CBD Basics

If you’re looking to try CBD but aren’t sure where to start.

Discover

Articles & Insights

Your Daily dose of hot topics, expert advice & content about CBD.

The Daily

Find Your CBD Product

Dosed CBD -  High quality South African CBD products.

Shop Now

FAQ

Here we expose the myths surrounding CBD and get to the facts so that we can uncover any questions that may still be top of mind for you. We answer some of our most commonly asked questions including “What is CBD?”, “How can CBD benefit me?” and so much more.

No , CBD is one of over 140 Cannabinoids that the Cannabis plant has , some make you high like THC and some don’t like CBD

No, in fact, CBD will improve focus and productivity.

Yes,  unless the laws of the country or province you are flying to prohibit CBD.

Yes, you are capable of driving because there are no psychoactive ingredients in our CBD products. A high-quality CBD product with minimal THC (<0.01%) is very unlikely to show up on a drug test. However, low-quality CBD products may contain more traces of THC than they claim, in which case it is possible for a screening to pick up on the drug THC. If you are using a higher daily amount of CBD than recommended, we advise you to use an isolated oil that is free from THC to exclude the minimal risk of losing your driver’s licence.

The primary benefits of CBD include:

Alleviates pain & inflammation
Supports mental health & wellbeing
Supports healthy skin
Protects the brain
Supports digestive function
May protect the cardiovascular system
Supports reproductive health
Regulates hormones & metabolism

CBD can help you sleep by alleviating the common causes of insomnia — such as anxiety, chronic stress, or pain.

It’s important to combine sleep with adequate sleep hygiene. This involves other lifestyle changes that can be used to support a healthy sleep cycle.

Some examples of proper sleep hygiene include:

  • Avoiding computer or phone screens at least an hour before bed
  • Avoiding stimulants in the late afternoon and evening
  • Going to bed and waking up at the same time each day
  • Dimming the lights in the evening
  • Using blue-light filters on your computer screens in the evening
  • Practising yoga, meditation, or wind-down techniques before bed

The best CBD oils for sleep are made from a full-spectrum extract rich in sleep-supportive terpenes and cannabinoids. Ideally, a CBD oil for sleep should contain at least 50 mg of CBD per millilitre of oil.

Hemp and marijuana are the same species of plant — Cannabis sativa.

Like other plants, cannabis has many different forms (called phenotypes) depending on its genetic lineage and growing environments. Even though two plants may be the same species, they can be exceptionally different from each other.

The main difference between hemp and marijuana is the amount of THC they produce. THC is the psychoactive ingredient in cannabis that makes users feel high.

Officially, hemp is any plant that contains less than 0.3% THC by dried weight.

Marijuana is any cannabis plant containing more than 0.3% THC.

Hemp is completely legal in the United States and much of the world, while marijuana is generally considered illegal due to its psychoactive effects.

There are two other species of marijuana as well — Cannabis indica and Cannabis ruderalis. These species are always classified as marijuana rather than hemp.

Most people use CBD two or three times in a single day.

They may take a dose in the morning, another at lunch, and a third after dinner. Some will skip the dose at lunch and just do morning and evening.

The number of doses you need depends on the condition you’re using CBD to support. For example, arthritis sufferers will likely want to use CBD several times a day to provide all-day relief. Others who are using CBD to promote sleep may only want to use CBD once before bed.

Yes! Animals also have endocannabinoid systems, just like humans. CBD is just as safe and effective for pets as it is for humans.

Many pet owners are using CBD to manage pain, inflammation, stiff muscles and joints, separation anxiety, and poor appetite.

Our pets are much smaller than us. As a result, they require significantly less CBD than what you might need. Very small dogs or cats may only need 1 or 2 mg of CBD, while large dogs may need up to 50 mg per dose.

Animals don’t react well to THC, so it’s especially important to look for products with very low (under 0.3%) or 0% THC.

It’s not a good idea to mix CBD and alcohol. Both substances cause a reduction in blood pressure. When combined together, this may cause blood pressure to drop too far, causing dizziness and fainting.

Both CBD and alcohol are considered sedatives and hypotensives (blood pressure-lowering agents). When used together, it can result in a much stronger impact that could lead to side effects like sedation, dizziness, and fainting.

