Some people may not experience a change in their physiology after continued use of cannabidiol, also known as CBD. The first thing to remember is that, it is not a gimmick.
This is not a fad. CBD is here to stay. But there could be legitimate reasons as to why the CBD is not working for you.
The CBD Could Be Fake Or Poor Quality
Well, there have been reports of fake CBD all over the place. Between November 2016 and January 2017, 52 people were taken ill in Utah after using fake CBD.
The product was not CBD at all but a synthetic cannabinoid. This synthetic cannabinoid works on the cannabinoid receptors. However, the effect is contrary to that of CBD.
It causes nausea and other side effects. The same conditions that CBD is used for. There really is no telling what side effects a synthetic cannabinoid will bring about as it is an unpredictable element.
Actually, the best thing that could happen would be to feel absolutely nothing. This would be the best scenario when a fake CBD product has been used.
In 2015 and 2017 the FDA ran tests on many different products from different companies.
A shocking discovery was made.
The tests revealed that the products did not hold the CBD content they claimed to hold. They found that 9 out of the whole group of products had no CBD whatsoever.
Another 11 had less than a milligram of CBD.
The others had a CBD content sixteen times less than what they claimed. Before purchasing a product and using ensure to check on these two.
It’s vital that you check that the CBD products you are going to buy is not fake. Then check that the quality is good, another reason you should only purchase CBD products from manufacturers that provide 3rd party testing results with their products, such as Wellicy.
CBD Dosage
Different conditions demand different dosages of CBD, such as in the case of appetite for example. It is said that CBD can both stimulate and inhibit your appetite.
However, these effects are found at different dosages. It is also said that CBD can both suppress sleep and induce it.
Lower dosages of CBD will cause alertness. They will ensure better quality sleep in the evening by ensuring that you do not give in to naps in the middle of the day.
Higher doses of CBD have been said to bring about some drowsiness.
When you are just getting started with CBD, finding the right dosage can be tricky and will require a little bit of experimentation.
It is strongly advised that you gradually develop your baseline dosage. This is done by starting with the lowest possible dose then adjusting upwards every few days.
You might therefore go a few days without experiencing a significant change in physiology and symptoms. But once the baseline is established, you are able to settle comfortably into a supportive relationship with CBD.
Bioavailability
This is the amount of CBD that is available for utility by your body. It is different from the concentration and the dosage.
This is due several factors like metabolism, a weakened endocannabinoid system and lifestyle can affect the bioavailability of CBD products.
Don’t worry, there are ways that you can boost bioavailability. These tricks are not anything extra.
The method of administration matters a lot in this respect. See, if the CBD product is ingested orally it will have a lower bioavailability than if it was administered intravenously.
When ingested, CBD will have to go through your liver where it will be metabolized and a portion of it will be deemed as waste and then extricated from your body.
Only a portion is left to proceed to your blood stream.
In the case for intravenous administration, the CBD would go directly into your blood stream and join circulation. Meaning that the effects would be felt within minutes.
There are tricks to improve the oral route, such as with the use of dietary lipids in combination with CBD.
This helps the CBD avoid the first pass effect completely. It’s delivered directly to your blood stream through the lymphatic system.
Genetics
Some people have it easy with CBD while others do not. It has nothing to do with the product or even how they are taking it.
There is a possible genetic mutation to blame. About 15-20% of people in the world have a genetic mutation that gives them more endocannabinoids than the rest of the population.
This is a good thing but it also means that CBD will not have much to do, so the effects will be mild.
This is unless the dosage is increased which should be monitored carefully. There are tests to find out if you are one of the 20% and can also show how you will respond to cannabis cannabinoids such as CBD and THC.
Tolerance
This is more common in the case of other cannabinoids. Continued use of CBD brings about reverse tolerance rather than tolerance.
Reverse tolerance is the exact opposite of tolerance. Instead of requiring more, through the continued use of CBD your tolerance levels will actually decrease and a smaller dose of CBD will be needed to achieve the same effect.
What this essentially means is that CBD will have effectively optimized your body so well that there will not be a need for so much cannabidiol any more.
Some conditions require other cannabinoids such as THC, but it’s important to mention that THC will bring about tolerance.
After a while your body develops a familiarity with the THC such that more is needed to get the same amount of effect.
There are ways to train the system to keep these instances at bay such as taking tolerance breaks, or by only consuming when it’s needed.
Concentration and Content
This is to be considered in two facets. The first being, the strain. Different strains have different amounts of CBD in them, which is often measured by a ratio.
The strain is then termed CBD dominant or CBD rich.
CBD Dominant means that the gap between THC content and CBD content is large. In this case, the THC content could be as low as 0.1%.
A CBD rich strain will have some THC but the CBD will be more regardless of how much THC is present.
The second facet is in terms of products. It is possible to find two and even three CBD oils with different CBD contents.
This is meant to serve different purposes. The lower contents are meant for starters, people who need to build up to the heavy stuff.
So, if your CBD oil is not working it could be that you picked a product with a lower content than what you should be using. Or if you are making it at home it could be that the strain you picked is low on CBD.
There is also the case of isolate or whole plant (full spectrum). CBD isolate means that the product has been stripped of all other elements in cannabis/hemp that could contribute to the activity of the CBD.
Whole plant means that the CBD comes with other cannabinoids and terpenes.
The latter is better as it allows room for the entourage effect. Although that’s not to say that CBD isolate is ineffective. The entourage effect is the process by which cannabinoids, terpenes and other elements work in synergy for health and wellness.
Method of Administration
Apart from the issue of bioavailability, the way you take your dose of CBD matters whole lot.
The method of administration should auger with the purpose for which the CBD is being taken.
If a rash is only skin deep then a topical will be sufficient.
However, if it is brought on by something you ate then you will need to ingest some CBD so that whatever you ate can be flushed out. This way both the root and the stem of the problem are eliminated.
Biology
Cannabinoids work very closely with hormones. This is why you are bound to get higher off a few puffs when on your period. Since hormones are more pronounced at the time of the month.
Generally, women have been found to be more sensitive to cannabinoids. It is a matter of body chemistry and hormones.
It has also been found that women are more susceptible to a significant number of the conditions treated with CBD.
Men are relatively bigger and stouter physiologically, so men would therefore require a higher dose than a woman.
This reiterates the point on an individualized baseline. People are different in more ways than one so do not use the same dosage as another person.
Lifestyle
To begin with, alcohol weakens the endocannabinoid system. CBD would therefore have a hard time instituting physiological changes in a person who drinks a lot.
Other lifestyle choices like exercise and diet will also influence how well CBD works for you. Lifestyle choices greatly affect the endocannabinoid system and consequently the bioavailability and absorption of CBD.
If none of the above is the problem, then maybe you just need to walk more and eat better. Quit drinking and smoking. Reduce stress in your life, and sleep more.
Such simplicities can make a huge difference for not only your health, but also the effects you feel with CBD.
Due Diligence and Patience
CBD is still quite fresh despite being around for more than five decades. There is still a lot to learn about the usage.
There is need for extensive research before use, and you must be ready to experiment with varying products and dosage levels.
Experimentation comes in when there is need to find a method of administration that works well and effectively.
Then there is need for patience.
You must be patient especially when working to establish a baseline. But, you must also be smart!
You should know when to pull out of a regimen and try something new. Additionally, you need to know when to change up dose or administration methods. By doing research, you will also know when to apply tricks to increase bioavailability.
