CBD: How Long Does It Last In Your System?

CBD has become more popular in recent years. This could be attributed to hemp legalization, which enabled the sale of CBD for recreational, commercial, and medical purposes. CBD has various therapeutic properties, such as improving mood, boosting energy levels, and improving focus and concentration.
Various CBD formulations determine how long CBD lasts in your system. Moreover, there are various ways in which CBD oil is processed, and these forms of CBD vary in bioavailability. For example, CBD tinctures take a shorter time for the effects to kick in, while CD gummies take a longer time for the effects to kick in.
In this article, take a closer look at CBD oil, how it works, how long it lasts in your system, the benefits of CBD oil, and where to buy CBD oil.

Understanding CBD: What Is It?

CBD is a non-psychoactive chemical compound obtained from hemp and marijuana plants. However, it is mostly found in hemp plants in higher concentrations. Hemp and marijuana are plant strains of the cannabis plant. Both strains have various cannabinoids such as CBD, THC, cannabigerol (CBG), and cannabichromene (CBC).
CBD is popular because of its therapeutic properties. Unlike psychoactive THC, CBD does not cause any "high" sensations, making it user-friendly and more adaptable for recreational use.
CBD also contains other essential chemical compounds such as terpenes and flavonoids. According to Cho et al. (2017), terpenes have anti-inflammatory properties which reduce muscle pain and inflammation. Flavonoids prevent oxidative damage from occurring in body tissues, which causes diseases.

CBD: The Legality

In 2018, Congress passed the Farm Bill. This legislation led to the redefinition of hemp according to the Controlled Substances Act. Therefore, hemp was removed from the legal definition of marijuana, as it was determined that it does not cause any psychoactive effects.
Despite hemp being legalized under federal law, state governments were required to develop laws regulating the use of CBD oil. Seventeen states have legalized CBD for medical and recreational use.
It is worth noting that the FDA does not regulate CBD oil products. It has only approved, Epidiolex, which is a drug infused with CBD oil. This drug is used to treat rare forms of epilepsy, and CBD oil plays a huge role because of its medicinal properties.

How CBD Oil Works

CBD interacts with the endocannabinoid system in the brain by binding with endocannabinoid receptors. The endocannabinoid receptors are located in various body parts. Or example, CB1 receptors are located in the central nervous system, while CB2 receptors are in the immune system.
The endocannabinoid system is key in coordinating emotional response, pain control, immune response, temperature control, learning, and memory. Once CBD bonds with endocannabinoid receptors, impulses are transmitted throughout the body. This helps in relieving muscle pains and inflammation.
According to Haack et al. (2020), CBD also helps in improving sleep quality by:
• Strengthening the function of anandamide.
• Triggering production of higher melatonin levels.
Anandamide is a neurotransmitter responsible for regulating mood and sleep. Melatonin is a hormone that triggers your brain to fall asleep at night. Higher melatonin levels induce your brain to fall into a deep sleep, characterized by dramatically slowed brain waves. Deep sleep helps in boosting energy levels, easing muscle tension, removing toxins from the body, improving cardiovascular and immune system health, and restoring hormonal balance.
You may wonder how long CBD last in your system. The time takes for CBD to last in your system depends on:
• The form in which CBD oil is processed.
• The type of CBD formulation.

