The Official Guide to Cannabidiol (CBD)

November 23, 2017

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The explosion of interest in Cannabidiol (CBD) in recent years has been nothing short of incredible. Many people dealing with medical issues are switching from costly and more importantly harmful pharmaceuticals in pursuit of a more holistic approach with CBD oil.

Don’t confuse CBD for the psychoactive compound of marijuana THC, CBD is instead the therapeutic compound that is extracted from either a hemp or cannabis plant.

Today we will outline everything you need to know about CBD, so you can be like the millions of current users of CBD that are treating symptoms and diseases where pharmaceuticals have failed.

It’s important before beginning anything new, especially when your health is concerned, that you educate yourself first. And I’m excited to embark on this educational journey with you today!

What is Cannabidiol (CBD)?

A common question when discussing cannabidiol is, Does CBD get your high? No, Cannabidiol or better known as CBD is an all-natural, non-psycoactive compound that is found in cannabis. But it’s important to mention that CBD can be extracted from either a hemp or cannabis plant. But when it comes down to it, CBD is CBD.

Although CBD doesn’t provide a high like its counterpart THC. CBD features calming, pain relief, anti-anxiety, and anti-psychotic effects. CBD is even used in parallel with THC to reduce its sometimes overwhelming “high”.

Out of all the cannabinoids currently discovered, both CBD and THC are the most researched.

You can access cannabidiol in a variety of forms, which we will touch on more later, that you can take advantage of to enjoy the therapeutic benefits associated with CBD. Not only is CBD oil available in varying types of products, you will come across products made with Full Spectrum CBD or CBD Isolate.

It’s important for us to now discuss the different terms we will be referring to throughout this guide. Two of the most important include:

Industrial Hemp – This simply refers to the hemp plant that is grown on a massive, industrial sized scale.
Hemp Oil – As you may have guessed by the name, hemp oil is extracted from the hemp plant. Which can be used in external applications like soap, hair care products, and lotions. Hemp oil is made from pressing the hemp seeds, and it consist of absolutely zero THC so it’s accessible in all 50 states.
CBD Oil – Although CBD is also extracted from the hemp plant, cannabidiol oil interacts with your body’s endocannabinoid system to unlock the receptors in various parts of your body to provide the desired medicinal benefits. When crafting CBD oil from the hemp plant it is extracted from the flowers, leaves, and stalks.

How Does CBD Work?

CBD is one of 113 cannabinoids, which are phytochemicals that are found in both hemp and marijuana plants.

These cannabinoids interact and effect your body’s endocannabinoid system and its receptors. Which is essentially a network of cell neurotransmitters that are found in your central nervous system, nervous system, and across other regions in your body.

CBD functions in two ways:

Binds to Receptors in Your Body
Mimic the Function of Cannabinoids in Your Body

When CBD interacts with these networks of neurotransmitters their activities are altered.

As a result, CBD matched with your endocannabinoid system unlock the production of vital proteins in your body that can affect functions throughout your body.

Such as:

Pain Perception
Seizures
Inflammation
Sleep-Wake Cycle
Immune System Functioning
Appetite
and more

The proteins that are released from your cannabinoid receptors have 4 main functions:

Immune System Balance
Energy Balance
Neuroprotective Functions
Stress Recovery

Furthermore, research is beginning to find that CBD may play a role in generating new brain cells, a process known as neurogenesis.

Due to its ant-inflammatory and anti-oxidant benefits, CBD can provide beneficial treatment for a vast array of medical conditions.

Let’s now discuss hemp derived CBD and cannabis derived CBD.

Hemp Derived CBD & Cannabis Derived CBD

You may have come across CBD products that are manufactured with hemp derived CBD or cannabis derived CBD. Even if you haven’t, it’s important that we discuss the slight differences between the two. But remember, CBD is CBD.

When broken down to the molecular level, CBD is the same whether it’s from a hemp plant or a cannabis plant.

In order for hemp to qualify as hemp, there must be no more than 0.3% of THC. However, hemp typically has a low concentration of CBD, somewhere in the range of 3.5% CBD. Meaning that it requires quite a bit of hemp to produce a small batch of CBD oil.

The case for cannabis derived CBD gets even stronger when you compare hemp to many cannabis strains that often have higher levels of concentration of CBD than industrial hemp.

