CBD as a whole has gained lots of popularity, but the most common type of CBD product is CBD oil. Usually, the first CBD product that people are introduced to is the oil. It is also often used in the production of other CBD products such as gummies and capsules.
Welcome to the comprehensive guide to CBD oil. We’ll discuss what CBD oil is, how it’s made, any benefits, safety concerns, recommended dosage, how and where to buy and much more.
By the end, all of your questions will be answered. Enjoy!
1. What Is CBD Oil?
Marijuana and hemp are two types of cannabis plants. Both are full of cannabinoids, including cannabidiol (CBD). The purpose of CBD in a cannabis plant is to maintain health and fight disease, making it very important.
This particular substance is taken by millions around the world as a food supplement for wellbeing. However, CBD is hardly taken on its own. We mostly consume CBD gummies, vapes, oils, or other products, which typically contain other cannabinoids.
There are various types of CBD oils. Full-spectrum CBD products contain most cannabinoids including THC; however, the amount of THC is so small that it cannot make you high and is completely legal. The benefit of full spectrum products is when all cannabinoids are working in synergy, the entourage effect takes place, meaning it has a stronger effect. Broad-spectrum CBD products contain most cannabinoids excluding THC. Narrow spectrum products have a lot fewer cannabinoids and CBD isolate is CBD on its own. We mostly recommend only broad-spectrum and full-spectrum products.
A CBD oil, regardless of its type of spectrum, is simply CBD mixed with a carrier oil. Popular carrier oils include MCT oil, coconut oil, and hemp seed oil. Wait a minute… CBD and hemp oil?
1.1. CBD Oil vs Hemp Oil
Many people ask “are CBD oil and hemp oil the same”? In short, they are not the same. Hemp oil is extracted from the seeds of a hemp plant whereas CBD is extracted from the leaves, flowers, and roots.
Hemp oil is extracted directly from the seeds. CBD isn’t extracted as an oil; it is mixed with a carrier oil to create a CBD oil.
CBD has a full array of cannabinoids whereas hemp oil doesn’t. However, what hemp seed oil does have is fatty acids such as omega-3s, omega-6s, and omega-9s.
As previously mentioned, hemp oil can be used as a carrier oil to mix CBD with. That way, you’re getting CBD along with many other cannabinoids as well as fatty acids.
2. How CBD Oil Is Made?
Going back to the two types of cannabis plants, marijuana contains up to 30% THC whereas a hemp plant contains up to 0.3% THC. Therefore, CBD is derived from low-THC, high-CBD industrial hemp plants. A CBD product with more than 0.2% THC is illegal in the UK, so it must be kept below the limit. CBD can be extracted from the roots, flowers, and leaves of the hemp plant.
There are a few methods of extraction, but we’ll only mention the most common and safe: CO2 extraction. In this extraction method, there is a dried hemp plant in a chamber. Compressed CO2 below -56℃, in a state in which it can act as both a gas and liquid, is passed through the chamber to derive the required substances.
Once CBD and the other cannabinoids are extracted, they are mixed with a carrier oil. The CBD oils should then be third-party lab-tested to ensure the product is both safe and legal.
3. How to Take CBD Oil
The recommended way of taking CBD oil is sublingually (under the tongue). Simply lift your tongue and add drops of the oil under your tongue. Many people ask “why take cbd oil under the tongue”? Well, because the mucus membranes allow for the absorption of CBD into the bloodstream within around 15 minutes. It is one of the quickest delivery methods, rivaled only by CBD vapes. When taken sublingually, CBD will last around 4 or 5 hours in the body.
You can digest CBD rather than taking it sublingually. Here are some ideas on how to do so:
- Put drops of CBD on top of your tongue and swallow it. If you don’t like the taste, you may opt to quickly wash it down with water.
- You can pour the oil over your dinner.
Digesting CBD takes about an hour to enter the bloodstream, which is significantly longer than taking CBD sublingually. However, it comes with the benefit of lasting in the body for around 8 hours, rather than 4 or 5.
Taking the oil sublingually is a more bioavailable method, meaning more CBD reaches the bloodstream. Unfortunately, when swallowing CBD, a lot of CBD is lost in the digestive process, making it less bioavailable.
4. CBD Oil Benefits
4.1. Benefits of CBD
Although we encourage CBD as a supplement for wellbeing, please note that we can’t make any medical claims. Therefore, we strongly suggest that you look at what people have to say about CBD all over the internet. It has positively impacted the lives of many, including ours.
4.2. Why Oils Over Other CBD Products
As already mentioned, the oil can be taken sublingually, so it is high in bioavailability and enters the bloodstream quickly. If for whatever reason, you need CBD in your system as soon as possible, the oil is a fast solution.
Vaping CBD can take less than 15 minutes to get into the body, but it only lasts for around an hour. Digesting CBD can last in the body for around 8 hours, but it takes an hour to get into the bloodstream and has low bioavailability. Taking CBD oil under the tongue has a perfect balance. It enters the bloodstream quickly and lasts up to 4 or 5 hours.
