How to Take CBD Oil: A Beginner Guide

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One of the best things about CBD is that you have options. There’s a way to take CBD that works for almost everyone. One way isn’t better than another because it’s all about your personal preference. 

We’re here to break down some of the different ways you can enjoy CBD so you can find the right match for you. 

What is CBD?

CBD is a cannabinoid found alongside over a hundred others in the Cannabis plant. The fancy word for it is cannabidiol, but most people call it CBD. It’s one of the most common in the Cannabis Sativa plants.

Don’t confuse CBD with its cousin THC – that’s the one that has psychoactive properties. When you’re buying CBD products, to be legal in the UK, they need to have less than 0.2% THC.

CBD is getting popular because of research showing the potential health benefits.

CBD interacts with the naturally occurring endocannabinoid system (ECS).  ECS balances out our bodies when they are dealing with stressors. It has potential benefits like relief from chronic pain, anxiety and epilepsy.

Bioavailability

We don’t want to put the cart before the horse. That’s why we need to talk about bioavailability.

It’s basically how fast and how much the body absorbs CBD. What's critical for you to know is that the better the bioavailability, the quicker you will get it in your bloodstream and start getting to work.

Vaping has better bioavailability because when you vape the CBD vapour goes into your lungs and enters your bloodstream fast. Taking CBD edibles would have a low bioavailability because it has to go through your digestive system and be broken down by your liver before it enters the bloodstream. The upside is when it takes longer to enter the bloodstream, the effects last longer.

CBD Edibles

CBD edibles are a great way to start with CBD. They’re simple, straightforward and yummy.

They’re part of the ingestible family of CBD products and come in lots of different flavours and sizes. Some of the more common kinds are chewable gummies, lollipops or even mints. Edibles are discrete. If someone sees you popping a mint – they're not going to think twice about what you're eating.

Edibles do have low bioavailability because it’s going through your stomach and liver – it’s going to take longer to kick into effect. Sometimes it can be a couple of hours, but it also lasts longer.

Capsules

Capsules are another way to ingest your CBD. They’re usually a ‘soft gel’ that’s filled with the same kind of CBD oil you would find in a tincture. People who use them like that they’re convenient. You can easily swallow one on the go.

They're not your best bet if you're looking for fast-acting relief. They have low bioavailability, so they’re like edibles. They have to be digested and broken down before going into your bloodstream, but the effects will last longer.

Sublingual Tincture

If you want to stick with the classic, this is the way to go. Sublingual Tincture is CBD oil that comes in a bottle and allows you to put a few drops under your tongue. It's a simple way to take CBD. It also comes in different flavours and strengths. 

Even though you're putting it in your mouth, it doesn't have to go through your digestive system. The technical term for this is sublingual. There are glands under your tongue that will absorb the oil if you leave it there for about a minute. It goes into your bloodstream quicker, and you'll feel the results faster.

Topical 

Are you dealing with aches and pains? Then this may be a great option!

These are creams, locations, patches or balms that can be applied to your skin. Typically topical applications are mixed with other great therapeutic ingredients besides just CBD.  

Topical application is beneficial if you want to target a specific area on your body rather than ingesting it. Athletes love it because it can help with issues like inflammation and muscle aches. The beauty industry also has incorporated CBD to help with things like acne. 

Vaping

If you want the fastest results possible – go the way of the vape! Vaping has the highest bioavailability of the different ways to take CBD, meaning it works the quickest and gets the most out of the CBD. TheCBD vape oil or distillate is heated and turns into a vapour that’s inhaled. From there the vapour enters your lungs and then your bloodstream. You can usually feel the effects in 5 to 15 minutes.

At Amphora, we have easy to understand effects based colour-coded mouthpieces to indicate which one of our CBD distillate formulations the cartridge comes filled with to help you with your health and wellness goals.

Types of CBD

Isolate Vs Distillate

CBD isolate is the purest form of CBD and can come in a ‘crystal’ like form. It’s for people who don’t want anything else but CBD in their product, and it doesn't have any THC. CBD distillate is where you get the benefits of the whole plant including cannabinoids, terpenes, vitamins and fatty acids with zero THC.  Terpenes are organic compounds that create the aroma and flavour you find in different plants, and there are hundreds in Cannabis plants. They also have lots of wellness benefits on their own.

Full Vs Broad Spectrum

Full-spectrum gives you the whole experience. It contains cannabinoids, terpenes, and other compounds, in addition to CBD and only 0.2% THC. Broad-spectrum has the same outstanding elements of the plant that full-spectrum has, but the THC has been completely removed. 

Researchers have found that CBD distillate, broad-spectrum and full spectrum tend to work to give people more benefits because of something called the entourage effect.

A study in the British Journal of Pharmacology found that the entourage effect occurs when terpenes and cannabinoids from the plant working together are beneficial for a lot of issues including pain, anxiety and inflammation.

At Amphora, we use CBD distillate and broad-spectrum products with terpenes so that you can get all of the great benefits of the entourage effect.

Everybody is different, and so are people's lifestyles. That’s why it’s most important to find a way to take CBD that works best for you. It’s all about your individual experience and how you want to enjoy the benefits of CBD.

Written by  |  Infused Amphora Team 

The Infused Amphora Team is dedicated to creating resources to educate and engage consumers on the growing evidence of CBD benefits and the extensive health and wellness properties of CBD Oil. 

Contributor  | Angus Taylor CEO

Infused Amphora “Learn” is intended for informational purposes only and is NOT a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.