How Long Does CBD Oil Take to Be Effective? A Guide.
CBD oil has grown in popularity almost overnight, and with good reason.
More consumers are beginning to ignore the negative say and opening themselves to the incredible health benefits of CBD oil.
The pet industry, cosmetics brands like Sephora, and the wellness sector have jumped on the bandwagon as well to take advantage of this market that’s foreseen to be worth over $20 billion by 2024.
There’s also an expanding list of scientific studies that show that this non-psychoactive hemp product has tremendous therapeutic properties.
With that in mind, CBD oil is now touted as a safer and more effective alternative treatment for a wide range of common ailments, including diabetes, heart disease, glaucoma, lupus, asthma, leukemia, obesity, acne, several cancers, and even insomnia.
Even more exciting, further research into CBD use has shown that it can be instrumental in treating or managing numerous neurological disorders that continue to plague Americans.
Although additional research and studies need to be carried out, CBD is a promising therapeutic treatment for anxiety, depression, Huntington’s Disease (HD), Parkinson’s Disease (PD), Alzheimer’s Disease, ALS, bipolar disorders, Multiple Sclerosis, epilepsy, and PTSD.
We’ve already delved into the science, the benefits, and the side effects of CBD oil in this comprehensive guide.
So, today, we are going to turn our attention to one question that’s often asked: how long does CBD last? How long does CBD oil take to work? How long does it take before its effects wear off?
Let’s get right to it.
Factors Impacting CBD Absorption
The CBD market is not exactly regulated. In fact, there’s no universally accepted CBD dosage for everyone or recommended daily allowance (RDA) typically tied to conventional meds.
Not all CBD that you ingest will make it into your bloodstream and even less will reach the endocannabinoid system (ECS), where it’s thought to have the most impact.
When you take CBD oil, it will be processed first by the gut, liver and other digestive organs. Here, the oil is broken down into both usable and unusable substances.
Some CBD and non-usable components will go to waste right from this stage because they cannot be absorbed through the lining of the intestines.
The amount of CBD that is eventually absorbed into the bloodstream and therefore available to be used by the ECS is known as bioavailable CBD.
As such, CBD bioavailability is defined as the rate at which the compound is absorbed into the blood. It also refers to the measure or degree of CBD that is available in a product, which is ready to be absorbed
Any excess CBD that cannot be used by the endocannabinoid system is usually deposited into the fat cells where it’s stored. If a sufficient amount of CBD is stored in fat, it’ll be released little by little for use by the ECS, delivering its therapeutic effects for days.
Naturally, there are several different factors that affect bioavailability and therefore the absorption of CBD into the bloodstream. When it comes to answering the question of how long does CBD last, you need to consider the following factors:
Method of Consumption: The method with which CBD is administered into the body can have a huge impact on the bioavailability of CBD. In theory, intravenous (famously called IV) administration is a direct way to get the most CBD absorbed into the bloodstream. But that isn’t always the most comfortable or the most preferred option.
The next popular method is oral administration. This is ideal for CBD forms like powder, capsules, edibles, tinctures and coil — anything you can swallow.
Through this method, CBD will take the longest period to reach the ECS, but it’ll have the longest active time.
Taking CBD orally usually take anywhere between 1 hour and 6 hours for its levels in the bloodstream to peak. In saying that, this makes oral consumption the perfect method for individuals looking for long-term therapeutic effects or supplementation.
Other common methods with which CBD can be consumed include smoking, vaporized consumption (e.g., vaping), topical application, sublingual consumption, anal & vaginal administration, and more.
Weight of the User: No two people respond in the same way to CBD consumption. That’s because weight as a factor influences your metabolism, circulation, and health.
People who weigh more tend to have more fat cells, which means they can absorb and store more CBD. So, by definition, heavier people with more fat will get prolonged effects of CBD. A person who weighs 150-240 pounds should take a dose of 15-20mg twice daily to get the most effects.
Dosage and Potency: It’s a no-brainer that a higher dosage of CBD will increase the amount that will eventually be absorbed into the body. The same goes for the concentration, potency or purity of the CBD product. The higher the CBD content, the more bioavailable it is.
Quality: Not all CBD oil products are created equal. Some will have impurities, additives, and carrier oils like hemp seed oil, coconut oil, terpenes, etc. Anything that is included in the product will in one or more ways affect how CBD will be absorbed, processed and metabolized by the body.
How much CBD Should I Take?
Again, there’s no universally accepted or daily recommended dosage for CBD oil.
However, it is advised that you start by consuming around 25mg of CBD two times every day (preferably once in the morning and the other dose in the evening). This way, you can add your dosage in increments of 25mg every three to four weeks until you get the most results from CBD.
As a rule of thumb, it is crucial that you do NOT self-medicate but consult with your physician or doctor to ascertain proper dosage for your health status and needs.
How Fast does CBD Oil Work?
How does CBD last to work? The time between consumption and when you feel the first effects of CBD varies depending on a number of factors, including but not limited to:
- CBD content, quality, and potency
- How you to take CBD (method of consumption)
- The dose of CBD you consume
- The effects you are trying to achieve or symptoms you intend to relieve
- Your weight, and other factors like if you’re taking medication, whether you’ve eaten, etc.
Although all of the above factors play a role in how quickly the CBD will work in your body, the most dominant factor is the consumption method.
Generally, you should start experiencing the therapeutic effects of CBD within 1-6 hours, but it can take longer or shorter time depending on how you take it.
For instance, when you inhale vaporized CBD oil (say through vaping), the effects can kick in as soon as 5-10 minutes after inhalation. Oral intake, on the other hand, takes up to 6 hours before you experience the effects.
How Long Does CBD Stay in Your System?
As we’ve mentioned earlier, unused or excess CBD is usually stored in the fat cells because it isn’t soluble in water (read: blood). The reserve then will be released gradually to the bloodstream, where it’ll be taken primarily to the endocannabinoid system and other parts of the body.
How does CBD last to work might depend on absorption, but how long it will stay in your system will depend on how much fat you have. The more fat cells you have, the more CBD they’ll store, and the longer it will stay in your system.
Of course, other factors like the method of consumption, CBD potency, presence of other medications, and dose will impact bioavailability and therefore how long the compound will stay active in your body.
If you take a high oral dose of CBD, which is considered between 150mg and 1500mg per day, you can expect the substance to be present in your system and the effects to last longer than if you took a lower dose.
Similarly, when you opt for methods that deliver higher levels of bioavailable CBD, such as inhaling vaporized CBD, the substance will likely stay longer in your body.
In one study, scientists found the half-life (the time it takes 50% of the amount of CBD that reached the bloodstream to be cleared from the body) to be between 2 and 5 days.
With that being said, it is generally regarded that it takes around 1 week for CBD to be metabolized completely in your body. That’s the rule of thumb, but it can take longer especially in people with more fat.
All in all, that means that if you are tested for CBD after one week or later, the drug test will likely return a negative result.
It is, however, crucial to remember that trace amounts of CBD may remain even longer, and might not reflect on drug tests.
How Long Does a Bottle of CBD Last?
Most so-called CBD virgins often wonder …
How long does CBD last before the bottle is empty?
There’s no exact answer. It typically depends on the daily dose you intend to take, and the concentration/strength of the CBD product you have purchased. Remember, most CBD oil products are sold in standard 1 fluid ounce (30ml) bottles.
So, if you’re taking a 15mg dose of CBD each day (which is the minimum amount found in CBD oil tinctures), then the smaller bottle (200mg tincture) will last about 13 days, while the bigger bottle (500mg tincture) will last for no more than 34 days.
