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Not sure where to begin when ordering CBD products? We can help!

First, what is CBD?

CBD is short for cannabidiol. It’s one of many different molecules or cannabinoids that are found in the cannabis plant.

Cannabinoid compounds are where the benefits of cannabis come from. The technical name for cannabinoids found in cannabis and in all plants are called phytocannabinoids. 

Phytocannabinoids mimic endocannabinoids (ECS) which are compounds produced naturally by all mammals, including humans. ECS aren't stored in nerve cells, but rather made on demand to help regulate various body processes like mood, sleep, memory, pain and stress, just to name a few. These functions help your body achieve homeostasis, your body's level of internal stability and balance.

 

What Are Terpenes?

Terpenes are aromatic compounds produced by cannabis plants as well as most other plants. Cannabis is currently the most terpene-dense plant known to humans. You may recognize some other distinct and recognizable terpene rich plants like pine, lavender, and citrus. 

Terpenes are recognized as safe for human consumption by the FDA and are used in a wide variety of food and cosmetic products. Terpenes can also have powerful impacts on our bodies. In fact, terpenes have been utilized by humans for centuries in what’s commonly known as aromatherapy.

The overall effect of the rich combination of cannabinoids and terpenes is known as the entourage effect. In the case of cannabis, these cannabinoids and terpenes work together to produce a wide range of benefits, which is thought to be greater than the sum of its individual components.


What Are the Benefits of CBD Oil?

While there’s still a lot to learn about CBD and the effects it has on our complex systems, CBD has been studied widely and more research is underway. 

CBD may help support emotional wellbeing, research has shown that CBD has an effect on levels of the endocannabinoid anandamide. Anandamide is produced by the nervous system to stimulate the uptake of serotonin in the brain. Serotonin is often referred to as the “happy molecule” because of its ability to improve mood. The ECS system plays a role in sending those signals. When you’re feeling stressed or low, you might be dealing with low serotonin levels. An increase in serotonin can correspond to an increase in feelings of well-being. It all goes back to the endocannabinoid system, a balanced ECS is a happy ECS.

Bioavailability of CBD

A bioavailability of 100% means that 100% of the CBD in the product is available to your body. The only way to achieve 100% bioavailability is through intravenous administration directly into the bloodstream. All other methods of consumption result in some percentage of CBD becoming unavailable to the body. Some will be trapped in fatty tissues or metabolized before it has a chance to enter the bloodstream.

Bioavailability of CBD Tinctures

A tincture is a liquid, usually an oil or an alcohol base, our products use organic olive oil which has been infused with CBD. CBD tinctures are generally taken by mouth where the CBD can be easily absorbed. 

How Long Does CBD Oil Take to Take Effect?

There are several important factors to consider when determining the time CBD may take effect.  It depends on the method in which you take CBD, the CBD itself, and how your body metabolizes the CBD. Another factor is the number of cannabinoid receptors in the body, how they are expressed and the ability of the body to produce endocannabinoids. Someone who has more receptors or produces fewer endocannabinoids might be more sensitive to CBD than someone with an abundance of endocannabinoids or has less receptors.

The absorption of CBD edibles and capsules can range anywhere from 20 minutes to over an hour to take effect, while tinctures can take up to 20 minutes. These figures are to be considered general guidelines and will vary from person to person, as we mentioned above.

Some CBD products list a suggested serving size. However, taking into account an individuals age, height, weight and familiarity with CBD the recommended serving size might be too small or possibly too high. The serving size will vary greatly depending on why it’s being used.

An appropriate serving for one product might be different than that of a similar product. This is because products contain varying amounts of CBD. One product might contain 10mg of CBD per serving and another might contain 50mg per serving.
The most important factor to be considered is that the serving size and duration of use depend largely on the effect you are interested in. One person may use CBD to support general wellness, while another person may be using CBD to help maintain calm and rest.

Taking everything mentioned into consideration, it may take some time to decide what works best for you. Taking too little CBD may not yield the results you’re looking for, while taking too much will not increase the benefits. 

 

Here are some guidelines for determining your ideal serving of CBD oil:

Choose One Product

We suggest putting some thought into which CBD product you’re going to use and stick with that product for a while. This will allow you to gauge the effects of that particular product. If you go back and forth between different CBD products, determining a serving amount will be much harder.

Start With a Low Serving Size

If it’s your first time using CBD oil, consider using a low dose to begin with. This gives you a chance to determine your body’s reaction to CBD. One option is to start with 1mg of CBD for every 20 pounds of weight. 

Start Before Bedtime

When first using CBD oil, try it at night first, about an hour before bedtime. That way, if you learn CBD has a tendency to make you drowsy, you’re not dragging during the daytime. It’s uncommon for a low serving size to cause drowsiness, but it’s good to know if it does. 

CBD oil may be used to support both nighttime sleep and daytime focus, in which case if it doesn’t make you drowsy CBD can be taken as needed throughout the day.

Increase Your Serving Size Slowly
If you’ve tried CBD for a few days, but you haven’t experienced your desired benefits, you can try doubling your serving. Each time you increase your serving size, take a few days to make note of how you’re feeling. If you start to feel drowsy, try a lower serving again. 

Can You Take Too Much CBD Oil?

CBD is non-toxic, you would have to consume quite a bit before you would see any truly adverse health effects. However, taking more CBD than you need may cause some unwanted effects such as making you too relaxed for some activities like work or sports.

Once you’ve discovered an optimal serving that works for you with a particular product, it’s a good idea to stick with it for a while. 

Some things to consider when determining which product is ideal for you are your lifestyle, the reasons you’re using CBD oil, the bioavailability and the time it takes to be effective. 

Tinctures are best used at home morning and night as the bottles don’t travel as well. Taking a glass bottle to work or throwing it in a bag on your way out the door might not be the best fit. But, tinctures are easily absorbed and convenient to remember to take consistently with other daily vitamins or supplements. 

CBD oil capsules are made with gelatin, the gelatin melts within minutes in your stomach and delivers the entire serving of CBD oil. This means that none of the oils will be absorbed into the tissues in your mouth and throat. Depending on whether or not you take them with food, very little will make its way through the rest of your digestive system. Taking them with food is recommended. 

Nanoemulsion

Balance Health softgels are formulated using a patent-pending water-soluble nanoemulsion technology. This technology encapsulates the active compounds in nano-sized emulsions. The average size of nanoemulsion CBD oil droplets is between 4 and 200 times smaller than the industry standard. These small emulsions lead to much higher absorption in the blood and result in extremely high bioavailability. 

Capsules are easy to take with you anywhere and dissolve quickly with high bioavailability. When taken on an empty stomach very little of the CBD will make its way into your body as most of it will be directly absorbed into the lining of your stomach. But this is easily avoidable by taking the capsule with food.

CBD-infused topicals include skin creams, balms, salves, and oils. 

Topicals offer a variety of additional beneficial ingredients that contribute to the overall benefits of CBD. For example, skin creams may contain moisturizers, vitamin E or collagen.

Creams may contain anti-inflammatory ingredients for pain relief and to help the product penetrate deeper into tissues. Salves may contain other soothing ingredients, such as aloe or coconut oil.

Topicals (such as CBD Salve) are great for use on specific areas of the skin or underlying muscles and joints. Salves deliver the CBD and other beneficial ingredients directly to where they are needed most.