While mixing alcohol and CBD is not likely to produce more than mild side effects, it’s a good idea to keep them separate as much as possible.

When it comes to managing muscle, skin, or joint pain, you’ve got two options to consider — should I use a CBD pain cream or CBD oil?

Ultimately, both will work, but there are a few scenarios where one maybe a little better than the other:

  1. Pain from osteoarthritis (low-grade) — for low-grade OA pain, CBD oils are generally the better option because they can more effectively penetrate the deeper cartilage tissue.
  2. Pain from osteoarthritis (moderate to severe) — for moderate to high-grade pain from arthritis, it’s generally better to use a CBD topical or a combination of CBD pain cream and CBD oil.
  3. Muscle pain — most muscle pain can be managed effectively by a high-quality CBD pain cream. CBD oils work too but tend to take longer to produce results.
  4. Pain from rheumatoid arthritis — most RA patients find more relief from a CBD topical, especially topicals that contain other ingredients to provide a gentle warming action.
  5. For digestive or abdominal pain — CBD oil is the best option for any pain that doesn’t involve the skin, muscles, or joints specifically. Topical CBD will offer little to no benefit for internal pain.
  6. Eczema or psoriasis pain — topical CBD is the best option for any pain involving the skin, by far.

For most pain, a CBD topical will provide faster relief for pain originating in the muscles, joints, or skin. CBD oil is better for everything else.

Water-soluble CBD does not occur in nature. To make CBD more soluble in water (in theory giving it better absorption), scientists need to modify CBD extracts with special techniques.

Currently, there is little research to suggest water-soluble CBD is any better than regular CBD.

There are two main types of water-soluble CBD:

What is Liposomal CBD?

Liposomal CBD is made using high-tech ultrasonic frequency machines, fat-soluble compounds like CBD can be converted into small, water-soluble spheres called liposomes. The final product is referred to as nano-emulsion.

What is Nano CBD?

Another technique is to break up large CBD crystals into tiny fragments — called nano CBD. This technique gives the crystal powder a higher surface area to dissolve more efficiently into water.

Many companies suggest that liposomal or nano CBD (water-soluble CBD) is more readily absorbed through the digestive tract. However, there’s very little evidence to support this.

Yes, CBD and THC can be thought of as complementary cannabinoids, similar to Vitamin A, B or C. You need all of them just like you need CBD and THC.

The most effective way is to put the CBD oil underneath your tongue. This way the CBD will be absorbed quickly through the oral mucosa. To guarantee a precise amount of oil, the handy pump dispenser of our CBD mouth sprays is particularly suitable.

Our CBD oils are 100% natural and can be used for a long period of time. It is very easy for the human body to process CBD and there are no serious side effects discovered so far. Many people use CBD throughout their adult life without any problems.

Yes, you have to be at least 18 years old to buy CBD products. By ordering in our online shop, you confirm that you have reached the legal age. Legal issues always depend on the country you are in and can change frequently.

Despite the many benefits of CBD, there are seven applications that makeup about 80% of the use-cases of CBD:

Pain relief — arthritis, fibromyalgia, migraine headaches, multiple sclerosis, nerve pain, PMS pain, sickle cell anaemia

Inflammatory conditions — DOMS muscle pain, inflammatory bowel disease, rheumatoid arthritis

Stress & anxiety relief — anxiety, chronic fatigue syndrome

Sleep support — insomnia, anxiety-depression & mood disorders — bipolar disorder, OCD

Joint pain & anxiety in pets — arthritis, post-surgery recovery, hip pain, separation anxiety
Skin inflammation — psoriasis, eczema

The benefits of CBD for weight loss rely on its ability to reduce appetite, ease the inflammatory load, support hormone balance, regulate mitochondrial function, and alleviate underlying blood sugar dysregulation.

CBD is not considered effective for weight loss on its own but offers an impressive range of benefits when combined with other diet and lifestyle changes.

Overall, the best way to lose weight is through diet and exercise.

Hemp seed oil is very different from CBD oil and is not a suitable alternative.

Hemp seed oil is made from the seeds of the cannabis plant. The seeds are rich in phytonutrients and omega-6 fatty acids but contain no active cannabinoids or terpenes.

