CBD has reached celebrity status in the health and wellness industry and it seems like nothing can steal its shine. You can find CBD products everywhere these days, from supermarkets and pharmacies to cafes, online stores, and even pet shops. With so much buzz going around this one-of-a-kind compound one can easily get swept up in the CBD craze. Since everyone else seems to be in love with CBD, you may as well give these products a try and see for yourself if they’re worth the hype or not.
But going into it blindly is not necessarily the smartest idea. If you want to enjoy a positive CBD experience and avoid any confusion, you might want to educate yourself on the subject before joining the ranks of CBD enthusiasts worldwide. So, here are some important facts that will get you from CBD newbie to CBD savvy and help you make more informed decisions.
A short introduction to CBD
Obviously, the first thing you have to learn about CBD if you’re thinking about including it in your wellness routine is what it is and how it interacts with your body. CBD, which is the abbreviation for cannabidiol, is the second most prevalent compound found in the cannabis plant after tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), and one of 113 cannabinoids that have been identified so far. Cannabis plants differ in chemical makeup, so the amount of CBD and THC that a plant contains will vary from specie to specie.
But what makes CBD such a powerful health ingredient? Although the mechanism by which CBD exerts its effects on the body is still not clearly explained, scientists believe it has to do with the body’s endocannabinoid system (ECS) which is responsible for regulating and balancing key functions such as mood, memory, sleep or cognition. It appears that CBD interacts with the body’s cannabinoid receptors. That influences the release of neurotransmitters in the brain and the signals they send throughout the body, so that might explain the effects that CBD produces and the health benefits deriving from this interaction.
CBD is legal
There have been many legal developments related to cannabis in recent years that have paved the way for the legalization of CBD. The passing of the 2018 Farm Bill marked an important milestone in this respect as it made it federally legal to cultivate hemp – a cannabis variety containing less than 0.3 THC. Therefore, hemp-derived CBD and the products that use it enjoy the same status.
However, there’s still a lot of confusion surrounding the subject given that CBD policies vary widely from state to state. There are still certain states that prohibit the commercialization and use of CBD products, regardless of THC concertation. So, before you run down to the store or place an online order for CBD, make sure to check the rules and regulations in your state.
CBD won’t get you high
Will CBD get me high? That’s an answer a lot of people ask themselves when CBD products come into question. The simple answer is no, but if you’re not convinced, we’ll offer you a further explanation of why CBD won’t make you feel euphoric or impair your cognitive abilities. The belief that CBD can get one high stems from the confusion people make between CBD and THC. It’s the latter that has psychoactive properties and can cause these types of effects. CBD, as long as it contains only small amounts of THC, doesn’t bind to the same receptors as THC, so users can enjoy its benefits without worrying about any unwanted high effects.
If, however, you’re looking for a cannabis-derived product that’s somehow in between the two, you can give delta 8 gummies for sale a try. Unlike CBD, delta 8 will give you a very light euphoric sensation, but it won’t cause the high that THC provides, so you get to enjoy the best of both worlds.
CBD has science-backed therapeutic benefits
While we might not have a clear explanation for how CBD works, we do have several studies on the compound’s therapeutic potential. Many of these studies show that CBD may be able to help with sleep issues, anxiety, depression, chronic pain, muscle relaxation, inflammation, and other health-related problems. The FDA also approved Epidiolex, a prescription cannabidiol used for the treatment of seizures associated with rare and severe forms of epilepsy.
The fact that research is still in its early stages and there are still many questions left unanswered gives naysayers a reason to question CBD use. And yet, the results of the existing research and the many anecdotal evidence about its health benefits suggest that CBD is indeed a very promising compound.
CBD is not a cure-all
While we have a few science-backed studies on CBD and plenty of reasons to believe it can be useful, it’s important to stay objective and not to fall into the opposite extreme. CBD is often touted as a universal panacea – a compound that can help with everything and can magically cure everyone of all their ailments. As great as that might sound, it simply isn’t true.
CBD, just like many other popular ingredients in the health and wellness environment, has its benefits and its limitations. If you want to use CBD to treat a specific health issue, you have to do your due diligence beforehand and figure out if CBD is a suitable option for you or not, otherwise, you’ll just be wasting your time and money on products that won’t help you. It’s also a good idea to talk to your personal physician before you include a CBD product into your routine, especially if you’re already undergoing conventional treatment.
We hope that the information we’ve shared with you helped clear up some of the confusion around CBD and now you can decide if you want to join the CBD party or you’re better off watching it from afar.