EN
FR
DE
IT
ES
Some only talk about it - others take it regularly: We are talking about CBD oil - often touted as an anti-inflammatory, pain reliever and relaxing agent, it developed a real hype. But what about pain, relaxation and the duration of the effect? In this post you will find out everything about CBD oil and what you have to consider when buying.
CBD oil is currently on everyone's lips among performers and biohackers. Those who do not know the oil often associate it directly with an intoxicating effect. After all, CBD oil contains a cannabinoid (cannabidiol) obtained from the hemp plant. Contrary to popular belief, cannabidiol (CBD) has nothing to do with the intoxicating effects of the most famous cannabinoid called THC. CBD is neither intoxicating, nor are euphoric feelings of happiness caused by taking CBD oil.
Cannabinoids: CBD and its effects
Unfortunately, the cannabidiol contained in CBD oil is repeatedly associated with the ingredient THC contained in the cannabis plant. CBD and THC are two different mechanisms of action with different effects and properties. We'll show you why.
THC is the tetrahydrocannabinol contained in the hemp plant (Cannabis sativa, Cannabis indica or other types of cannabis), which has been studied for many years due to its psychoactive properties. The most obvious property of THC is its depressant and intoxicating effects. The cannabinoid it contains can induce a feeling of well-being and euphoria.
But did you know that THC is not the only active ingredient, that the hemp plant consists of over 60 different cannabinoids? So far, scientists have only dealt with THC - now CBD, a cannabinoid of the hemp plant synthesized by Raphael Mechoulam, is increasingly becoming the focus.
Both THC and CBD are now among the best-known cannabinoids in the hemp plant, but CBD is neither psychoactive nor intoxicating. The CBD oil available in Germany may contain traces of THC, but these are negligible with a maximum proportion of 0,2 percent, so that the oil is also legally available in stores in this country. CBD is usually offered as a capsule, liquid for e-cigarettes or in conjunction with hemp oil.
What is hemp oil? Just a lifestyle product?
Hemp oil is not a special oil, but a generic term for oils made from hemp or hemp extract. Usually, hemp oil is a particularly high-quality vegetable oil that is created by pressing hemp seeds.
These oils are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins and minerals. Because of these properties, hemp oil is often used as the basis for CBD oil.
What is the endocannabinoid system?
CBD products are currently on the rise. Not because they have an intoxicating effect, but because they can support the optimization of the body. But how does this effect come about?
The way CBD works is not easy to understand and has not yet been fully researched, but the so-called endocannabinoid system can contribute to a better understanding.
Roughly speaking, the endocannabinoid system is part of the nervous system. It consists largely of the C1 and C2 receptors. There are also other receptors such as GPR18, GPR119 and GPR55.
CB1 receptors are mainly found in nerve cells, for example your brain, where they trigger the release of various neurotransmitters (for example serotonin and dopamine) regulate. Furthermore, CB1 receptors can be found in the intestinal and nerve cells.
In contrast to the CB1 receptors, CB2 receptors are found in the cells that your strengthen your immune system and are responsible for building and breaking down bones.
In general terms, the endocannabinoid system can influence the following body functions:
- Motor skills
- Thinking skills
- emotional behavior
- Sensation of pain
- Cardiovascular system
- eating
- Immune system / health
By and large, the endocannabinoid system works on the key-lock principle. Signal molecules attach to the receptors and thus stimulate an action of the endocannabinoid system.
Recent study results suggest that the CB1 receptor may help erase negative memories. The study by the Max Planck Institute for Psychiatry, which was carried out with knockout mice without CB1 receptors, had shown that it was much more difficult for the animals to forget negative experiences.1 As a result, endocannabinoids may play an important role in treating anxiety disorders.
Another study found that the endocannabinoid system can affect the digestive system.2 Whether the endocannabinoid system can also contribute to the treatment of certain types of cancer has not yet been adequately researched due to the complexity of the signaling pathways, but future research results could serve as a possible treatment approach if the results are satisfactory.3, 4
What role does CBD play in the endocannabinoid system?
In the previous section you learned what effect signal molecules have on the endocannabinoid system, for example by docking to the respective CB1 or CB2 receptor and thus setting further processes in motion.
It is believed that CBD is comparable to a signaling molecule that, due to its chemical structure, can bind to a CB1 or CB2 receptor. However, CBD is also an inverse agonist, which means that it binds to the receptors and blocks the activity of the receptors. How exactly does CBD do this is a question that needs further research.
CBD oil effect: what medicinal properties are there?
