Before I started taking CBD regularly, I had a lot of questions. My first, and perhaps the most obvious, was: will CBD me high? (More on that below.)
I also wondered whether CBD would help me sleep (it has) and whether it would relieve with the stress and anxiety I often experience as a result of work (it has done this too). You can read more about my very real, very honest experience with CBD here.
If you find yourself wondering a lot of the same things that I did, it’s understandable. There’s a lot of confusion and misinformation around CBD products: how they work, which companies are “legit” and which aren’t, etc.
I tried many, many brands before I found one that really worked for me (Equilibria) and that’s something I’ve heard from a lot of other people too.
I ordered my first subscription box in Dec 2019 after being “influenced” by another “influencer”—and I’ve been using it pretty consistently ever since.
If you’re just here for the promo code, here it is: LINDSAYSILBERMAN for 15% off Equilibria.
I’ve had a lot of really interesting, educational conversations with the team at Equilibria over the past year, and I personally think their knowledge and expertise is unmatched.
When I placed my first order, I was set up with a dosage consultant (Maia Reed) who helped me figure out what the right product dosage was for me.
(FYI anyone who signs up for a subscription can set up a free 1-on-1 dosage appointment.)
Maia has a background in plant-based medicine and has been a cannabis educator for the last fifteen years. She is currently Equilibria’s Dosage Specialist—and quite frankly, she knows her shit.
I wanted to have her answer some of your most frequently asked questions about CBD…and boy did she deliver.
Below, you’ll answers to things like: is it possible to overdose on CBD? Can CBD really help me sleep? Does CBD show up on a drug test? …and so much more.
1. I don’t sleep / can’t get tired. Can CBD help me sleep?
Whenever we’re thinking about whether CBD can help with a specific issue, it’s important to get a better sense for how it works in the body more broadly:
CBD works by supporting a system in our body called the Endocannabinoid System (or the ECS for short). The job of that system is to help maintain balance or homeostasis in the body.
So if you imagine your body as an orchestra, and each system in your body, including mood, sleep, hormones, immune system, etc. is a different instrument, the ECS acts as the conductor keeping all those systems playing in harmony with each other.
Stress, chronic illness, and a whole host of other issues can cause this system to stop working as well.
When we use CBD, it’s simply supporting our body’s conductor, helping our systems find balance again. That, in turn, can result in reduced inflammation and stress, an improvement in the quality of your rest and mood, and a whole lot more!
Ultimately, it’s not CBD doing these “magical” things, CBD supports the body and it’s the body working properly that results in all those improvements you hear people talk about.
2. As a parent, should I be nervous about taking it during “awake” hours when I should be “on”? Any negative effects?
CBD does not inherently make us sleepy, it assists your own body’s processes as it’s naturally getting sleepy at night and more alert during the daytime.
At night, CBD’s soothing and calming effects may help relax our bodies and minds, restoring restful tendencies so that we can fall into a proper sleep cycle over time.
Conversely, during the day, many people find it can help them focus and feel energized for the day.
That said, there’s a little bit of a hack to this.
Too much CBD can have a sedative effect and too little can have an energizing effect, so sometimes it takes a little experimenting to find your perfect dose.
The good news is that we have a team of Dosage Specialists available to help you dial into the right dosage and routine for you.
3. Do you have to use CBD regularly, or as needed? How consistent do you have to be with the dosage?
While CBD can be used as needed,we encourage you to take your products everyday because CBD works best with consistent use.
In fact, some people need three months before they see the full benefits! Stress hormones, such as Cortisol, deplete our endocannabinoids (chemicals naturally found within our body) responsible for keeping our bodies functioning properly.
CBD mimics our natural endocannabinoids which helps our body combat the damaging effects of Cortisol and stress.
We like to think of taking CBD as a preventative measure not a reactionary one!
4. Is it possible to take too much / OD?
No! With CBD you cannot overdose.
If you have too much you may find yourself getting more sleepy than normal; but according to the World Health Organization it’s generally considered to have a safe profile.
5. CBD dosage: how do you determine the correct dose? (I’m a little person.)
Everyone’s body chemistry is different, so it can take time and experimentation to find the best dose and regimen.
We always encourage starting low and slow and building up to your optimum dose!
When making changes to your dosage we recommend trying something consistently for at least 3-5 days at time before making another change; and whenever possible, try to journal.
We also have a team of dosage consultants to help you dial into the best dose for you!
6. Will CBD show up on a drug test? That’s the only thing stopping me.
While it is uncommon for members to test positive given the very low THC content in our products, it is not impossible. Everyone’s body chemistry is different, so we don’t know for sure how your body will metabolize our products.
Think of it like consuming alcohol. If a beer is 5% ABV/Alcohol By Volume (like how our products contain 0.3% THC or less), the amount you consume determines your BAC/Blood Alcohol Level (or in this case, THC level in bloodstream).
So the more you ingest at a time, the more likely it will be detected on a test.
Worried? Grab an over-the-counter THC test at your local pharmacy to find out for sure.
7. Is CBD safe for breastfeeding or pregnancy? Any studies about this?
Pregnant and breastfeeding women are always the last group to be studied in clinical trials.
There’s very little data around pregnancy and nursing, so it ultimately comes down to personal choice.
Unfortunately, the absence of data leaves us unable to fully answer the question! New CBD studies are published monthly so we are keeping an eye on it.
For many women, it comes down to whether CBD is helping them reduce the amount of pharmaceuticals they’re taking.
Some women decide it’s the lesser of two evils during pregnancy and nursing months, and some women decide to abstain.
8. Do you build a tolerance to CBD when taking it regularly?
No! With CBD, our bodies don’t develop a tolerance to it, and it’s non habit forming.
In fact, in many cases, with continued use, we’re often able to lower the dosage.
9. How safe is it? Do people have bad reactions?
CBD has a safe profile that is generally well tolerated in most people.
The most common side effects reported are drowsiness, nausea or headaches—most people who experience these side effects find that they go away on their own.
10. Will it work if you already smoke weed? How does it compare?
Yes! In fact, CBD and THC are great together. CBD will not get you high on its own, but it also won’t keep you from being high.
In fact, it can take down some of the paranoia people experience when smoking weed.
THC and CBD (as well as the other compounds found in the plant) work together synergistically, so it’s great to use them together.
11. What’s the difference between CBD applied topically vs being ingested? How does it work?
Topical CBD is used for localized discomfort and inflammation, it has a lower bioavailability (the rate at which it’s absorbed into your bloodstream) than an ingested product; but it’s also more targeted relief.
The ingested products work to support our overall system, which has broader applications, so it’s less targeted.
The two types of products are great used in combination with each other!
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