How is CBD oil used?

Each way to use it has its beneficial effects. More and more people are consuming CBD and this panorama has been widening. In addition to the simplest and most common use of the flower, to the most diverse options, such as oils, cosmetics, food products, vaporization or drinks. Each of these, for each individual has its own benefits, but more and more people are turning to oils due to their ease of use and convenience.

What is CBD oil?

CBD oil is a concentrate that comes from extracting the cannabinoid Cannabidiol, CBD, with the help of a dissolving substance, such as another natural oil. Currently, high technology methods are used to carry out this extraction and the Cannabinoids are extracted and added to solvents such as MCT oil, among others.

The difference between this extraction method, "chemical extraction" and the "mechanical extraction" method, is that the former uses a chemical solvent to extract the Cannabinoids. Along with the Cannabinoids, chemical extraction also extracts other benefits such as terpenes and flavonoids and other less desirable compounds, such as chlorophyll and waxes, which can affect the appearance and taste of the final product.

There are several other solvents that are normally used in the Cannabinoid extraction process, such as ethane, butane and CO2 (which has been the most sought after because it does not release toxic residues in the final concentrate).

How does CBD oil work?

CBD oil is typically ingested by most people sublingually, where it is absorbed through the mucous membrane under the tongue and inside the cheeks.

Thus, bioavailability (the amount of Cannabinoids that are actually available to the body after absorption) is higher than that of edibles, although not as high as other methods of ingestion such as smoking and vaping. Sublingual delivery usually takes 15 to 30 minutes to take effect and lasts between 4 and 6 hours.

The oils are also, by users, ingested with food or in capsules, and can be added to food or drinks. There are those who use it for muscle and sexual massages. There are those who apply it to the skin.

Presystemic metabolism happens when oil passes through the stomach and eventually into the liver.

When Cannabinoids pass through the liver, they undergo changes that affect how the body uses them and the effect they will have. This is why, for example, foods containing THC are reputed to be more potent and psychedelic than other forms of consumption. Not only that, but a significant amount is either destroyed by stomach acid or destroyed entirely by digestive enzymes and not used by the body.

This is also why the onset of action is much longer, somewhere between 30 and 90 minutes, depending on what you ate that day and your metabolism. The effects also last longer, an average of six to eight hours. However, due to “pre-systemic metabolism” caused by breakdown in the liver, the bioavailability of anything you ingest is generally lower. Depending on each person's metabolism, absorption can be more or less slow and more or less inconsistent.

What is the recommended amount of oil to take?

The right dose to take varies from person to person and should not follow a pattern, the dosage will depend on several factors, including why you are taking it, your physiology, sensitivity and the endocannabinoid system

If you are taking CBD oil, possibly the oil will come in a bottle with a dropper. It is important to see on the box or bottle the specification of how much CBD is in a drop. From there, you can figure out how many drops you should take to ingest the amount of CBD you want.

One drop is about 0.05 milliliters (ml). This means that a 10 ml bottle contains approximately 200 drops.

You can take the opportunity to consult the tables provided by one of the largest companies in this market to help you understand the right dosage, through the link: https://www.tilray.ca/media/magefan_blog/Tilray_Sample_Dosing_Guidelines_03.pdf .

What most people do is start with lower dosages to get used to having a progressive increase. First of all, you must understand what dosage will allow you to obtain the necessary effect, and adapt accordingly to adapt to the effect of the oil. Remember that more is not always better, it is important to find your “sweet spot”, although studies indicate that most people manage to be consistent in the dose in the long term.