CBD’s efficacy.
Most of the time, CBD is indicated for treating anxiety and inflammation for the general population. Many consumers find little to no success with it though. Unless, that is, they take a very high dosage.
All of the studies and research on CBD show that the average bare minimum dosage for any kind of effect seems to be 300 mg. Even when used for treating childhood epilepsy, the dosage is often 600+ milligrams. It all comes down to CBD’s bioavailability.
Low Bioavailability
As with all cannabinoids, the body is only able to absorb a fraction of CBD that’s consumed. Generally, this amount is about 10%. So it takes at least 30mg IN THE BODY to make a difference.
Unfortunately, CBD products usually contain very low levels of CBD. In many cases, it could be a few milligrams of CBD per dose. So a 10mg gummy is only going to deliver 1mg of CBD.
So whether it’s being used for inflammation or anxiety, you’ll need a product with a 300mg dosage. And that means you’ll be spending a lot of money.
Finding High Doses of CBD
Products with the highest dosage of CBD are tinctures or products that are orally consumed under the tongue or swallowed. A bottle of CBD tincture may have thousands of milligrams. This enables the consumer to easily take a 300 mg dose without breaking the bank.
Combine High Dose CBD With Low Dose THC?
If you’re not sensitive to THC or can handle a low dose of it, there’s a synergistic effect when combining it with CBD. In other words, the effects of THC can also kick up the effectiveness of CBD which means you’d need a lower dose. The CBD will also kick up the effectiveness of THC though too.
More products are marketed now that combine a high amount of CBD with a low amount of THC. And these seem to deliver better anti-anxiety and anti-inflammatory effects than CBD alone. As long as you can handle THC.
Breaking It Down
To nutshell it for you, if you’re looking to get relief from anxiety and inflammation, the best effects of CBD come at higher doses of at least 300mg.
If you can tolerate a low dose of THC with a high dose of CBD, it will be a bit more affordable.
We hope this post helped! If you’re interested in more cannabis-related articles, take a tour of our blog!