The Ultimate CBD User Guide | Everything you need to know! (FAQ)

You might have heard about CBD lately. But what is it exactly? How do you use it? And how do you pick a CBD oil out of 100’s of brands? These and a lot of other common CBD FAQ get answered in this ‘Ultimate CBD User Guide’.

What is CBD? (“Cannabidiol”)

Let’s start this Ultimate CBD User Guide by looking at the question “what is CBD?”. The hemp-plant contains out of more than 100 compounds (also called “Cannabinoids”). Out of all these compounds, CBD (also known as “Cannabidiol”) is one of the most famous ones. Because CBD is extracted from hemp, a lot of people make the association with weed. However; you don’t have to worry. CBD itself can’t get you high because is isn’t psychoactive (it’s even anti-psychoactive). But we will get more into the effects of CBD products later in this article.

Since CBD has many potential benefits, it is frequently used as a supplement. CBD is considered safe, as it has no dangerous side effects. There are different types of CBD products available, which will be discussed further below. These kinds of products obviously contain high levels of CBD, but (depending on the form) possibly also smaller amounts of other hemp-compounds. The three main forms of CBD products are full spectrum, isolate and broad spectrum. This article explains the differences between them.

The different ways to take CBD

Alright, so now we have a better understanding of what CBD is. Let’s continue this Ultimate CBD User Guide by looking at the different ways to take CBD.

CBD oil tinctures (How to take sublingual CBD?)

The most common way to take CBD is by using a tincture. Tinctures contain CBD oil. The best way to consume this CBD oil is by taking it ‘sublingual’. Sublingual means that you have to put the CBD drops under your tongue, so it will absorb through there. Make sure to keep the CBD oil under your tongue for at least 2 minutes. A bonus tip is to swirl the oil around in your mouth after these minutes before swallowing it. Don’t swallow the CBD oil right away without letting it sit under your tongue for a few minutes, because your body only absorbs very little CBD this way. Absorbing the CBD oil sublingual will be way more effective. We described the best CBD oil in our experience in this review.

Vaping CBD (The different ways)

The second most common way to use CBD is by vaping it. There are different ways to vape CBD, such as CBD cartridges, CBD pods (with a JUUL battery), CBD flower, disposable pens and rechargeable vape devices (by using CBD vape juice). Our CBD Vape Guide explains everything you need to know about vaping CBD, and this review describes the best CBD vape brand in our opinion.

Other ways to take CBD

Besides these two most common methods, there are several other ways to take CBD:
● Edibles; such as CBD gummies.
● Swallowing; CBD capsules.
● Drinking; like CBD tea and water.
● Smoking CBD flower.
● CBD concentrates; such as wax, distillate and shatter.
● Topicals for your skin; like CBD salve, cream and lotion.

Each way of taking CBD has its own pros and cons. For example, edibles and drinks may be a very convenient and tasty way to use CBD. However; keep in mind that CBD edibles and drinks are less effective and more expensive than tincture drops and vaping.
As tinctures, vaping and edibles are the three most common ways of taking CBD, we decided to compare the pros and cons of all three methods. This comparison can help you to decide which method suits you best.

CBD FAQ

Below we will continue the Ultimate CBD User Guide by answering the most frequently asked CBD questions (FAQ).

How much CBD should I use?

A very frequently asked question is how much CBD you should use. There isn’t one universal answer to this question since everyone reacts differently to CBD. The dosage also depends on the reason for use. For some conditions a low to medium dosage is required, and others need a higher dosage. To find your personal CBD dosage you should check out our Dosage Guide.

Can you take too much CBD? (Overdose + side effects)

Even though a low dosage may work better for some conditions than a high one, it’s very difficult to take “too much” CBD or overdose on it. Obviously you should not take a full tincture bottle at once, but as long as you don’t take extreme doses you will be fine (as suggested by research). Using a little bit “too much” will most likely only cause the CBD to work less effectively for your condition, but there will be no dangerous side effects. You can potentially experience some small side-effects when using a lot of CBD, but no major side-effects. This also means that you can use CBD every day and that you don’t have to stop using it after a certain period of time.

Can you build a tolerance to CBD? (Reverse tolerance)

Another often asked question is “can you build a tolerance to CBD?”. For a lot of substances (such as THC) you can build a tolerance after using it for a long period of time. However, research suggests that you likely won’t build a tolerance to CBD. Some studies even suggest that CBD can have the opposite effect; a reverse tolerance. This basically means that you need less CBD over time instead of more, so it should work better when it’s build up in your system.

How long does it take to feel the effects of CBD?

Because CBD is absorbed differently for each method, the time it takes to feel the effects of CBD also differs. When taking CBD oil sublingual, it takes about 20 to 40 minutes before you start feeling the effects. For vaping it’s way quicker; within a few minutes. And for edibles it’s slower: about an hour.

