If you’ve never tried CBD before, you might not know exactly what to expect. You might even feel intimidated by it, due to its association to marijuana which is still illegal. However, the reality is that CBD, short for cannabidiol, is a totally unique compound that is absolutely worth giving a try, as it has a vast array of properties that can be highly useful to you.
Many people ask us, “What is CBD like?” That “CBD feeling” that people describe is generally subtle, but it’s different for everyone. We’ll be talking about what CBD feels like, and what you can expect when taking it, while also covering how different products and formulations can determine the ultimate effects that could be experienced.
Can You Feel CBD?
Answering this question is unfortunately tricky, because everyone’s experience with hemp is different, and we wouldn’t dream of trying to speak for everyone. First, it’s important to point out one fact that some people still aren’t clear on, which is that cannabidiol cannot get you high, nor can the hemp plant in general. This is because while it does contain THC, the amount that naturally occurs is present in only a trace amount of the plant, and therefore does not produce any psychoactive effects. Generally speaking, however, many people do report feeling the effects of CBD in action.
How Does CBD Make You Feel?
CBD is known for its various effects, but can you actually feel the effects of CBD? Well, it depends, as we will be getting into shortly. First, however, let’s explain the effects of CBD that most people report experiencing.
To appreciate these effects, you must understand how cannabinoids like CBD work in the body. They are a unique class of compounds unique to the cannabis genus, that both hemp and marijuana belong to. Also, they operate in a totally fascinating way.
Cannabinoids are fed to the body’s endocannabinoid system, which acts as a means for maintaining homeostasis by balancing the functions of each system of the body to support general wellbeing. The body produces cannabinoids itself, and so we are designed to utilize them in a positive way.
When we consume CBD and other cannabinoids, they bind to cannabinoid receptors which are found in every region of the body. Each receptor is tasked with regulating a process of the body that dictates how we feel and our overall health, whether it be in the brain, the digestive tract, the nervous system, the immune system or even the skin. When cannabinoid receptors receive cannabinoids, functions of the body can operate in a more balanced manner.
This is why CBD is associated with so many unique effects. The most notable and well-studied ones are:
- Stress relief, which come from the regulatory effects of cannabidiol on neurotransmitters.
- Energy balance, which happens as a result of the balancing of hormones in the brain
- Pain relief: which results from the inflammation-balancing nature of cannabinoids along with their potential ability to regulate our pain threshold.
Given these pretty astounding properties, surely you can “feel” CBD at work, right? Well, it’s a bit more complicated than that. CBD is gentle, not behaving like a drug that suddenly activates in a way that’s noticeable. Many people compare it to how you feel after you take an aspirin. You don’t feel the effects of the aspirin kick in, but you do notice that the pain you were feeling has improved.
Because CBD doesn’t get you high, you likely won’t notice the moment it takes effect. But, you’ll find that it’s doing its job in a much more subtle way, as you may notice a sense of calm take over, or improved mental clarity, or better energy levels, or enhanced sleep, or any of the other properties that cannabidiol is capable of.
How You Feel Depends on the Product You Buy
Now that you know the basic effects of cannabidiol, let’s talk about how they can be felt based on how you take the compound. The hemp market consists of all kinds of different products, with each one delivering CBD into the body in its own unique way.
Milligram Strength
The milligram strength refers to how many milligrams of pure hemp are in the formula. This, therefore, tells you how potent each dose of a particular product will be. Naturally, higher milligram strengths will be stronger, and therefore produce more noticeable effects. While high strengths still won’t get you high, they may offer more pronounced feelings of relief and calmness.
This means that if “feeling” CBD is what you’re going for, a higher strength can give you more desirable results. But it’s always good to start off with a lower amount at first to see how CBD affects you.
Delivery Method
The delivery method refers to the form that CBD comes in, whether it be a tincture, vape or some other type of formula. Each delivery method absorbs into the body differently, thus producing different effects.
- Vapes: Vaping goods act within minutes and offer the strongest but most short-lived effects, regardless of whether you go with a vape oil, a disposable device or a cartridge.
- Tinctures: Absorb under the tongue, which allows them to take effect within 15 to 45 minutes, and last for about 4 or so hours. The effects are a bit less potent than vapes.
- Edibles and Capsules: Both are ingested orally, which produces the most subtle effects because of how slowly they absorb into the body. Because they must work through the digestive tract, it can take an hour or two before the effects are felt. They do, however, offer effects for up to 7 or 8 hours.
- Topicals: Different from other delivery methods because they absorb through the skin and stay localized to the area that you applied the product. Therefore, you’ll only feel effects at the area of application. They absorb within minutes and can stay effective for 5 or 6 hours, generally speaking.
Compounds of the Hemp Plant
Hemp products come in three different varieties according to the type of hemp extract they contain. Each one can affect you differently.
- Full Spectrum: Contains the complete variety of compounds in hemp as they occur in the buds of the plant material. This includes CBD and other cannabinoids, plus terpenes and nutrients. This may produce stronger effects because of the entourage effect, which means that through synergy, the presence of each compound boosts the absorbency of the others. It also means the way you feel can come from other compounds besides just CBD.
- Broad Spectrum: Broad spectrum hemp contains every compound in hemp except for THC. It won’t produce the entourage effect, but it will give you the unique effects of different compounds in the hemp plant.
- CBD Isolate: CBD isolate is pure cannabidiol, which will only give you the effects of cannabidiol.
Dosage Amount/Level
The dosage amount makes a difference, as one would have guessed. Taking a higher dosage will give you stronger effects. Always start with the recommended dosage to adjust to the effects of cannabidiol.
Your Body
At the end of the day, everybody’s body is different and therefore processes cannabinoids differently. One person may feel CBD in a way that is totally different from your personal experience.
Final Thoughts
CBD is a unique compound that feels different from other plant-based products you may have tried. What’s important to know is that cannabidiol is gentle on the body and doesn’t make you feel high, and overall, the effects of it are reported as very positive. How you take your cannabidiol ultimately determines how you feel, so make sure that you experiment with different delivery methods, strengths, and chemical compositions until you find the one that best suits your particular goals.
