How Long Does it Take For CBD to Work?

If you’re new to taking CBD, then it might be unclear what to expect when trying it for the first time. Many people are unsure how they should feel while taking CBD, how long it takes to notice the benefits of CBD, and how long CBD’s effects will last. We’re here to clear up the ambiguity behind these questions, so you can get a better idea of what to expect.

Before trying CBD, it is important to manage your expectations from the beginning. First, keep in mind that no two people will have the same experience with CBD, so it’s difficult to speak in “one-size-fits-all” terms. It’s important to remember that what you read or hear may not align with your own CBD experience. In fact, it probably won’t! More on that below. Secondly, it should be noted that CBD is not meant to be an instant cure-all (though you may have heard differently from elsewhere). CBD’s most powerful benefits have to do with its longterm balancing effects on your endocannabinoid system.

How Long Does it Take for CBD to Work?

It depends! Many factors will contribute to how your body processes CBD, including your weight, height, body fat percentage, genetics, biological sex, metabolism, diet, and health status. It also depends on which type of product was taken. Was it an oral tincture? A soft gel or capsule? A topical cream? Each delivery method has a differing bioavailability (the rate at which it reaches your bloodstream and the amount that can be readily used by the body), and the onset of CBD’s initial effects can occur at different intervals depending on which type of product you’ve taken.

With all of the above variables in mind that make each person’s experience with CBD unique, a generality can be made about when CBD enters the bloodstream based on the type of product consumed:

Soft Gels: The CBD contained within soft gels or capsules will generally enter the bloodstream within 1 to 2 hours of consumption after first passing through the digestive system, and then the liver.

Ingestible Tinctures: CBD tinctures, when held underneath the tongue and absorbed by the sublingual gland before swallowing, will enter the bloodstream much quicker than a capsule. This method bypasses the digestive system and liver and enters the bloodstream directly via the sublingual gland within minutes. The initial onset of effects could occur anywhere between 10 minutes to an hour.

Topicals: Topical CBD is applied directly onto the skin in the form of a lotion or salve and is absorbed through the pores, where it then interacts with localized cannabinoid receptors. Due to the skin/ blood barrier, topical CBD does not enter the bloodstream. This method is ideal for targeting specific areas in need of fast relief because the CBD begins to interact with receptors within the skin instantly.

How Will I Feel Taking CBD?

In the same way that everybody will process CBD at different rates and to varying degrees, the effects of CBD vary from person to person. The truth of the matter is that some people may be able to identify exactly when CBD takes effect, while others may have a much more subtle experience. If you don’t feel anything right away, that is a perfectly normal experience! CBD is not meant to address acute symptoms. The full health benefits of CBD occur after it accumulates in the body over a sustained period. Many will not detect the full balancing effects of CBD until about a month of taking it daily. Consistency is key to allow the CBD to build up within your system.

Alternatively, the effects of topical CBD are meant to be felt immediately after applying the topical cream to the skin. Since the CBD will not pass through the bloodstream or into the brain, the effects of topical CBD will be localized to the specific area of application, and will not produce full-body effects. For CBD’s full range of benefits, a combination of an ingestible CBD and a topical CBD is suggested for acute care, along with longterm ECS balancing.

Consistent support to your endocannabinoid system with the use of daily CBD promotes a state of homeostasis, an optimal state of internal balance. Since the ECS is responsible for regulating and balancing the body’s everyday processes, when you are in homeostasis, your body may feel as if it is functioning more smoothly. All of the internal processes that the ECS regulates, such as sleep cycles, cognition, digestion, pain perception, etc. may feel more balanced and supported. It is difficult to pinpoint what longterm CBD support “feels” like, but the closest word to describe it would be “balanced,” along with an overall feeling of well-being. 

How Long Does CBD’s Effects Last?

Since CBD’s most significant benefits have to do with longterm balancing of the ECS, the effects of CBD are sustained as long as it is taken daily. CBD gets stored within the fatty tissues of the body, which allows it to accumulate over time. If you stop taking CBD, then the amounts stored within the body’s fat cells will deplete after a few weeks. Again, the duration of CBD’s effects and how quickly it leaves the body also varies from person to person depending on body weight, individual body chemistry, frequency of use, and the amount taken, among other contributing factors.

Not Feeling the Desired Effects?

If you’re new to CBD and not experiencing the desired effects after a monthlong trial period, you may not be on the correct dose. Everybody’s dosage amount will be unique to them, and you may need to adjust the amount of CBD consumed. Since there is no recommended standard dose, trial and error is usually the best way to figure out your ideal CBD dose. You can try increasing the amount, frequency, or by trying a different strength product.

HempLand® USA offers customizable options for wherever you are in your CBD journey. All CANNABITOL® CBD Hemp Oil Tinctures come in three different strength options, ranging from Introductory Strength to Advanced Strength. It’s usually best to start on the lowest dose and then gradually move up depending on if you’ve achieved your desired effect.

Remember— patience is key, and the more realistic expectations you have at the onset, will likely yield a more favorable result. CBD is not magic— it needs time to work its balancing act, so stick with it!

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