But due to the current federal classification of cannabis, industrial hemp infused CBD oil may be the only legal option that you can access for treatment. Hemp derived CBD is accessible across all 50 states. Unless of course you live in a state like Colorado with legalized medical and recreational marijuana.

What are The Health Benefits of CBD?

I’m glad you asked! When looking at the massive health benefits that CBD provides, it’s no surprise that it offers a wide range of treatments for numerous diseases and disorders. Often, people find CBD to more effective for treatment than prescription drugs without the nasty side-effects.

Alzheimer’s Disease

CBD is a beneficial treatment for Alzheimer’s Disease as it blocks microglial activation, offering neuroprotective benefits. The collective effects that CBD provides leads to decreased oxidative stress that is caused by Alzheimer’s Disease.

Amytotraphic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)

The overall onset of ALS can be significantly reduced with the use of CBD oil. Symptoms that are associated with ALS such as pain, loss of appetite, sleeping issues, depression, and drooling to name a few can be minimized with the use of cannabidiol.

CBD for Anxiety

CBD is one powerful cannabinoid when it comes to anxiety. As the effects of CBD on your limbic and paralimbic areas of your brain help to reduce anxiety and greatly minimize subjective anxiety. If you suffer from Generalized Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD), cannabidiol can be effective for reducing the anxiety, cognitive impairment, and overall discomfort that are associated with SAD.

Arthritis

Cannabidiol provides incredible anti-inflammatory benefits and anti-arthritic effects which protects your joints, making it an effective treatment option if you struggle with Arthritis. Topical CBD products would be a great option if you have Arthritis, as you can apply it on the exact area of pain.

Bone Health

The protein in your bone’s connective tissue that are responsible for holding your bones together is known as collagen. And the reason why CBD is beneficial for bone health is because it boosts the maturation of collegen, greatly improving the healing process and strength of your bones.

Cancer

The progression of cancers located in the lungs, breasts, prostate, and colon, have been shown to be inhibited by CBD in animal test subjects. This goes to show the potential of cannabidiol and its effectiveness for mediating cancer cell death in humans.

CBD has also been shown to be effective in reducing pain and nausea that is common in cancer patients, while also stimulating appetite.

Cardiovascular Disease

Regarding cardiovascular disease, CBD can help to reduce cardiac fibrosis, cell death, inflammation, interrelated signaling pathways, oxidative-narritive stress, and myocardial dysfunction. All of these benefits combined help to provide a therapeutic treatment for of cardiovascular diseases.

COPD

Cannabidiol is a very potent bronchodilator making it a promising treatment for patients that are suffering from respiratory diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which is the 3^rd leading cause of death in the US.

By opening the restricted airways, CBD can help patients with COPD breathe better and combat the associated aches and pains. Furthermore, COPD also suppresses many patients appetite’s leading to unwanted weight loss and other health problems. CBD can help to stimulate your appetite.

Cirrhosis (Liver Disease)

Recent studies have suggested that the use of CBD can help to combat the overall progression of cirrhosis (liver disease), as CBD assists in the death of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs). Which is extremely vital as HSCs proliferate and produce excess collagen, leading to the accumulation of scarring on your liver.

Crohn’s Disease (Irritable Bowel Syndrome)

Anti-inflammation in the digestive tract is improved with the use of CBD, since it controls the pro-inflammatory response that is caused by Crohn’s disease.

Depression

We already discussed the benefits of CBD for treating anxiety, but CBD can also be used to treat depression due to its interaction with the serotonin receptors in your brain. Check out the numerous CBD and depression studies here.

Diabetes

The pro-inflammatory cytokines in your bloodstream can be reduced with the use of CBD treatments. Research has found that CBD is effective at curtailing the overall development of diabetes. CBD treatments also provide noticeable protection from diabetic retinopathy.

Epilepsy & Seizure Disorders

If you or a loved one suffer from epilepsy or another seizure disorder, CBD treatment has been found to reduce or even eliminate seizures.

Leukemia

Following a stem cell or bone marrow transplant, a lot of complications can occur. But with the use of CBD treatments, these can be prevented. The nausea, vomiting, pain, and lack of appetite that is common in Leukemia patients can also be treated with CBD.

