How Long Do the Effect of CBD Oil Last

The average time the effect of CBD oil takes to wear off is approximately 6 hours, but you should also consider the strength of CBD used and how long you have used CBD on a particular condition. This article will explain how long the effect of CBD lasts, the effects, safety, and uses of this cannabinoid.

CBD oil products are becoming common due to the many claimed benefits by CBD enthusiasts. After taking CBD, you should feel some effect; this way, you will know that CBD is working. However, the effect is not pronounced like the one induced by alcohol or other hard drugs. The effect should also wear off after some time. How long should the effect last before you start getting worried? Regular CBD oil users will tell you that it is normal to have such an experience. Learn more about the factors determining how long the effects of CBD last below.

CBD

Cannabidiol, CBD, is a compound extracted from hemp plants. It can also be extracted from marijuana, but the end products will contain a high amount of THC, making them illegal. Solvent extraction is mainly used to extract CBD for making oils, but alcohol extraction is used for extracting CBD for making a tincture oil. The oil can be made from full-spectrum, broad-spectrum, or isolate CBD. The former contains all the compounds of the hemp plant, including terpenes, flavonoids, CBD, and THC. The broad-spectrum has all the terpenes except THC, while the isolate CBD is pure. CBD is mixed with a carrier oil like MCT or olive oil to make CBD oil. According to Evans (2020), the carrier oil preserves and increases the bioavailability of CBD.

How Long Does the Effect of CBD Oil Last?

The effect of CBD oil depends on the potency of CBD, the condition you are treating, and the method used to administer the CBD oil.

The Potency of CBD Oil

According to Urasaki et al. (2020) potency of CBD is the total amount of CBD in the oil. Potency measures how strong a CBD product is in mg/ml. A 5mg/ml is considered the weakest compared to 60mg/ml. If you take 5mg/ml, the effect will take less time, and if you take a stronger one, like 60mg/ml, the effect will take even longer to wear off.

The Condition You Are Treating

The effect of CBD oil on short-term conditions like anxiety will not last, like the effect of chronic pain. You may take CBD oil for chronic pain longer than that for anxiety.

Method of Administering

Moltke & Hindocha (2021) suggested that each method has a time frame of when the CBD starts to affect and how long it will last. Learn more about cbd oil for migraines

Sublingual Method

In the sublingual method, drops of oil are placed under the tongue, and you have to hold for at least 60 seconds to allow absorption. The effect is felt after 20 minutes and can last for 6 hours

Ingestion Method

The effect of ingesting CBD products like gummies or capsules can be felt after an hour and can last for 6 -8 hours.

Inhalation Method

You can inhale CBD oil by using a vaporizer. The effect usually kicks in after 25 minutes and can last up to 4 hours.

Topical Method

You can apply CBD oil to your skin, mainly on the forehead and skin. The effect can be felt after an hour and lasts for 8 hours.

Is CBD Oil Safe?

CBD companies rely on third-party laboratories to test their CBD. The labs will test for potency, contaminants like pesticides, cannabinoid profile, other compounds in the CBD and their percentages, and heavy metals like lead. After testing, they publish a certificate of analysis, COA, uploaded on the CBD company’s website. The information on COA can be accessed by matching batch numbers of the product and that of COA or by scanning the QR on the CBD product. Providing the COA, the customers will know that what they are consuming has been tested and is safe for human use.

Uses of CBD Oil

Stress Management

CBD oil can help manage stress because it binds with ECS receptors of serotonin which is responsible for the body functions like mood and appetite.

Aiding Sleep

Lack of sleep is primarily caused by insomnia and factors like stress, pain, and anxiety. kuhathasan et al. (2019) found that taking CBD calms the body to enhance sleep. CBD also prevents melatonin from breaking easily to ensure better sleep.

Relieving Pain

According to Li et al. (2019), serotonin plays a role in regulating pain. Pain can be severe if serotonin breaks down quickly. The study found that CBD binds with the serotonin receptors to reduce the rate serotonin breaks down. Learn more about cbd oil for autism: what the research shows us

Regulating Body Weight

Suppose there is increased leptin production and reduced production of ghrelin in the body. You will experience less appetite and desire to eat. Taking CBD oil will help maintain body weight because of less production of ghrelin, a reward hormone for eating.

Is CBD Oil Legal?

According to Abernethy Amy (2019), the 2018 farm bill legalized hemp plant farming, which made CBD legal in the federal laws of the USA. CBD oil is legal if the amount of THC is 0.3% or less. USA states have laws and regulations on CBD products. Several states have legalized CBD products, and some, like Idaho, have regulations on CBD products. Legalizing CBD does not make marijuana legal; it is still illegal. In Europe, most countries have legalized CBD with 0.2% THC. France allows only 0.0% THC, while Norway only regulates CBD oil for medical use. When unsure if CBD is legal or illegal, you should check with your local authority before buying or using CBD products.

The Bottom Line

The time the effect of CBD takes to wear off does depend on the strength of CBD and the condition you are treating the method used. In the method used, the time taken on average is 6 hours for the effect to wear off. CBD oil has been tested for any contamination, like heavy metals. You can use the COA to determine which CBD oil to buy. Some benefits of CBD oil are enhanced sleep, reduced stress, soothing pain, and regulation of body weight. CBD oil is legal in most countries, including the European Union.

References

Abernethy, A. (2019). Hemp Production and the 2018 Farm Bill. US Food and Drug Administration.

Evans, J. (2020). The Ultimate Guide to CBD: Explore the World of Cannabidiol. Fair Winds Press.

Li, N., Li, C., Han, R., Wang, Y., Yang, M., Wang, H., & Tian, J. (2019). LPM580098, a

novel triple reuptake inhibitor of serotonin, noradrenaline, and dopamine, attenuates neuropathic pain. Frontiers in pharmacology, 10, 53.

Kuhathasan, N., Dufort, A., MacKillop, J., Gottschalk, R., Minuzzi, L., & Frey, B. N. (2019). The use of cannabinoids for sleep: A critical review on clinical trials. Experimental and clinical psychopharmacology, 27(4), 383.

Moltke, J., & Hindocha, C. (2021). Reasons for cannabidiol use: a cross-sectional study of CBD users, focusing on self-perceived stress, anxiety, and sleep problems. Journal of cannabis research, 3(1), 1-12.

Urasaki, Y., Beaumont, C., Workman, M., Talbot, J. N., Hill, D. K., & Le, T. T. (2020). Potency Assessment of CBD Oils by Their Effects on Cell Signaling Pathways. Nutrients, 12(2).