CBD oil is made from the leaves and flowers of the hemp plant. It’s rich in phytonutrients, cannabinoids, terpenes, and other medicinal compounds.

All CBD oil is made from hemp leaves and flowers. Some companies will mix the extract with hemp seed oil after, but the active ingredients are in the leaf and flower extract only.

CBD is very safe. There have been dozens of large-scale clinical trials exploring CBD’s effects on specific health conditions. All have reported a low incidence of side effects associated with the supplement.

Many of these studies have even used CBD in exceptionally high doses — much higher than the average CBD user would even come close to taking. Some studies involve doses up to 600 mg of CBD.

To put this into perspective, 10% of this dose (60 mg of CBD) is considered a high dose.

If you have any underlying health conditions, it’s wise to speak with your doctor before trying CBD. This is especially important if you’re using prescription medications to treat your condition.

CBD has a high level of safety and rarely interferes with other medications for medical conditions — but there are a few exceptions.

A few specific examples of times where CBD may not be safe to use include:

  • Low blood pressure
  • Heart disease
  • While taking immunosuppressive drugs
  • After an organ transplant or major surgery
  • Severe depression
  • Schizophrenia or psychosis
  • Alcoholism

I often recommend taking other health supplements alongside CBD.

CBD has very broad-acting benefits, covering several different organ systems in the body. Adding in other compounds can help direct the effects of CBD on what you’re specifically aiming to support.

For example, suppose you’re using CBD products to manage joint pain. In that case, you can combine other joint-supportive supplements like glucosamine, magnesium, or MSM alongside CBD. This is going to offer a much greater benefit than CBD on its own.

Here are a few common examples of health supplements you can take with CBD:

Ashwagandha — for stress & anxiety

Boswellia — for pain from arthritis

Chondroitin sulfate — for joint pain & arthritis

Glucosamine — for joint pain & arthritis

Kava Kava — for stress, anxiety, & sleep

L-Theanine — for stress & concentration

Magnesium — for muscle pain, headaches, & sleep

Melatonin — for sleep support

Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) — for joint pain & arthritis

Passionflower — for stress, anxiety, & sleep

St. John’s Wort — for mood & depression

Turmeric or Curcumin — for inflammation & joint pain

Vitamin D & Vitamin K — for mood & immune support

CBD oil starts out with raw hemp flowers, which are then put through an extraction process to remove the active ingredients. The first extract is considered full-spectrum and contains all the cannabinoids and terpenes in the hemp plant.

It’s easy to make CBD oils yourself at home — all you need is some CBD isolate, full-spectrum extract, or some dried hemp flower and a carrier oil like MCT oil or hemp seed oil to produce a full-spectrum CBD oil.

Other products can be made by further refining the initial hemp extract.

Additional processes can be done to remove everything from the extract except CBD. Once only the pure CBD remains (CBD crystals or CBD isolate), it can be mixed with a carrier oil to make a CBD isolate oil.

The amount of CBD added to the oil is what determines its potency.

THC stands for tetrahydrocannabinol — it’s the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana that makes users feel high.

There are two types of THC — delta 8 THC and delta 9 THC.

Hemp plants produce very little THC, which is why they’re non-psychoactive. However, trace amounts of this cannabinoid are still produced in the plant, contributing to the overall effect profile.

THC is an impressive molecule on its own, offering much more than just psychoactive effects. To date, there have been hundreds of clinical trials exploring the effects of this molecule, along with thousands of animal and in vitro studies seeking to understand its effects.

Unlike the other cannabinoids we’ve discussed, THC is banned throughout most of the world or available by prescription only.

The benefits of THC include:

  • Appetite stimulant
  • Anti-inflammatory
  • Sedative (in low doses)
  • Stimulant (in high doses)

Depending on the dose and your lifestyle, CBD oils work differently for everyone. Most people who use CBD say they can feel the relaxing effects within 20 minutes and some people can even feel it within a few minutes. For other people, it might take longer to notice the effect. For best results, we recommend starting off with using CBD for 30 days.

Yes. CBD is extracted from industrial hemp and only contains the legal amount of <0.01% of THC.

CBD is short for cannabidiol. It’s a non-psychoactive extract from the cannabis plant (it won’t make you high).