Migraines

Migraines can really impact the quality of your day, so if you suffer from frequent migraines but have yet to discover an effective solution, try CBD’s! This incredible cannabinoid is extremely effective for alleviating pain.

Multiple Sclerosis

Inflammation is extremely common when diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, but by using CBD you can help combat inflammation. CBD will also provide neuroprotection thus limiting the overall progression of multiple sclerosis.

Nausea

The symptoms of nausea, as well as the anticipatory nausea in chemo patients can be effectively treated with cannabinoids such as CBD.

Obesity

Eradicate your body’s weight gain and minimize lipid levels with the use of CBD.

Pain Relief

Pain that is associated with a wide array of conditions such as migraines, headaches, dental pain, and chronic and acute pain conditions, can be relieved with the use of CBD treatment.

Parkinson’s Disease

The neuroprotective properties of CBD and its support of neural cell mitochondria health make it incredibly effective for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease. CBD may offer the ability to help Parkinson’s patients that are experiencing psychosis.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

The benefits of CBD treatment for PTSD are becoming increasingly known as time goes on. This is due to CBD’s interaction with your cannabinoid receptors, specifically CB1 and CB2, that enables the release of neurotransmitters. Which increase a sensation of pleasure and begins alternation of memory processes.

Schizophrenia

Cannabidiol offers anxiolytic and antipsychotic properties, potentially showing CBD as a safe and alternative treatment for schizophrenia.

Sickle Cell Anemia

The incredible pain that is associated with sickle cell anemia can be minimized with cannabinoid treatments such as CBD.

CBD for Sleep

Since CBD is already known to help treat anxiety, as a result this can also be helpful in minimizing sleeping problems and improve your overall quality of sleep.

By using cannabidiol for treatment, you may notice an increase in your overall amount of sleep. If you struggle with insomnia, CBD can help to reduce it!

Spinal Cord Disease

Treating spinal cord disease with CBD can help to improve bladder control, muscle spasms, as well as spasticity.

Stroke

By using CBD for treatment following a stroke, CBD helps to protect astrocytes and neurons for further damage. As a result this can help to improve biochemical, functional, histological, and neurobehavioral recovery.

Traumatic Brain Injury

The neuroprotective traits of CBD and its limitation of brain damage make CBD an effective treatment after experiencing a traumatic brain injury.

CBD Oil Buying Considerations

If you are a first-time hemp derived cannabidiol buyer, when faced with the countless products currently available you may begin to feel overwhelmed. I’m here to help you through this daunting process!

Below you can find four criteria you should consider before purchasing any hemp infused CBD oil products.

Strength

When it comes to the strength of cannabinoid hemp oil infused products, there are two factors that are involved:

Concentration – When looking at hemp infused CBD oil products, the CBD concentration is often the most important deciding factor. The concentration simply refers to the amount of CBD in regards to the total volume of the product. If you are a new CBD user, we recommend that you start out with 1-2 mg daily and then slowly increase the dosage as you begin to get used to the effects.
Percentage Volume of CBD In Product (Cannabidiol Volume) – When looking at the label of CBD products, the CBD percentage volume is the total percentage of volume in the product and is usually placed on the product’s label.

Purity

Please do not overlook purity, as this is an important factor you need to know before buying any CBD oil. Depending on the company manufacturing the CBD hemp oil, there may be different additives such as preservatives, sweeteners, solvents, and artificial coloring.

Additionally, since CBD oil can be extracted from varying parts of the hemp plant including stalk, leaves, and flowers.

Each farm may also have different practices, this can mean varying products may contain pesticides, and chemical fertilizers, it’s extremely important you are purchasing cannabidiol oil infused products from industrial hemp producers with a proven track record.

Calculating CBD Content

Here is a quick formula for calculating the total concentration of CBD. For example, you have a bottle of CBD hemp oil that contains 10 ml of hemp oil with 8% CBD. Here’s how to find the cannabidiol content:

10 ml = 10g
10g = 10.000 mg
8% of 10.000 mg = 800mg of CBD oil

Different Forms of CBD Oil

When it comes to cannabidiol treatment, you have a wide selection of products to choose from. This allows you to experiment with different CBD hemp oil infused products to see which is the most effective at providing the treatment you are searching for.

