Introduction
CBD oils are supplements that are derived from the hemp family. Little known on UK shores until a few years ago, anyone can purchase them nowadays both online and in many high street chemists.
While they are very closely associated with cannabis, these oils are extracted in precise manners to all but eliminate the presence of psychoactive THC. As they cannot make you high they are entirely legal providing they contain less than 0.2% THC – and the vast majority of oils retain far less than that limit.
Plenty of people have reported significant improvements to a wide variety of health issues, which has gained traction and exposure across the national press.
That being said, there remains a considerable amount of both disinformation and inaccurate reporting over CBD which makes many people who could benefit from taking them to remain wary.
What Are CBD Oils?
Cannabidiol (CBD) is the second largest component of the classic marijuana plant. Present in both Sativa and Indica strains, it offers no psychoactive effects but is widely considered to offer many potential health-boosting properties.
Recent research suggests that in combination with other cannabinoids naturally present in hemp (there are hundreds of them) it can be even more effective.
CBD oils are extracted via a number of different methods. CO2 extraction – the exact same process as used to decaffeinate coffee beans – is considered to be the most effective and environmentally sound. Alternative chemical methods result in generally cheaper products but are broadly considered to compromise the quality and effectiveness of the final compound. Whichever is used, the final oil is going to be either:
- A) An Isolate whereby the objective is to produce as pure a CBD content as possible with as little retention of other cannabinoids as possible.
Or
- B) A Full Spectrum or Whole Plant compound which aims to deliver a legal product that also retains as many other cannabinoids as possible.
Whichever is better is a matter of personal taste. Either way, both are available in very low concentrations, for example, a 150mg/10ml bottle or all the way up to 10,000mg+/10ml. Naturally, the level of concentrate makes a huge difference to the price.
Good quality CBD oil will be 100% organic throughout the cultivation, harvest and extraction stages in order to maintain the integrity of the plant. The concentrate is then mixed with a carrying agent – traditionally, olive or coconut oil but increasingly MCT which some consider offers superior absorption qualities into the body.
Are They Legal To Use?
CBD oils are entirely legal in the United Kingdom providing they contain no greater than 0.2% THC says CBD Resource.. Quality online vendors will provide third-party lab testing results to verify the contents of each batch they manufacture. These ought to be available on their website or via customer services. To date, there has not been a single prosecution in the country for any manufacturer breaking this rule.
As they are currently considered a food supplement there is very little regulation over the CBD industry. For this reason, lower quality vendors can freely and legally claim to offer amazing quality strains from ‘the finest hemp’, at ‘purest quality’ and so forth. It is wise to always look towards companies who can prove the quality and provenance of their products, like Heal Nature and its CBD cream.
How Much CBD Should I Take?
Good quality vendors tend to agree that determining how much may be beneficial is simply different for everyone. We all have different body chemistry and endocannabinoid systems (which we take CBD to supplement). So a dose that works for one person may be ineffective for another.
The best way to establish what works is to conduct plenty of research. Thanks to internet forums, there are literally thousands of testimonials from people who discuss how their condition has been helped by CBD, alongside the dose they found useful. It is sensible to use these as guidelines, starting with a lower strength product and work up if needed.
As a further point, it is impossible to overdose on CBD (let alone consume enough to fail a drugs test even). The only thing that taking too much than needed will hurt is your bank balance!
How Do You Take CBD Oil?
Anyone new to CBD will likely be a little confused as to the best ways to take CBD. Let’s take a moment to briefly appraise these, as each has its own advantages.
1) Capsules
These are taken just like any other vitamin supplement, about a half hour before breakfast seems to be the most common routine. Ideal for long term use and available in a very wide variety of strengths, they do have one downside. Capsules must obviously pass through the digestive tract and this will inevitably reduce some of their ‘potency’ and capacity for absorption into the bloodstream. How much is a long disputed argument, but around 20-30% is fair by our estimation.
2) Tincture Oils
Perhaps the ‘classic’ way to take CBD, CBD oils are designed to be administered directly underneath the tongue and held in place for around 90 seconds. Why under the tongue? That area of the mouth allows for surprisingly efficient absorption directly into the bloodstream and bypassing the digestive system.
Often taken 2 or 3 times daily, the only downside is that accurate dosage can be difficult (although increasingly these oils are supplied with a measuring dropper). Holding the oil in place can be tricky at first and inevitably a portion will slip down the throat the first few times. These come in a wide variety of strengths.
