With the meteoric rise of CBD, there’s been no shortage of products on the market touting this “wonder compound” on their ingredient list. Everything ranging from capsules, gummies, and even baked goods now claim to be boosted by CBD. But are they actually effective?
As always with CBD, there are many different factors that go into the effectiveness of any given product. The brand and strength of the CBD, if it’s a full spectrum or isolates, and whether or not it’s certified organic all play into how effective your products of choice will be. When it comes to CBD in edibles, this is everything you need to know before diving into that next cookie, cupcake or bag of gummies.
What is CBD?
You may know that CBD comes from cannabis plants – but do you actually know what CBD stands for? The three-letter acronym is short for cannabidiol, the most prevalent cannabinoid compound found in hemp plants. CBD can be extracted on its own as an isolate, or alongside other cannabinoids to collect the full spectrum of beneficial compounds.
Although the use of CBD is a newer concept, scientists have been researching the compound since the 1960’s. By 1988, scientists discovered the endocannabinoid system in mammals: a series of receptors that regulate pain, inflammation, and other effects within the central nervous system.
Today, doctors and scientists continue to look for all the beneficial relationships between CBD and the body. While some of the preliminary studies show a lot of promise, there’s still plenty of potentials yet to be discovered.
Are There Real Benefits from Taking CBD?
Since the turn of the Millennium, scientists have taken a much closer look at CBD and how it can offer potential benefits to the body. From prescription medicine to anti-inflammatory properties, there’s a lot of purported power behind this golden extract.
The strongest case for CBD comes from Epidolex (cannabidiol), the first prescription medication approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for two kinds of severe epilepsy in children. After a series of double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trials, the doctors behind Epidolex proved that their medication could reduce the number of seizures and severity of them with regular maintenance.
The research leads to a similar study in dogs, led by the Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. In their own placebo-controlled clinical trial, veterinarians found that dogs who took CBD suffered fewer epileptic seizures.
However, CBD isn’t just beneficial in treating seizures. A widely-cited study from 2010 published in the peer-reviewed Journal of Psychopharmacology suggests CBD can reduce social anxiety. In a placebo-controlled study, those who took CBD reportedly experienced “significantly decreased subjective anxiety” than the control group. Subsequently, a 2015 literature review concluded that “current evidence indicates CBD has considerable potential as a treatment for multiple anxiety disorders.”
Finally, one of the most popular uses of CBD is as an anti-inflammatory, either topical or internally. In a 2010 study published in medical journal Future Medicinal Chemistry, the research concluded: “Manipulation of endocannabinoids and/or use of exogenous cannabinoids in vivo can constitute a potent treatment modality against inflammatory disorders.” Although more clinical trials are needed, there’s a lot of promise and potential in the everyday use of CBD.
Can You Get Benefits From Eating a CBD-Based Product?
There are many different ways people can use CBD, ranging from tincture droppers to edible products. But do those edibles offer all the purported benefits that can come from a regular CBD regimen?
Today, many questions remain about the efficacy of CBD when presented in different forms. Today, CBD is available through plenty of consumable forms, including capsules, gummies and baked goods. And while a 2016 study published in Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research suggests that endocannabinoid receptors in the stomach can help regulate intestinal health, there is no one standard for CBD use outside of tinctures and capsules.
If you do decide to use CBD edibles, there are some signs of quality control you should check before eating one. First, ask what brand of CBD they use in their goods, and at what concentration. Not all CBD oils are the same, and knowing which brand they prefer allows you to do the research to make sure they are a quality brand with verified lab results.
Next, determine what type of CBD oil is used in the edibles. CBD comes in three forms: Isolate, broad-spectrum, and full spectrum. Organic, full-spectrum CBD oil is the gold standard in the industry, and while other CBD oils are adequate, you will not get the “entourage effect” of all the cannabinoids from organic, full-spectrum CBD oil.
Finally, it’s important to know how much CBD bakers actually use in their CBD products. The perfect amount of CBD is different for everyone based on their weight and sensitivities – there is no “one size fits all” CBD product. By knowing how much CBD is in an edible, you can decide if its right for you, or if you should seek out another type of edible. As a general rule: always start with a lower amount of CBD, and start working upwards until you find the right level for your needs.
Do CBD Edibles Actually Work?
There are many different ways people choose to incorporate CBD into their everyday lives. What works for one person may not work for everyone. While many people prefer the ease of tinctures, others enjoy the convenience of edible products.
While there is no wrong way to use CBD, it is very important to understand how different CBD product will affect you. While CBD tinctures and capsules can act quicker and potentially with more effect, CBD edibles may also provide benefits – if you understand what goes into them, and where their CBD comes from.
By being smart about CBD edibles, you can make sure you get the most potential benefits from every bite. Through understanding why you are using CBD, knowing where the CBD comes from and determining how much you need, you can make the best decisions about CBD oil for sale and which type of product is right for you.