Capsules

Dissolvable capsules can contain either powdered hemp oil or as a liquid capsule (such as fish oil) with high concentrations of CBD. Capsules are one of the easiest forms of consumption of CBD, in addition to a few other conveniences. Which include, being tasteless and odorless, while being extremely easy to carry around without drawing a bunch of attention.

Capsules also make it extremely easy to monitor your dosing, as each capsule as a predetermined serving size of CBD.

A downfall of using CBD capsules is it’s harder to gradually increase your dosing to find your sweet spot. What I mean is if each CBD capsule contains 25mg, if you want to up your dosage you will have to go from 25mg up to 50mg’s (2 capsules).

Of course, this can be mitigated by combing CBD capsules with another CBD product to increase your daily dosage. For example, you could take 1 CBD capsule with a gummy or a dosage of tincture.

Recommended CBD Capsules:

Gum

CBD infused gum is an ideal method of consumption when you are on the go, and provides similar benefits as capsules. In regards to being easy to use and the convenience of being carried around wherever you go.

If you are looking for a method to discreetly consume your medication wherever you go, CBD infused gum is an exceptional option. Allowing you to consume CBD gum wherever and whenever you please!

Not to mention, CBD gum comes in a wide variety of flavors for you to choose from. One drawback I should mention of using CBD gum is it’s difficult to adjust your serving size. This of course just means you would have to pair CBD gum with a tincture in order to more incrementally increase your dosage.

Tinctures

Arguably the most effective option for serving size precision is with the use of hemp infused CBD oil tinctures.

This versatile method allows you to increase or decrease your serving size by the dropper, since each tincture includes a precise dropper labeled by the mL. Tinctures also come in a wide selection of flavors and CBD strengths.

Since tinctures are consumed under your tongue, the overall effects of CBD kick in much quicker than other forms of CBD. Alternatively, you can choose to mix your tincture with your favorite beverage that will quench your thirst and treat your pain!

Recommended Tinctures:

Topicals

Whenever you see CBD topicals, it’s simply referring to CBD infused lotions, creams, and topical oils. This form of CBD offers a usability that simply cannot be matched by other CBD products.

CBD topicals give you the ability to apply the topical to the precise area of pain, inflammation, or stiffness.

Since topicals are absorbed through your skin, they are ideal for directly alleviating the aches and pains you’re experiencing. But by absorbing the CBD through your skin, this means that the effects of CBD will be slower to kick in than other CBD products.

It’s important to mention that since topicals have a few other high quality ingredients not found in other CBD products, topicals tend to be on the more expensive side.

CBD Vape Juice

Are you a user of e-cigarettes? You may currently use your e-cig to help you quit smoking but you can also use it for numerous health benefits with the use of CBD vape juice.

CBD e-liquid is designed to be used in e-cigarettes, and can be found in a wide variety of flavors like green apple and strawberry milkshake to name a few. Vaping CBD gives you the freedom to medicate wherever you would vape, and people around you will be non-the wiser and think you are vaping nicotine.

Recommended CBD Vape Juice:

Gummies/CBD Edibles

Gummies are one of the tastiest ways to consume hemp infused CBD oil.

A wide selection of tropical and sour gummy flavors help to mask the taste of hemp infused CBD oil, while delivering the holistic treatment you are striving for.

If you are looking for a way to gradually increase your dosing of CBD, gummies may be your go to option. As each gummy typically has 5 to 10 mg of CBD.

Gummies aren’t the only option when it comes to CBD edibles, in fact, they are only scratching the surface of the vast amount of CBD edibles that are available on the market today!

Recommended CBD Edibles:

CBD Concentrate

If you are looking for a near instant effect, CBD concentrates are an outstanding option. CBD concentrates can be found in varying forms such as wax, crumble, and shatter.

No matter which form you choose to go with, CBD concentrates are extremely versatile in terms of consumption.

You can choose to mix it with some homemade edibles, vaporize it, or you can use a dab rig that will provide noticeable effects within minutes.

If you choose to mix your CBD concentrate with some edibles, the effects will take longer to kick in but you may notice them lasting longer.