3) Sprays
Very similar to the above and taken in the same manner, the advantage of sprays is that they are able to offer an easy and efficient way of measuring a dose. There is also the advantage of them being easier to take, and quite frankly much less likely to attract attention! On the downside, they are not widely available yet although hopefully more manufacturers will lean in this direction before long.
4) E-Liquids
Yes, you can also vape CBD! Don’t for a moment think this is a gimmick. Vaping provides perhaps the most efficient and waste-free means of ingesting CBD immediately into the body. When used appropriately under a disciplined dosage schedule it is arguably the best method.
A growing number of people use CBD vape to ‘top up’ a capsule/tincture routine when required.
The vast majority are all-natural, nicotine and chemical free with a growing number of flavoured options hitting the shelves. One downside is that it stays in the system a shorter time than other methods, so one ‘puff’ lasts only 5/6 hours at best.
5) Body Lotions
A more recent trend has seen a number of CBD enhanced body lotions and similar skin care products come to market.
Many people forget that the skin offers a great way of absorbing minerals, vitamins and – for our purposes – CBD into the body. Quite frequently these are high-end products and include a good quantity of extract which allows them to be used sparingly and often to try and prevent/solve dermatological issues. The difficulty with these is establishing a consistent dose. Most people who use these try and measure according to level ‘teaspoons’!
There are a wide variety of other less common CBD products out there. These range from the more obvious such as snacks, chocolates, and gummies through to the rarer formats such as suppositories. We’ll let you guess how these products are all consumed!
One interesting recent trend has been the introduction of CBD into sports recovery. Typically called ‘additives’ these are highly concentrated drops designed to be added to water/shakes/isotonic drinks after a workout.
You can find a selection of the best products you can buy on the CBD Oils UK website – there’s a fantastic range of reviews there.
How Can CBD Oil Help Me?
Usually, you’ll find guides tend to shy away from discussing the potential benefits that these supplements may hold for you.
Legally speaking, vendors and their reviewers cannot claim that products are sure to deliver whatever solutions are being sought. At present, there is a glaring lack of certifiable scientific proof into what exact benefits may be found by using CBD.
So instead we’ll stress this on what others have anecdotally claimed to find that these oils have helped with. Just understand that there is no surety!
Mental Health
Many people – perhaps millions worldwide – have found that CBD can help with anxiety, depression and even ADHD. Those who have encountered such issues will likely be well aware that finding a pharmaceutical solution can be fraught with difficulties and nasty side effects. Most people who have found success using these oils alongside working medication find that it simply helps to reduce the symptoms. It doesn’t necessarily make the problem go away, it just becomes a secondary thought rather than an all-encompassing constant issue.
Pain Relief
Other have discovered that CBD oils help relieve or at least lessen the severity of pain caused by chronic conditions. Arthritis is one of the most common, but others have found that this kind of supplement can work with everything from chronic cancer through to post-workout aches and pains.
Other common ailments that many people find oils help with would include headaches and migraines, period pains, gastric issues, and heartburn. Once again it is not a ‘wonder cure’ (a term actively despised in the CBD community!) but just subtly reduces the severity.
Nausea
From morning sickness through to chemotherapy, there is strong coincidental evidence that oils can actively lessen the severity and regularity of nausea.
A fair amount of research has gone into this over the years, and while sprays containing active amounts of THC have proven ineffective, CBD isolates seem to have the capacity to help a good proportion of people.
While these are just small studies so far, it is interesting to look forward to what the results will be from much broader repeat surveys in the coming years.
Skin Complaints
CBD serves as a natural anti-inflammatory. While this is by no means a unique trait, there have been countless cases of people reporting that good quality skincare products with added oils are effective where over the counter medications have always failed. It’ll be a big surprise not to see infused ranges hitting the shelves soon from some of the biggest names in this business.
There are plenty of other reasons why people continue to report having found success using CBD. A good proportion of people take it simply for overall wellbeing – after all, why not?
Just remember that oils are naturally benign are not going to cause any problems. To date, there has not been a single proven case worldwide that taking a CBD supplement counteracts or inhibits the effect of prescribed medications.
They Are Highly Effective
So that brings our investigation into CBD oil and its clearly vast potential to a conclusion. As we have seen, this is an industry that is going to continue to grow over the coming years.
Even more cynical observers tend to agree that for whatever reasons, there is a good chance that by 2030 popping a daily CBD dose will be as common as a multivitamin. You just need to look online to realise how many people have enjoyed considerable health improvements thanks to this amazing extract.
As more scientific evidence emerges, and the healthcare industry becomes more open to its use, it is difficult to see these millions of people all being fooled by a placebo.