As for the effects of CBD oil, research is still in its infancy. For many years, scientists focused on the effects and side effects of THC. However, current research results that can confirm the effectiveness of CBD oil are still pending, which is why we cannot make any specific statements about CBD oil at the moment.
One thing is certain, however: Since cannabidiol has moved more and more into the spotlight and researchers have been dealing with the second most important ingredient in the hemp plant, CBD oil has also become more and more important.
The effect of CBD means that it is examined for possible effects in the context of every body function in which the endocannabinoid system is involved.
In June 2018, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the drug Epidiolex. It is a THC and cannabidiol solution that is intended to be used to treat two rare forms of childhood epilepsy (Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and Dravet syndrome).5
What uses are there for CBD oil?
Even if clinical studies on the effectiveness are still pending and the effect of cannabidiol has not yet been fully clarified, CBD oil has already found many users in Germany.
Many different properties are ascribed to CBD oil, which is why performers and biohackers use the product both in everyday life and in sports. Many people consume CBD oil to see if it has any effects on sleep or regeneration (after training). In addition, the endocannabinoid system can have a calming effect on our nervous system, so that stress reduction, relaxation and a subjective well-being would be possible with the activation of the CB1 and CB2 receptors.
Nevertheless, many users report that they use the CBD oil for the treatment of specific diseases because of positive experiences.6
What influence can CBD oil have on your performance?
If studies confirm that CBD oil can have an anxiolytic, calming and pain relieving effect, athletes could particularly benefit from the product. So far, however, there has been a lack of studies, which is why one could only fall back on the opinions of users who speak of a positive effect of the CBD oil based on their subjective feelings and experiences.
Many athletes know that the nervous system is very important in sports and that it is highly stressed during long and intense training sessions. That is why they are looking for ways to keep increasing their efficiency and performance. Since we know in which body functions the endocannabinoid system is involved, it stands to reason that many are looking for ways to exert an influence on this system.
Relaxation, subjective well-being and healthy sleep are not only essential for athletes in order to be able to regenerate better. Because: Only a well-rested body is also able to achieve maximum mental and physical performance.
For competitive athletes, CBD oil would be interesting in the context of inhibiting inflammation, muscle pain and fears (for example before a competition), which is why future studies will have to clarify whether and how CBD could achieve significant effects in these areas.
What do users say about CBD oil?
Even if many final studies are still pending, of course many interested parties - and maybe you too - want to know whether CBD oil works or not and what benefits they can get from taking it.
That is why a survey asked over 1.300 users what they can say about the oil. Most of the respondents used the CBD oil without medical supervision either to relieve pain or to (concomitantly) treat depression or anxiety.7
It is interesting that more than a third were very satisfied with the effects of CBD oil, while a little less than a third considered the oil to be good. 30 percent of the users said in the survey that they took the CBD oil concomitantly and thus could reduce the dose of their medication and felt a little more relief. Only four percent of those questioned said that the oil had done nothing for them.
What side effects can CBD oil cause?
As with the previously mentioned possible effects of CBD oil, possible side effects are based on experience reports and studies. Nonetheless, side effects associated with CBD oil are said to be very rare.89
Experience has shown that they should rather be limited to general symptoms. When taking CBD oil, a decreased appetite, diarrhea or fatigue occur. However, it is believed that these side effects could be caused by contamination (for example, by incorrect extraction).
However, if you are taking medication, you should be a little more careful with the consumption of CBD oil. Even if there are no specific studies on this yet, there may be interactions.10
We also advise pregnant women against taking CBD oil because it is assumed that CBD oil could impair the function of the placenta and thus the nutrient supply of the unborn baby.
Nevertheless, pure CBD products are generally classified as safe and well tolerated both by the World Health Organization (WHO) and in previous studies.11, 12, 13
What should you look out for when buying CBD oil?
If you want to find out whether and to what extent CBD oil can optimize your mental and physical performance and improve your regeneration, you should buy a high-quality CBD oil. However, before you decide to buy CBD oil, you should consider a few things. It is not only the quality that is decisive - the production and the TCH content can also provide information about whether a CBD oil is of high quality or not.
The most important aspect that is decisive when choosing a high quality CBD oil is without a doubt this Quality. There are now numerous CBD products on the market that differ in terms of purity and safety statements. A good CBD oil should be as free of residues as possible and therefore contain no heavy metals or pesticides.
Another important factor that plays a huge role when buying CBD oil is that THC content. This should definitely be on the packaging and be less than 0,2 percent. A higher content of THC is prohibited in Germany and could lead to a positive drug test above a certain dose.
