—
Please note: CBD oil and it’s varying formularies are legal in a number of states in the US and in some international locations. Please check the laws in your state or region before making a purchase. This article is presented for informational purposes only and is not meant to diagnose or treat any illness. If you have any health concern, see a licensed health care professional in person.
There’s been no shortage of ink spilled over the course of the past few years about the booming new market for cannabidiol (CBD) products. Everywhere you look, in fact, CBD products seem to be for sale. They’re available online, in malls, gas stations, corner stores, and smoke shops from coast to coast. There are so many options to choose from that you’d be forgiven for having no idea where to begin.
It doesn’t help that much of the information you can find on the topic is anecdotal, at best – or conflicting at worst. The one consensus view that seems to exist is that CBD may have beneficial effects on various areas of your health and wellness. With so little concrete information to go on, though, it’s difficult for anyone interested in trying a CBD product to choose one that’s right for their particular situation.
The truth is, the only way to figure that out is to try them for yourself. And since the World Health Organization determined that CBD is “generally well-tolerated, with a good safety profile.”, it certainly won’t hurt you to do so. When you do, you should keep a journal of the products you try, and the effects that they have on you. That can then serve as your roadmap to choosing the products you need in the future. To help you get started, here’s a look at three of the most popular CBD delivery methods, and why it might make sense to use them.
CBD Tinctures and Oils
In the world of CBD products, the most familiar option for most people is CBD tinctures or oils. They’re by far the most widely-available product class found in retail outlets. Although the specifics of each product may vary, they are normally taken in the form of sublingual drops. Ingesting CBD in this way can have some significant advantages, including the fact that the tissues in the mouth can absorb the compound right away, leading to more immediate effects.
In most cases, users of CBD oils and tinctures report that their effects can last anywhere up to eight or more hours, which makes them ideal for nighttime use. That said, they’re not always a great format for constant daily use because they can be a bit messy – leaving an oily residue on whatever they touch if you’re not careful. Plenty of people also don’t like the taste of such products, which can be a deal-breaker even if they seem to produce the desired effects.
CBD Capsules
Capsules are another popular CBD delivery option. In most cases, they take the form of gel caplets, which are not dissimilar to ordinary over-the-counter medications. That’s one of the secrets to their wide appeal. Since they’re in a form that most people are used to dealing with, they can be a good first step for those trying CBD for the first time. They also come in a variety of specific measured doses, which takes all of the guesswork out of using the product.
They’re a favored delivery option for those who use CBD for pain relief since they’re predictable and easy to self-manage. Compared to tinctures and oils, though, CBD pills take far longer to enter the bloodstream, since they have to pass through your digestive system first. That also means they tend to be less potent than other delivery methods because your body will filter out some of the active compound while it’s being digested.
CBD Hemp Flower
Since CBD is typically derived from the hemp plant, another way for end-users to get it is to go straight to the source – the plant itself. There’s no better way to do that than through hemp flowers, which contain the highest CBD concentrations in a typical hemp plant. That makes them one of the most potent and useful options in the world of CBD, and they’re rapidly gaining popularity as a favored delivery method.
Hemp flowers may be smoked or vaped, and have the benefit of direct absorption into the bloodstream, much like tinctures and oils. That makes them a popular option for use in a variety of settings, both at home and while traveling. That’s one reason that so many people use them for a quick energy boost during busy days. Unlike most other delivery options, hemp flowers have high CBD bioavailability but have effects that can last between one to three hours depending on the individual. That makes them an excellent all-around option for a variety of use cases.
Ready to Get Started
If you’re one of the many people who have heard about the many possible benefits of CBD but had no idea how to approach the subject, let alone try a product, now you know a few good places to start. Of course, there are as many types of CBD products as there are stars in the sky, so you’ll only be at the beginning of a journey to find the one that works best for you. Chances are though that you’ll find one of the above CBD delivery methods both comfortable and effective. So, if you want to see if CBD is right for you, choose the one you think makes the most sense in your particular circumstance and give it a shot – there’s a very good chance you’ll be happy you did.
—
This content is sponsored by Andrej Kovacevic.
Photo: Shutterstock