CBD is suggested to support a wide variety of health conditions and symptoms. This supplement is used to manage neurological disorders like epilepsy, anxiety, and depression. It’s also used to alleviate pain, inflammation, insomnia, and much more.

There are many different ways to use CBD products. You can find CBD in the form of oils, capsules, topical salves, vape pens, edibles, and more.

Internally — in the form of CBD oils, capsules, gummies, or edibles

Inhalation — in the form of raw hemp flower or vape pens & oils

Topically — in the form of CBD creams, lotions, and patches

Intravaginally or Intrarectally — in the form of CBD suppositories

CBD blocks pain by inhibiting the inflammatory process, regulating pain receptors, and promoting faster recovery of damaged tissue.

The effects of CBD on pain are fast-acting, usually taking effect within 45 minutes of using it (faster for vaped or smoked CBD products), and last for around 4 to 6 hours.

The more you use CBD, the stronger its impact on pain.

The immediate effects come from its ability to activate receptors that modulate pain in the spine. The more you use CBD, the greater its impact (due to its restorative benefits).

CBD alleviates anxiety by targeting several independent mechanisms involved with hyperactivity in the nerves.

CBD has been shown to boost GABA activity in the brain — which is responsible for calming down the brain. It acts like the brake pedal for the mind, slowing it down when it becomes anxious.

CBD also works to regulate serotonin and dopamine production, relax tense muscles in the neck and shoulders, promote more restorative sleep, and reduce cortisol levels in the blood.

The benefits of CBD for anxiety require about 30 to 45 minutes to take effect and lasts around 4 or 5 hours.

The best CBD oils for anxiety are made from a full-spectrum hemp extract, use organic hemp, and provide a relatively high concentration of CBD per bottle (at least 500 mg per ounce).

CBD is great for irritated, inflamed, dry, or acne-prone skin. It reduces the thickness of the sebum on the skin — which helps prevent clogged pores and acne. CBD also offers anti-inflammatory benefits that can help with irritated skin conditions like eczema, psoriasis, or allergic dermatitis.

CBD skincare products are becoming increasingly popular as more people learn about the benefits of CBD for the skin and how to use CBD products to maintain skin health.

Drug tests searching for marijuana look for traces of THC (technically they look for a THC metabolite, THC-COOH).

CBD is completely non-psychoactive and legal in most countries. Therefore, it’s unlikely that a drug test will search for CBD content — there’s no reason to look for this compound since it’s not illegal.

Many CBD oils are made from CBD isolates or broad-spectrum extracts — which have no traceable amount of THC. You’re extremely unlikely to fail a drug test as a direct result of taking these oils.

The short answer is no. CBD itself is not addictive and has a low likelihood of producing tolerance or physical dependence. This is especially notable compared to prescription analgesics or anti-anxiety medications like opioids or benzodiazepine drugs.

However, CBD can become habit-forming as people begin to rely on the supplement as a source of relief from their symptoms.

This is very different from physical addiction.

During a physical addiction, the body loses its ability to maintain homeostasis without the drug — causing severe withdrawal symptoms whenever it’s no longer in the system. This doesn’t happen with CBD — the worst that will happen if you stop taking it, even after many years of use, is that your symptoms may begin to reappear.

Third-party testing is a simple and effective way for companies to provide customers with transparency about their products.

CBD gummies consist of a CBD-rich extract — usually, CBD isolates or broad-spectrum extract — which is then mixed with a chewy gummy candy base.

The benefit of a CBD gummy is that it contains precise, pre-measured doses of CBD in every piece, which is masked by a fruit-flavoured gummy base.

CBD gummies are easy to carry around, deliver consistent results, and are the best option for people who don’t like the taste of hemp extract.

The best CBD gummies use organic hemp, broad-spectrum extract and provide at least 10 mg of CBD per piece.

CBD capsules can be made from either a CBD oil or CBD isolate extract.

Most CBD capsules are made from a CBD-rich hemp oil filled into a gel capsule base.

Many people prefer using capsules because of how simple and convenient they are. You don’t need to measure any oil to find the right dose. Every capsule contains a set dose of CBD, so you can get the same dose every time by simply taking the same amount of capsules.

This form of CBD is also preferred by people who already use capsules in their supplement or medication regimen.