How Long Does CBD Take to Work?

If you live in a country where CBD is legal, there’s no question you have noticed it: The compound is everywhere these days. Indeed, CBD’s popularity has skyrocketed, going from a chemical which was illegal almost everywhere in the world to an industry which is expected to generate $22 billion within the next three years.

CBD has risen in popularity because millions of users have experienced benefits for a variety of physical and emotional illnesses, and there is some scientific evidence to back up these claims.

One of CBD’s many benefits is that it can be relatively fast acting – depending on the form of CBD you take, users can begin to feel its effects in as little as a few seconds to under an hour. However, the length of time CBD takes to work depends on what you are taking it for, and how you are taking it.

Here’s a review of the various methods of CBD ingestion, and how long it takes to work.

Factors Effecting CBD Absorption

The method if ingestion is one of the most important factors which determine how long it will take before you start to feel the effects of CBD, but it is by no means the only important item. There are a variety of other factors involved, including:

• The quality of the CBD and the hemp involved in making it.
• The type of CBD. Specifically, whether or not it is full spectrum, broad spectrum or CBD isolate.
• Your individual past experience with CBD, medical marijuana or marijuana.
• Your body’s metabolism.
• What else the CBD is mixed with.

Vape Pens

Vape pens are used for CBD ingestion by taking a dry herb and heating that herb in a vape pen. That turns the herb into a vapor which can then be inhaled.

One of the biggest positives about vaping CBD is its speed. Inhaling CBD is arguably one of the quickest ways to feel the effects of CBD, which makes it a relatively good way of ingesting CBD.

According to some researchers, vaping effects can be felt in as little as thirty seconds. Vaping juices often come in different flavors, like citrus or mint.

However, it is important to note that there are potential safety concerns with vaping, including purchasing unregulated equipment and a lack of studies about the long-term dangers of inhaling other chemicals associated with vaping. If you do choose to vape, make sure that you purchase equipment which has been properly inspected and regulated.

Tinctures

CBD Tinctures are small droplets of CBD. They are often mixed with what is known as a carrier oil, which can be in a variety of flavors, including natural (no flavor), peppermint, orange and lemon. They can be taken two ways: Sublingually (meaning placed underneath the tongue), or mixed into another food or drink.

When taken subingually, CBD tinctures often do not take long before their effects are felt. It is a relatively quick way of ingesting CBD because the mucous membrane underneath the tongue is relatively thin and contains a slew of small capillaries, speeding absorption of the CBD directly into the bloodstream.

Generally speaking, CBD Tinctures are the second-fastest way of absorbing CBD, usually taking no more than 15-30 minutes to work, and even faster if taken sublingually. They can be mixed into other foods or drinks on your own. This may make the mixture more pleasant to consume, but it will turn the product into an edible, which slows down the speed of absorption and makes it take longer before the CBD takes effect.

Creams, Lotions & Other Topicals

One of the more popular forms of CBD has been when it comes in a topical form which can be rubbed directly into the skin. They come in a variety of forms, includes salves, balms and other cosmetics. These type of CBD products are often viewed as being very good for skin care or for pain relief. Dosing can be difficult to determine, but generally speaking, putting on more product will give you a stronger effect and cause the effects to be felt faster.

CBD rubbed into the skin often takes the longest to be felt. This is because the CBD has to travel through multiple lawyers of skin and then into the bloodstream, muscles or nerves in the region which you are applying it. However, it is also the longest lasting.

Typically, CBD which is rubbed into the skin takes 25-45 minutes to work.

Edibles

Edibles are forms of CBD which are mixed into food or drink. It typically comes in snack form, such as gummies, chocolates and other forms of candy. CBD drinks are less popular, but often of the “homemade” variety, as CBD is mixed into other drinks, such as teas.

CBD edibles take some time to work. This is because the CBD has to be separated from whatever food it is in, then travel through the entire digestive process. As a result, your individual metabolism, the speed of your digestive system and whether or not you have a full stomach is particularly important.

Depending on these factors, CBD edibles can take between 25-45 minutes to work.

Pills

CBD does come in capsule or soft-gel form. When it comes in this form, it is often mixed with other substances, like melatonin or curcumin.

Pills take the same path as any other food: It is ingested into your stomach and then broken down through your digestive system. All of the same factors as edibles come into play, as does the speed with which the CBD pill is broken down.

It is important to note that these are just rough guides, and that your personal experience with CBD may be different. If you are trying CBD for the first time and not immediately feeling the effects, don’t immediately start consuming more, as this may give you a stronger experience than you necessarily want. Instead, go slow and take your time. This will ensure that your body has a chance to get used to the CBD, and it will also give you a chance to determine if you are experiencing any negative side effects.