Recommended CBD Concentrates:

What to Avoid in CBD Products

It’s important that you know where you are getting your CBD products from, as well as that you are dealing with a reputable company with safe manufacturing processes. Here are some things to avoid when purchasing CBD products:

Do Not Buy Products that are Manufactured Overseas
Avoid Products that aren’t Processed in a Cleanroom Under Strict Control
Make Sure the Hemp is Grown in Human Agricultural Fields

CBD Dosing Guidelines

When it comes time to decide the dosage of CBD, if this is your first experience with CBD, we highly recommend that you start out with the smallest suggested dose. And then gradually increase until it provides a noticeable effect.

Below you can find some additional dosing guidelines:

Decide Your Method of Consumption
Start with a Low Dose – Especially if you have little to no experience with CBD.
Take a Few Small Doses – Take a few smaller doses throughout the day, rather than one big dose.
Consume the Same Dose & Ratio for Several Days
Be Aware of Possible Side-Effects
Consult Your Health Care Provider

Are There Any Adverse Side Effects of CBD?

Overall, the use of CBD treatments can be tolerated by healthy adults. However, the minimal possible side effects of CBD you can experience range from dry mouth, lightheadedness, sluggishness in movement and thought, sleepiness, and low blood pressure.

If you are pregnant or nursing, you should consult with a doctor before using CBD products. Although, it is not recommended that you use CBD during pregnancy or while nursing.

CBD Interaction with Medications

Below you can find a list of medications and supplements that may interact with cannabidiol. A few side effects that you may experience can include increasing/decreasing tiredness and drowsiness, interfering with the effectiveness of medications, and interfere with the condition being treated with medications.

A few of these medications include:

Sedative Medications
Medications Broken Down by the Liver

On the other hand, if you are taking any of the following supplements that induce sleepiness, CBD may lead to you becoming increasingly sleepy:

Calamus
California Poppy
Hops
Jamaican Dogwood
Kava
5-HTP
L-tryptophan
Melatonin
John’s Wort
Valerian

CBD for Dogs and Cats

Not only can you enjoy the health benefits of CBD, you can also use CBD for treatment with cats and dogs. CBD oil can help treat both chronic and acute diseases, helping to improve the overall quality of life of your four-legged friend!

Regarding chronic conditions, CBD can help with arthritis, compromised immune systems, stress responses, digestive issues, and aggression.

On the other hand, if your cat or dog is struggling with an acute ailment such as sprains and strains, and torn ligaments. In addition to post procedure treatments to help minimize swelling, stiffness, and pain.

As you can see, Just like with humans hemp infused CBD oil can help treat a myriad of conditions in both cats and dogs.

CBD Products for Dogs & Cats:

CBD Capsules for Cats
CBD Capsules for Dogs
CBD Dog Treats
Animal Formulated CBD Hemp Oil/Tinctures
Therabis CBD Dog Food Mix

There are varying products for you to try with your pet, it’s great to have options because as you know your pet may be picky about what they choose to eat.

Often the easiest method to use is CBD hemp oil that is formulated specifically for cats and dogs. Which you can mix with their food once or twice daily.

Will My Pet Experience Any Side Effects of CBD?

It’s important that you consider this, as with any medication or supplement you give your pet there may be some side effects to using CBD. The most common side effect of CBD treatment in cats and dogs is that they may become sleepy.

If you notice that you pet is frequently sleepy after giving them CBD, you can either cut back the dose to once a day or stop giving it to them and consult with your veterinarian.

Excessive itching and mild vomiting have been reported as well, but those cases are extremely rare. If you want to start a CBD treatment plan for your cat or dog, you should first consult with your veterinarian.

When beginning your search for CBD products to treat your cat or dog, please make sure you are only giving them products formulated specifically for animals. Additionally, only purchase from reputable companies in the United States that are proven to use safe ingredients and manufacturing processes.

Final Thoughts

That about wraps it up for our official guide to cannabidiol, and we hope that you are beginning to understand the medical applications of CBD as well as the benefits that it can provide. You should now be equipped with the necessary knowledge to make the best possible decisions on your CBD products.

And remember, start with the lowest possible dosage of CBD and then gradually increase your dosing until you experience noticeable effects.

Let us know about your experience with CBD in the comments below, we’d love to hear from you about how CBD has greatly improved your life!

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