What is CBD and how does it work?
This great article was written by Endoca and Published on 04/18/19
Whether you’re a fresh newcomer, just being welcomed into the world of CBD – or you’re an experienced believer always on the hunt for more answers, we understand that it doesn’t take long for the questions about CBD to pile up.
Now, we want you to feel both heard and well-informed, and so we decided to cover one of the most commonly asked questions among you guys; how long does CBD stay in your system?
Before we get to that, what do you say we take a step back and dive into the basics for a bit first. At the end of the day, what does it help knowing how long CBD stays in your system, if you don’t know much about what happens when CBD enters your system.
What Is CBD?
Simply put, CBD (also known as cannabidiol) is a natural compound found in the cannabis sativa plant. The oil that we produce here at Endoca is derived from the hemp plant in particular, which means that it contains no more than 0.3% THC (the natural compound that is known for getting you ‘high’). We put great effort and attention into our oil production and take pride in following the process from seed to final product closely.
How Does CBD Work?
CBD works by interacting with your endocannabinoid system. This system, also known as the ECS is a key homeostatic regulator in the body that plays a vital role in almost every physiological system. These include things like sleep, mood, appetite, weight and so on. The endocannabinoid system is best explained as a vast network of receptors and chemical compounds. These receptors impact your overall well-being and are themselves stirred up – and activated – by natural compounds like CBD.
The cannabinoid receptors line the surface of cells that are spread throughout your body. There are at least two types of receptors that work as part of your endocannabinoid system: CB1 receptors that are most abundant in your central nervous system (CNS), and CB2 receptors that are found outside of the CNS, including in your white blood cells and in the cells of your immune system.
This means that by reaching out to these receptors, chances are that we can begin to impact and help a long line of diseases and conditions that are created in either the central nervous system, in the blood cells – or in the immune system.
Now, this is where CBD comes into the picture and quickly takes center stage, because by stimulating the cannabinoid receptors in the endocannabinoid system, CBD can, in fact, potentially wake up your system and start working towards restoring your overall balance and well-being.
CBD has the potential to help a long line of conditions such as:
- Chronic Pain & Pain Management
- Stress & Anxiety
- Depression & Sleep
- Mental illness
- Asthma & Allergies
- Hormonal Health & Nutritional problems
- Bone Health & Inflammation
- Recovery & Reproductive Health
How Long Does CBD Stay In My Body?
A recent study suggests that it can take up to 2-5 days for CBD to leave your body. However, all bodies are different, and so the amount of time it takes for the molecule to leave your body might not be the same as the time it takes for CBD to leave your best friend’s body.
Simply put, the time it takes CBD to leave your system after consumption depends on the following three things:
1) How much CBD oil we’re talking about
This probably goes without saying for most people, but the amount of CBD is bound to have an impact on the time frame CBD works within. The lesser CBD, the shorter the stay in the body – and the bigger the dose, the longer CBD will rest in your body.
2) How often you’re taking CBD
When talking about CBD clearance time, it’s important to note that the frequency of your CBD oil consumption is a rather important aspect. If you try CBD oil once, it’s not going to stay in your body for as long as when you’re using it as a sleep inducer with frequent use.
Based on early data, these are general guidelines to keep in mind:
- Single use: it stays up to 3 days
- Moderate use: it stays up to 3 to 5 days
- Repeated use: it stays up to 10 days (perhaps more)
3) The delivery method you’ve chosen
When we talk about delivery methods, we also talk about bioavailability. Generally speaking, the bioavailability of a substance is the degree and rate that it is absorbed into the bloodstream after any other processing in the body.
Now, most people are not aware of the bioavailability of their particular chosen method of consumption, but as bioavailability has everything to do with the effect of CBD, this is definitely something worth paying attention to.
In addition to this, it’s important to keep in mind that the time it takes CBD to leave your body also depends on a group of individual factors such as body weight, individual biochemistry, and lifestyle.
We can’t say this often enough, but all bodies are different and so we’re bound to sometimes react differently to what we put inside them. Therefore, a good rule is to always pay attention to the signals your body is sending you and to go slow when it comes to introducing your system to something new.
Photo by Demi Pradolin on Unsplash
