Most people have heard of CBD, but aren’t aware of what it really is.
At Dosed, we want to take all the questions and guesses away! Here we explain what CBD is, how it works, how it might make you feel and why it works. It is simply the most comprehensive guide to all things CBD!
CBD 101
Healthy Not High.
Achieve Maximum Health Without The Worry of A THC High!
What is CBD? It’s a question that people across the world have been asking more and more year on year. You may have heard it being described as a cannabinoid and cannabidiol, and confusingly those are both correct.
Thankfully here at Dosed we are here to outline the basics and do some jargon busting before you buy CBD.
The first and most important thing you need to know is that CBD is short for cannabidiol, a compound found in the cannabis plant. It’s one of over one hundred different cannabinoids that have been identified so far, so-named because they were first discovered in cannabis. Cannabinoids have since been discovered in many other biological systems including our own, but we’ll get to that later.
To understand what cannabinoids are, and why they matter, we first need to discuss CBD’s relationship with cannabis. Cannabis is actually the term for a whole family of plants, which are usually split into two distinct categories: Cannabis sativa and Cannabis indica.
These terms are in turn used as overarching titles for different strains.
Traditionally Sativa refers to the tall European plants, and Indica to the bushier, shrub-like Indian varieties. For our purposes there are two terms that have a far more practical use:
Hemp refers to strains of cannabis grown for industrial use. These applications include biofuel, rope, paper and CBD.
Marijuana refers to plants grown for recreational use i.e. getting high. This is why marijuana is often used to refer to cannabis as a drug.
We already know that there are lots of different cannabinoids you can find in the cannabis family, but there are two key ones that help distinguish between hemp and marijuana.
The first, and most famous, is THC. This is the compound that induces most of the effects typically associated with smoking cannabis and is found in high amounts in marijuana.
The second most prevalent cannabinoid is CBD. Research has continuously shown that CBD will not get you high, and is provenly safe for human use. CBD is typically found in high percentages in hemp, while there will be very little THC. All of our CBD products, from our CBD oils to our CBD topicals contain 0,001% THC as per regulations.
What’s most significant is that CBD is very similar to chemicals your body all ready produces. These endocannabinoids (a cannabinoid the body produces internally) are part of a network of chemicals and receptors known as the endocannabinoid system.
The ECS acts as the body’s assistant manager, with receptors throughout most of the major organs, the nervous system, and the immune system. Essentially it ensures that the body is operating in a state of balance, known as homeostasis. This involves checking that everything is working between key parameters, such as temperature, metabolism and pressure.
When we introduce CBD into the body, the ECS is its means of interacting with us. In fact, because it’s so similar to other chemicals, CBD is able to integrate quite easily. That’s why we’re so confident in CBD as a natural compound that you can safely introduce to your body.
There goes step one! You’ve either learned what CBD is, or skipped ahead (don’t worry, we won’t tell anyone you cheated), and now you’re wondering: what next? It’s all well and good knowing what CBD is, but now you need to figure out how to take it.
CBD ingestion methods have a big impact on how it interacts with your body. That’s why we’ve broken this section down into even smaller steps. First off, we’ll discuss bioavailability and why it matters, before walking through your CBD options.
CBD and Bioavailability
Have you ever considered why hospitals will generally administer drugs straight into your bloodstream? It’s due to something known as bioavailability. Essentially, the bioavailability of any given chemical compound is the percentage of it that the body effectively uses. The higher the bioavailability, the more efficiently the compound has been utilised.
The main factor that affects bioavailability is how quick the compound’s path to the circulatory system is, hence why IV drips are typically the most effective method. So, let’s look into how intake affects bioavailability!
There are various ways to consume CBD these days. Inhalation, ingestion, topical application, and sublingual routes are great options for anyone who wants to try CBD and enjoy its effects. Let’s get into it.
CBD Oral Sprays & CBD Oral Drops
One of the most popular and widely recognised methods of using CBD is CBD oils. This covers our CBD Oral Spray and is used to apply a CBD oil underneath your tongue. CBD oils are just hemp extract blended with a carrier oil.
The reason for applying the CBD oil beneath the tongue (known as using it sublingually) is, you guessed it, bioavailability. Rather than swallowing your CBD oils and sending it through the digestive system, let it soak into the blood vessels beneath the tongue for around 90 seconds. That way it gets into circulation much faster.
The CBD will generally take around thirty minutes to be absorbed properly, and take six hours to leave the bloodstream. This makes CBD oils a great way to dose if you only want to use CBD intermittently. You can take half your recommended dosage in the morning, and the other half in the evening.
CBD E-liquids
CBD vaping has one of the highest bioavailabilities. By turning your CBD e-liquid into vapour you make it more easily absorbed. Since you’re inhaling it into your lungs, CBD vape juice has a simple, fast route to your circulatory system.
If you want to use a CBD e-liquid, but aren’t familiar with vaping, first thing’s first: you’ll need a vape device.
Our Broad Spectrum CBD E-liquid is best used in an easily found mouth-to-lung device, either by itself or as an additive. However, you cannot mix a CBD vape juice with nicotine due to the way nicotine and CBD act as catalysts for one another.
Due to the higher bioavailability when vaping CBD, it only takes 5 minutes to be absorbed, and 4 hours to leave the bloodstream. This is due to the speed with which the body is able to process the compound when vaped. That means vaping is for users who enjoy the process of taking CBD and want to dose it semi-frequently throughout the day.