Another benefit is that you can conveniently take it anywhere, such as work or college. It can easily fit in a pocket or a bag. As it comes in a small bottle, taking the oil is something you can do quickly and privately if that is what you want.
5. Is CBD Oil Safe?
5.1. Can CBD Make You High?
As previously mentioned, CBD cannot make you high. Even full-spectrum products cannot make you high as the amount of THC is so minuscule.
5.2. CBD Oil Side Effects
Many questions, understandably, are asked about the side effects of CBD. The truth is that CBD has minimal side effects. As long as you are purchasing legal CBD that is from a trusted supplier and has been third-party lab-tested, you should have mostly a positive experience with CBD.
However, a small percentage of those who take CBD, especially those who are new, may experience the herxheimer effect. This is a detoxification of the body, which is actually a healthy process. You may experience a dry mouth or the need to go to the toilet more often for a few days. I can assure you that this is nothing to worry about. The herxheimer effect, also known as the herxing effect, will most likely last no longer than a few days.
Some people have found that CBD has lowered their blood sugar. This can obviously be quite detrimental, so we recommend taking CBD just before or after (or even during) a meal.
It is possible that CBD is contributing to low blood pressure. However, we highly doubt CBD is the reason behind it.
5.3. Is CBD Safe for Children?
CBD is as safe for children as it is for adults. However, as we want to be careful with children, we suggest
- Adults administer any children who are taking CBD. You don’t want a child to consume too much CBD oil in one day. However, keep in mind that you can not overdose so it wouldn’t be a huge problem.
- Starting with 1-5mg a day for children and gradually increasing the dosage if needed.
6. CBD Oil Dosage
A big question we get is “how much CBD oil should I take a day”?For those new to CBD, we suggest starting with 10mg a day for full-spectrum oils and 20mg for broad-spectrum oils. For many people, 10mg is enough. However, you can gradually increase the dosage if needed.
The number of drops you consume depends on how much mg is in each drop, which varies from one bottle of CBD to another, and how much you’re wanting to take.
7. How to Buy the Best CBD Oils
Look no further than the CBD Oils sold at Excite for Life. We have a wide range of oils from top brands to suit your needs, from low to high strength and from broad to full spectrum. We sell CBD oils by CannabiGold, Purity UK, Canabidol, CBD Life, and our own brand: Excite for Life.
If you’re a beginner to CBD oils, any of the listed brands are great. However, we suggest starting with a cheaper, low-milligram bottle to see if you like the oil and if it helps. If the oil isn’t up to your required standards, you could then go for a higher strength or a different CBD product.
If you don’t want any THC in your oil, go for the CannabiGold or Purity oil. Feel free to check out our CannabiGold review.
7.1. Excite for Life CBD Oil
The Excite for Life CBD Oil comes in a 500mg or 1000mg strength and is a full spectrum oil, meaning all beneficial cannabinoids are included, producing the entourage (stronger) effect.
However, that wasn’t enough for us. We wanted to make use of the entire hemp plant, the carrier oil used to mix with CBD is organic hemp seed oil. Hemp oil provides essential fatty acids such as omega 3s, 6s, and 9s. We want our customers to have the best CBD oil with as many benefits as possible.
Feel free to learn more about the Excite for Life oil.
8. Buy CBD Oils Now
9. Bonus FAQs
9.1. Will CBD Oil Affect My Medication?
You can take CBD alongside medication, but we suggest avoiding an hour gap. For example, if you take medication at 9AM, then take CBD before 8AM or after 10AM. This is because CBD could see the medicine as a foreign object and aim to flush it out of the system. An hour is enough time to allow the medication to be metabolised and get into the bloodstream without CBD interfering.
9.2. Can You Drive After Taking CBD Oil?
CBD oil is completely safe and will not impair your driving in any way. The same applies to full-spectrum CBD oils as the amount of THC is not enough to produce a psychoactive effect.
9.3. Can You Get Addicted to CBD Oil?
The World Health Organisation stated “In humans, CBD exhibits no effects indicative of any abuse or dependence potential. … There is unsanctioned medical use of CBD based products with oils, supplements, gums, and high concentration extracts available online for the treatment of many ailments. CBD is generally well tolerated with a good safety profile.”
9.4. Can I Put CBD Oil in Drinks?
Yes. However, as the oil wouldn’t mix with your drink, we suggest adding Water Soluble CBD instead.
9.5. When Should I Take CBD Oil?
Firstly, ask yourself why you’re taking CBD. If you’re wanting your desired CBD benefits during the day, consider taking the oil in the morning and/or afternoon. If you’re wanting your desired CBD benefits during the night, take it in the evening, maybe before going to bed. You can also take CBD multiple times throughout the day if needed. It is up to you and depends on why you want to use it. We only suggest that you take CBD alongside a meal, although that’s not necessary.
We hope we’ve answered all of your questions and helped you decide whether or not CBD oils are the best CBD option for you.
