5 Tips for Purchasing the Right CBD Product

CBD’s popularity has exploded like few compounds currently on the market today. There’s good reason for that: Some scientific evidence and a variety of anecdotal stories have indicated that CBD may have the potential to help address a variety of physical and emotional problems that people face.

However, because CBD is so new, there is a huge degree of confusion and misinformation about what CBD is and how it may be helpful. To that end, here are 5 tips for figuring out which CBD product is right for you.

1. Protect yourself

Tests have shown that CBD is a relatively safe substance in most cases. But, like any supplement, there can be negative side effects or problems, and this is absolutely the case when it comes to CBD, a compound which can alter the functioning of your body’s critically important and delicate Endocannabinoid System. Furthermore, as a 2017 University of Pennsylvania study indicated, not all CBD company’s are honest about their labeling, and many do not accurately state what chemicals are in their products and in what amount.

So, what can you do? Two things. First, talk to your doctor before starting CBD. Some studies have shown that CBD can cause liver damage, and there is also evidence which shows that CBD can interfere with the functioning of some medications. To that end, always talk with your doctor before taking CBD.

Furthermore, make sure that the CBD you want to use comes with a Certificate of Analysis. This is a third party verification: An independent company will test the CBD and state what ingredients are in the compound, and in what amounts. This ensures that a company’s claims about their ingredients are accurate. For an example, here is the Certificate of Analysis for EZlief’s Salve.

2. How fast do you need the CBD to work?

There are a variety of ways to ingest CBD. These include tinctures, balms, vaping juices, edibles and pills. However, different ingestion methods work in different periods of time to work. Everyone will experience slightly different times for how long it takes CBD to work, but generally speaking:

• Inhalation: 10-20 minutes.
• Sublingually (under the tongue): 15-25 minutes.
• Orally: 20-30 minutes.
• Topically: 25-45 minutes.

3. What product works best for your needs?

In addition to taking into consideration how quickly you may need the CBD to work, you have to ask yourself this important question: Why are you taking the CBD? What do you want it to do?

This is an important question, because different methods of consumption can be more useful for different things. For example, if you are seeking to relieve pain or general soreness, you can take almost any form of CBD, but a topical which is rubbed directly into the area of pain or inflammation may be the most helpful. If you are looking for stress relief or assistance sleeping, a topical may not be as helpful as an edible or tincture. Conversely, a topical or cosmetic may be your best method of consumption if you are trying to improve your skin or help mediate an otherwise unpleasant skin condition.

4. Start slow and add from there

As noted by a World Health Organization report on the subject, CBD is generally safe, not subject to abuse and well tolerated in humans. Some people do notice side effects, but they are usually relatively minor. Common side effects include dry mouth, fatigue, light-headedness and an upset stomach.

While most people don’t experience anything other than a minor side effect (if that) when consuming CBD, you should keep these side effects in mind when making a purchase. As such, when you first try CBD, make sure you are somewhere where you can easily manage any potential side effects from the compound.

Also, remember, some methods of CBD consumption are more difficult than others to measure. Generally speaking, edible or sublingual CBD products (such as gummies or tinctures) are easy to measure, as they have discrete serving amounts. However, other products (like vapes, creams or skin-care masks) are more difficult to measure because it’s so difficult to determine an accurate way of measuring what you breathe in or rub into your skin. As such, it requires more work and measurement, and leaves more room for error.

5. Decide on THC Content

All forms of CBD are not identical. Different forms of CBD have different ingredients and different strains of CBD, as well as THC content. THC is short for tetrahydrocannabinol, which is the agent found in marijuana that is most associated with intoxication.

Types of CBD

There are three types of CBD: Full spectrum, broad spectrum and isolate. Isolate is the purest form of CBD which has almost every other compound filtered out, and is not as popular as full or broad spectrum CBD.

Full vs Broad Spectrum

Full and broad spectrum CBD are relatively similar. Both are processed in order to maintain as many of the naturally occurring chemicals as possible, including flavonoids and terpenes. The difference is THC content: Full spectrum CBD still has THC, while broad spectrum THC has none.

The amount of CBD in full spectrum CBD is negligible. If the CBD has been processed within legal limits established by the 2018 Farm Bill, it will contain no more than .3% THC. This amount is not enough to result in any sort of intoxication. However, some believe that full spectrum CBD is the best type of CBD because of the Entourage Effect, which holds that CBD works best when all of its naturally occurring chemical components remain in it.

However, evidence for the effectiveness of the Entourage Effect is mixed, with one recent study saying that it does not work as advocates say it does.

It is also important to note that full spectrum CBD can potentially result in a positive drug test (though this result is unlikely). This can occur depending on the sensitivity of the drug test, the amount of CBD in your system and a variety of other concerns.

As such, you have to decide whether or not you want to use full or broad spectrum CBD. If you work in a position which does drug testing, it is highly advisable to stick with broad spectrum CBD.