How long do CBD effects last?

How long the effects of CBD last also depends on the way of use, since each method has different absorption rates. For sublingual CBD drops, the effects last 4 to 6 hours on average. For vaping the effect duration is shorter: 2 to 3 hours. CBD edibles last the longest: about 6 hours. But keep in mind that CBD in edibles is absorbed less effectively, so more mg is required for the same effects.

How long does it take CBD to leave your system?

Above we described how long the direct effects of CBD last. But how long does it take CBD to leave your system completely? The time CBD stays detectable in your body depends on several factors, so it’s hard to give a specific time. Factors that play a role are for example how your body processes CBD, how often plus how much CBD is used and again the consumption method as mention earlier. So, let’s take a look at the science behind it:

● The half-life of CBD is around 1 to 2 days. This is the time it takes your body to break down half of the amount of CBD. Therefore it would take 3 to 6 days until the CBD completely left your system (because when half of the amount is left, it takes the same time until the half of that leaves again, and so on).

● There are several studies and experts that researched this topic. Those confirm that CBD takes between 2 to max 7 days to leave your system completely. CBD will not stay in your system for more than 7 days, so in any situation, CBD will be out of your body completely a week after taking it for sure.
So; you can assume that if you only used a little bit of CBD it will most likely be out of your system in 2 to 3 days, and if you used a lot it will more likely take about 4 to 7 days.

Will I fail a test if I take CBD?

One of the most common CBD questions we came across is; “will I fail a test if I take CBD?” Well, this depends on which form of CBD you’re using. Full spectrum CBD contains very small amounts of THC. Since tests usually look for THC and can pick up very small amounts already, there is a possibility that full spectrum CBD makes you test positive. Luckily there are alternative CBD forms that won’t make you fail a test, as they contain 0% THC: Isolate CBD and broad spectrum CBD. This article describes the differences between them more detailed. So, will you fail a test if you take CBD?: It all depends on which form you use.

How does CBD feel (Does it get you high)?

CBD itself isn’t psychoactive. This means that isolate and broad spectrum CBD products won’t get you high. However; since full spectrum CBD contains trace amounts of THC as described above (the cannabis-compound that provides a “high” effect), you must be wondering if these kinds of CBD products can get you high. The amount of THC in legal full spectrum CBD products is below 0.3%. This is by far not enough to get you high in the same way marijuana does.

However; if you’re very sensitive to THC and use a lot of the full spectrum product, it might be possible that you experience a slight ‘buzz’. If this is the case, it’s usually only the first few times of using full spectrum CBD products. After this, you will get used to the THC and don’t really feel it anymore. If you’re afraid of getting this ‘buzz’ feeling, we recommend to start very low, or to start with isolate/broad-spectrum CBD products. If you’re not afraid of this ‘buzz’ feeling or don’t experience it, we recommend sticking to full spectrum CBD as it provides stronger potential effects.

How long does CBD oil last before it goes bad?

Just like any other product, CBD oil can expire. However, the good news is that CBD oil lasts very long before it goes bad. Depending on the carrier oil, high-quality CBD oil should last at least 1 year up to even 2 years. So if you use CBD oil regularly there’s a very high chance that you already finished the tincture bottle before it goes bad. If you use CBD oil very occasionally you should buy the smallest CBD tincture available. To be sure you should keep an eye on the expiration date on the product.

To keep your CBD oil fresh as long as possible, it’s important to store it correctly. Do this by keeping it in a cool, dry and dark place like a pantry. Keep it away from the sun and places that are very cold, warm or humid. You should also keep CBD oil in the original bottle, since these bottles are designed to protect the oil. When you store CBD oil like we just described, it will last long before it goes bad while retaining its potency as much as possible.

When your CBD oil still expires nevertheless, you can recognize it by a change in taste, smell, texture or color. A very clear sign of expired CBD oil is when it looks “cloudy”. When your CBD oil expires it will become less potent, so it will work less effectively. Although we do recommend to throw CBD oil away when it’s expired, it most likely shouldn’t be dangerous if you still consume it.

The difference between CBD oil & hemp seed oil

Let’s wrap this Ultimate CBD User Guide up by a final common question; “What is the difference between CBD oil and hemp seed oil?” Some people may think that CBD oil and hemp seed oil are the same, but they are definitely not. The difference is that hemp seed oil is a carrier oil, just like coconut oil or olive oil. It contains no significant amount of Cannabinoids like CBD, so it also doesn’t have the same potential benefits that CBD oil has. Note: Some brands try to make their hemp seed oil look like CBD oil, don’t fall for this marketing trick.

Other CBD questions?

If you still got any questions after reading this ‘Ultimate CBD User Guide’, we highly recommend checking the other CBD articles on our website or leave a comment below so we can help you.