CBD Topicals
It’s important to note that in some instances bioavailability isn’t the be-all and end-all, largely due to the prevalence of the endocannabinoid system throughout the body. A great example of this would be when looking at CBD topicals, such as gels or creams.
When applying a cream or gel to your skin the bioavailability is greatly reduced since the compounds must first make their way through the epidermal layer. That means the amount of CBD that actually reaches your circulatory system is very low. However, if you’re looking for a localised external release then the CBD topical will still reach the endocannabinoid receptors in the skin.
That means that CBD topicals definitely have a place in your CBD routine. Our CBD Skin Cream and CBD Muscle Balm both contain a carefully curated blend of essential oils and skincare ingredients designed to support the hemp extract. The key is to be savvy and explore your options thoroughly.
Since the bioavailability of CBD topicals is low, it’s a slower release means of consuming CBD. CBD effects will take around an hour to be absorbed and last for about five hours.
Regardless of duration, if you’re looking for an external application then CBD topicals are the obvious way to go.
CBD Edibles
One of the most common forms of CBD is CBD edibles. This is where you’ll find CBD Gummy Bears, CBD coffee and even CBD protein bars, alongside more traditional ingestion methods such as CBD tablets and lozenges.
While research has shown that ingesting CBD through your stomach reduces its bioavailability, it does make tracking your dosage throughout the day much easier and is generally the quickest and most hassle-free way of taking CBD.
CBD edibles and supplements are a great way of, well, supplementing your daily CBD intake. It means that you can just carry a tub of CBD Gummy Bears wherever you go, and dose more discreetly in public. That makes them perfect for being on the go.
With CBD edibles it’ll usually take at least an hour to be absorbed, and roughly six hours to be processed. However, since the CBD first passes through the digestive system this can fluctuate depending on metabolism.
Our Product Range
While we offer a wide range of products, we also want to ensure that the products we offer are of the best quality.
Improving the quality of sleep
Lowering signs and symptoms of depression
Improving some inflammatory skin conditions such as acne, itchy skin and psoriasis.
Improved neuroprotective properties from the increase in antioxidant levels
Think about your reasons for applying to find your CBD dosage
There is a wide variety of individual circumstances, factors and reasons you need to pay attention to on your way to finding the right amount of CBD. Some people want to support their sleep hygiene, some are in search of more balance and relaxation others aiming for more focus.
Once you picked your need, you can check the products for what might be suitable. There will be a detailed explanation telling you about the recommended dosage of CBD oil to start with.
Now – how do you set for your final CBD dosage?
We’ve already mentioned it: Starting with a small amount, meaning 1 to 2 pumps a day is a way to go. Actually, it is the only way to find out how your body reacts. What also is important is the strengths of the oil.
If not straight away you surely will find your individual fitting dosage of CBD oil by slowly increasing it after 1 to 2 weeks if not feeling any effects. Please note that for some people it takes a while to recognize the first effects. It can take up to 4 weeks of regular application so your body gets used to the cannabinoids.
Some of our users also find that using multiple products simultaneously best serves their needs. It’s perfectly safe to use our CBD Oral Drops and CBD Pain Gel at the same time for example, or indeed any combination of CBD oils, so long as you keep your dose relatively consistent. Finding the right method is part and parcel of your journey.
These CBD combinations are so popular in the Dosed office that we’ve actually written an article on two of our favourite product combos.
Take a look at our CBD Product Guide, and see if you can find two products that suit you.
The World Health Organisation has stated that CBD is generally regarded as safe but it is worth noting that not all CBD oils are the same and it is imperative to choose a high-quality CBD oil, such as Dosed CBD – Our products have been vigorously tested and all the relevant certifications are in place.
Whatever the purpose you might be considering supplementing with CBD, we encourage you to speak to your doctor to help determine the right treatment and dosage and also rule out any possible contraindications with other medications.
Rejoice! You now know everything you need to know about CBD, including what it is, how to take it, and where to start with your dosage—all that’s left now is to buy CBD! Our core recommendation is to look for brands that prioritise testing and quality control. That’s why we send all of our product batches to a third-party independent lab in order to ensure they meet the quality we expect. In fact, our central belief in user transparency is why we’ve made all of our CBD lab reports available to our customers. That means you can match the exact report to the bottle in your hand.
EXTRACTION
Our Extraction Process.
A CBD extract, in simple terms, is what is extracted from hemp and cannabis sativa plants
A Mechanical processing of hemp flowers, stalks and leaves take place followed by the extraction of the oils from the plant. This results in a substance that is similar to tar or molasses in appearance. This sticky, oily substance is rich in terpenes and cannabinoids.
This substance is known as a full-spectrum extract.
In many territories around the world, full-spectrum based CBD products are fully legal. However, full-spectrum typically has around 0.3% THC, hence the need for further manipulation.
New cannabis plant strains are being developed with incredibly low THC concentrations that adhere to the legal 0.001% requirement in South Africa.
Unfortunately, none are yet 100% reliable which is why we are required to remove THC from the extract.
The full spectrum extract undertakes a further filtering process known as chromatography whereby THC is removed. This substance left over has an appearance not dissimilar to honey. The filtering process is very delicate and we take care to ensure we are not removing other beneficial terpenes and cannabinoids at this step. However, it is most important for us to legally comply and to provide you piece of mind that we provide an end product containing less than 0.001% THC
Isolate extraction can take place from either the broad-spectrum or full-spectrum distillate. This process is essentially the opposite of having something removed from it. When we extract isolate from cannabis, the end result is a 99.9% pure CBD, fat/water-soluble white powder.