Not to forget the The Brand of CBD oil. If you want to buy a particularly high-quality CBD oil, the product should be obtained by means of CO2 extraction. This is a particularly gentle process that prevents the CBD oil from oxidizing so that the valuable ingredients are retained. In addition, this process is intended to ensure that no harmful residues can get into the end product.
Production of CBD oil: how exactly does CO2 extraction work?
The production of CBD oil by means of CO2 extraction is not only a particularly gentle and safe process - it is also environmentally friendly. There are basically two options: the supercritical and the subcritical procedure. Both methods describe the respective state of the carbon dioxide. Supercritical means that the hemp leaves are exposed to a high pressure, while the pressure is lower in the subcritical process.
When extracting the CBD oil, both methods are used to extract the cannabinoids from the leaves and flowers of the hemp plant and to make the production as gentle as possible.
In order to obtain a CBD oil with a very low THC content, hemp plants, which naturally contain very little THC, are used for production.
Some manufacturers produce the CBD oil by means of extraction with alcohol, but this method is less gentle and therefore rather unsuitable. CBD products obtained by means of hexane and butane extraction are also not recommended because these manufacturing methods could leave toxic residues in the CBD oil.
For this reason, when buying CBD oil, you should rather use a product that has been obtained by means of CO2 extraction.
How can you best take the CBD oil?
How you take the CBD oil is up to you. However, you should know that each application has a different bioavailability - this means that your body can either use the CBD oil particularly well or not so well.14, 15
The sublingual intake of CBD oil has proven to be particularly good and easy to dose. Sublingual means that you simply drip the CBD oil under your tongue onto the mucous membrane with a pipette and let it work for a few seconds. To be on the safe side, you should not drink or consume food for the next 10 to 15 minutes so that the oral mucosa can absorb the CBD oil. Smoking from a CBD liquid can also be easily absorbed by the body, for example. However, the handling and dosage are a bit more complicated than with the sublingual variant.
Another tip: Instead of taking the entire daily dose at once, it is advisable to take the CBD oil several times a day, with the last intake taking place in the evening.
How should I dose the CBD oil?
In clinical studies, the dose of CBD oil was between 100 and 300 milligrams, but it was used to treat acute illnesses. This dosage is therefore not recommended for normal consumers.16
In order to have a positive effect with CBD oil, small doses can be completely sufficient. Just find out for yourself which dosage is best for you. Perhaps you could start with a small dose and then slowly increase over several days until you are satisfied with the result.
But be careful: To avoid side effects, you should not exceed the maximum recommended amount for CBD oil. It is 50 milligrams of CBD oil per day.
How fast can CBD oil work?
As already said, sublingual ingestion is one of the best methods that should also work the fastest (within a few minutes). Of course, the effect of the CBD oil depends on the exposure time. Therefore, you should leave it on the lining of your mouth for a few seconds before swallowing it. If you don't eat anything for the next 10 to 15 minutes, the CBD oil can be completely absorbed by the oral mucosa.
Our tip: If you don't like the taste of CBD oil at all, you can also drizzle it into a glass of water, which you then drink in sips.
How long can the effects of CBD oil last?
CBD oil can have different effects on everyone. Ultimately, the effect of CBD oil depends on the type of ingestion, the duration of intake and the dosage. For some people, just a few drops can be enough to have a significant effect that lasts a little longer.
In contrast, it can also happen that you do not feel the effects of CBD oil. This can be the case, for example, if you don't leave the oil on for that long.
Although it can be assumed that you can extend the effect of CBD oil a bit with a higher dose, you must not increase the dosage immeasurably. Remember: You shouldn't exceed the maximum amount of 50 milligrams of CBD oil per day if possible.
Summary
The fact is: Everyone is different, which is why the effects of CBD oil can also be different. Even if the effectiveness of CBD oil has not yet been sufficiently proven, studies and experience reports suggest that CBD oil has positive properties. Further research and information about CBD is very important here. Because CBD is unfortunately still (wrongly as we find) stigmatized because of its extraction from the cannabis plant.
1: https://www.nature.com/articles/nature00839
2: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3660623/
3: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3366283/
4: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3579246/
5: https: //www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm611046.htm
6: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6043845/
7: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6043845/
8: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28861514
9: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22129319
10: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25346628
11: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28861514
12: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22129319
13: http://www.who.int/medicines/access/controlled-substances/ecdd_40_meeting/en/
14: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6223703/
15: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2689518/
16: https://www.who.int/medicines/access/controlled-substances/CannabidiolCriticalReview.pdf