Forms Of CBD

These include CBD gummies, tinctures, capsules, vapes, and topical CBDs.
CBD capsules are pill-like substances that have a gelatin outer casing. They are ingested and have a precise amount of CBD oil. Therefore, dosing CBD capsules is relatively easier.
CBD tinctures are CBD oils with an alcohol base. They are administered under the tongue and do not have a precise amount of CBD oil per drop labeled on the container. Therefore, while consuming CBD tinctures, you may need to calculate your preferred dosage.
CBD gummies are chewy edibles that have a precise amount of CBD oil. They are delicious, easily customizable, and easy to prepare. They are also ingested via the mouth.
CBD vapes are inhaled into the lungs directly using a CBD vape pen. The CBD vape oil is heated at low temperatures, vaporized, and inhaled. The vape oil contains chemical ingredients such as vegetable glycerin and propyl glycol, which enable it to be safely vaporized and inhaled into the lungs.
Therefore, CBD vapes and tinctures take a shorter time for the effects to kick in (10-15 minutes) because they have a high bioavailability, and therefore they do not need to be processed by the digestive system. However, CBD vapes last for a shorter time in the bloodstream, while CBD tinctures can last for an hour or two.
CBD capsules and gummies take longer for the effects to kick in (30-45 minutes). This is because the gut must process them before being absorbed into the bloodstream. However, they can last in the system for 2-6 hours, depending on the dosage consumed.

CBD Formulations

Full spectrum CBD contains all cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids found in hemp. These cannabinoids include CBD, THC, CBG, and CBD, while the terpenes include myrcene, linalool, and limonene. However, THC levels are low (less than 0.3%) to prevent intoxicating effects.
Broad spectrum CBD is similar to full spectrum CBD. However, it does not contain THC because it is completely extracted from it.
CBD isolate is purely CBD because all other cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids are absent from it.
Full spectrum and broad-spectrum CBD exhibit the entourage effect – a phenomenon in which the cannabinoids present in CBD work synergically to enhance the therapeutic effects dispensed by CBD
Full spectrum and broad-spectrum CBD last in the system for a longer time because the cannabinoids work harmoniously to dispense therapeutic effects.

Benefits Of CBD Oil

According to Peyravian et al. (2022), CBD has antioxidant properties that help stabilize free radicals that cause fine lines and wrinkles to appear on the skin.
Di Giacomo et al. (2020) suggested that CBD has anti-emetic properties that help improve stomach and gastrointestinal health.
According to Blessing et al. (2015), CBD has anti-depressant properties that help improve mood and reduce high anxiety levels.
Atalay et al. (2020) suggested that CBD has anti-inflammatory properties that help reduce muscle pain and inflammation.

Summary

CBD oil has grown more popular in recent years. It is a non-psychoactive chemical compound with therapeutic properties, such as reducing pain and alleviating high stress and anxiety levels.
CBD is considered federally legal, although various states have different regulations concerning the use of CBD. However, the FDA has only approved CBD oil for treating rare forms of epilepsy. CBD works by binding with endocannabinoid receptors. It also improves sleep quality by strengthening anandamide function and triggering the production of higher melatonin levels. CBD gummies and capsules can last in the system for 2-6 hours, depending on the dosage. However, CBD tinctures last in the body for an hour or two.

References

Atalay, Sinemyiz, Iwona Jarocka-Karpowicz, And Elzbieta Skrzydlewska. "Antioxidative And Anti-Inflammatory Properties Of Cannabidiol." Antioxidants 9.1 (2020): 21.
Blessing, E. M., Steenkamp, M. M., Manzanares, J., & Marmar, C. R. (2015). Cannabidiol Is A Potential Treatment For Anxiety Disorders. Neurotherapeutics, 12(4), 825-836.
Cho, K. S., Lim, Y. R., Lee, K., Lee, J., Lee, J. H., & Lee, I. S. (2017). Terpenes From Forests And Human Health. Toxicological Research, 33(2), 97-106.
Di Giacomo, V., Chiavaroli, A., Recinella, L., Orlando, G., Cataldi, A., Rapino, M., ... & Ferrante, C. (2020). Antioxidant And Neuroprotective Effects Induced By Cannabidiol And.
Haack, M., Simpson, N., Sethna, N., Kaur, S., & Mullington, J. (2020). Sleep Deficiency And Chronic Pain: Potential Underlying Mechanisms And Clinical Implications. Neuropsychopharmacology, 45(1), 205-216.
Peyravian, N., Deo, S., Daunert, S., & Jimenez, J. J. (2022). The Anti-Inflammatory Effects Of Cannabidiol (CBD) On Acne. Journal Of Inflammation Research, 15, 2795