CBD is very popular amongst those looking to reinvigorate their health with as few synthetic products as possible. Given CBD’s background as a natural compound found in cannabis plants, it has found a very willing consumer base. Since the legalization of CBD, it has seen extended use as a nutritional and medicinal supplement for countless people across the globe. However, there is still a great deal of misinformation and misunderstanding about how the compound works. This has led some to avoid CBD until they can get clearer information that can alleviate their concerns.
One of the bigger questions people have about CBD is not about safety but rather efficiency. Specifically, they want to know how long it takes for our bodies to process CBD that has been ingested. Odds are this very question is what has led you here in your search for more information surrounding CBD. With this article, we hope to provide a little clarity on how long it will take you to digest CBD and how long it will take for your body to absorb it and other important details.
How Long Does it Take to Process Ingested CBD?
Cannabidiol (CBD) is one of the chief cannabinoids found in cannabis plants and has some of the best functions found in a supplement. However, it is still bound by the same laws of biology that affect anything we put into our bodies. Essentially, there is no edible product whose positive effects will take hold the second you consume them. CBD capsules are no exception and will require your body to actually go through breaking down the capsule before your body can absorb the CBD and reap the effects it has to offer. As a result, edible CBD is forced to undergo a very intensive bodily process known as the “first pass.”
The “first pass” effect involves the CBD edible going through the digestive tract and being broken down by the liver so the CBD itself can enter the bloodstream. While essential and applicable to everything you eat, this process is a time-consuming one. This means that ingested supplements will need more time to break down entirely. This digestive process will typically take between 1 to 2 hours for CBD supplements. After that period has elapsed, your body will have absorbed 20% to 30% of the CBD.
In short, it will take a minimum of 1 hour for you to digest and absorb a portion of the CBD and enjoy its full range of effects. However, this process will also determine how long the effects of your edible supplement will last. While edible CBD does take at least an hour to start taking effect, they have the added benefit of lasting much longer than any other CBD intake option available. While the amount of time it takes for CBD to take effect will vary based on the amount you ingest, the average period for the effects can range between 2 to 6 hours.
So, while the digestion and absorption of CBD capsules are a bit lengthy, it pays off by ensuring that you enjoy the effects longer. However, we know that this kind of wait can be a little bit of a frustration for those who are constantly on the move and have hectic schedules. So, you might be wondering if there are any tactics you can employ to accelerate the rate of digestion so you can enjoy the effects sooner.
Can You Speed Things Up?
The fact that CBD capsules can take an hour to take hold might disrupt your otherwise fast-paced schedule depending on what is going on in your life. Finding ways to accelerate the breakdown of your capsule of choice is a question that has plagued the minds of countless enthusiasts.
The problem, of course, is that it is not possible to speed up your digestive system at will. The fact is that your metabolism determines the rate at which you break down supplements of any kind. For the most part, your metabolic rate is out of your control. Several factors determine the speed of your metabolism, with only a handful being something you can alter.
The main contributors to your metabolism include:
- Age: The older you are, the slower your metabolism becomes. This means that if you are up there in years, you will take longer to digest the CBD capsules.
- Physical Activity: The more active you are, the more your metabolism speeds up in response to the new stimulation.
- Hormones: If your hormones are out of whack, your metabolism will slow down in response. So, hormonal issues will slow down the rate you digest your supplement.
While certain factors can be altered to help accelerate your metabolism, others are immutable. However, there are several limitations to the adjustments that can be made to your metabolic rate that are extremely limited.
Anything you do to speed it up can shave some time off the amount of time it takes your body to digest and process the CBD. Unfortunately, aside from enhancing the speed of your metabolism, there is precious little you can do to accelerate the rate at which your supplement is digested. You will simply need to remain patient until you have fully digested the capsule.
There is one method you could employ to give your metabolism a temporary boost in speed. Caffeine is a well-known stimulant for the metabolic rate of your body. Coffee and tea are effective caffeinated beverages that you can use to temporarily spike your metabolism and process the CBD capsules more rapidly. That being said, this is not a recommended tactic for long-term use. Too much caffeine can negatively strain your overall health and damage your metabolism.
Even if you speed up your metabolism to accelerate the rate at which you digest your supplement, there is a downside. Specifically, the faster your metabolism, the quicker your body expels the substances you have digested. So, you risk enjoying the effects for a shorter period to start feeling them sooner.
Are There Alternatives?
CBD capsules and other edibles are subject to the same digestive limitations. Regardless of whether you are taking capsules, gummies, oil drops, or any other ingestible supplement. This might lead you to wonder if there are any other alternatives you can employ to enjoy the effects of CBD more rapidly.
The answer is “yes.” As you most likely know already, one of the most common methods for adding CBD to your system is an inhalant. Specifically, smoking CBD with a vape device is one of the principal methods that CBD is introduced to our systems. Unlike ingested CBD, however, the intake of CBD via inhalation offers a much quicker reaction from the human body.
Ingested CBD can take up to 2 hours to take effect, but inhaled CBD tends to take between 30 to 90 minutes to take effect. This makes vaping CBD the most effective way to get quicker results for immediate gratification. Although, this comes with an equally significant drawback regarding how long the effects will last. Since inhaled CBD goes directly through your lungs to enter your bloodstream, it is subject to the same limitations. The bloodstream method allows for more rapid disbursal and absorption; however, the bloodstream refreshes much more rapidly than your digestive system expels matter.
As a result, CBD that was absorbed via inhalation is purged from your system within a matter of hours. Whereas edible CBD supplements can last for 12 hours, inhaled CBD supplements will be expelled before too long, and you will be required to take more hits in succession as opposed to simply timing your edible consumption.
The available alternatives will all come with their advantages and disadvantages. Unfortunately, there is no quick solution to get rapid results that last longer. However, depending on what you are using the CBD for, inhalation can allow you to manage pain more effectively in the short term by taking a hit and enjoying rapid pain reduction as needed. But, if you want long-lasting effects to get you through the day, edibles and capsules will remain your best bet.
Does CBD Appear on Drug Tests
Sometimes the time it takes for CBD to take effect can be cause for concern if the symptoms you are using CBD for flare up before a drug test. Some positions require their employees to submit to drug tests, with positive results only complicating your professional life despite the validity behind certain medications and supplements. That said, whether or not CBD will cause your test to come back positive is dependent on the contents of your CBD supplement.
By this point, you are likely painfully aware that the psychoactive compound of cannabis plants is tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). THC is also the ingredient that would cause cannabis-based supplements and products to cause a drug test to come back with a positive result. Although, the level of THC found in most CBD products is negligible due to federal regulations.
However, there are three subtypes of CBD products that will determine how much THC might be present:
- Full-Spectrum CBD: Full-spectrum products contain virtually every compound found in cannabis plants. As a result, THC will be present in limited amounts.
- Broad-Spectrum CBD: Broad-spectrum products undergo a specialized process to filter out as much THC as is physically possible.
- CBD Isolate: Isolate products contain only CBD and have no THC whatsoever.
The federal limit for THC concentration in CBD products is a maximum of 0.3%, making the amount negligible. If your CBD capsules are full-spectrum, then the odds of the capsules yielding a positive result on a drug test goes up. Although, the odds remain fairly low when compared to recreational products. However, if you have medical dispensation to use CBD capsules, even a positive result of this nature can generally be forgiven by employers or other agencies.
Understanding the amount of time needed to allow your capsules to take hold and the details about how it will affect your system is only the 1st half of the battle. The rest involves following through on your interest and trying to locate a CBD product you can use to experience everything CBD offers.
X-perience CBD
CBD capsules can be extremely effective for you when managing certain physical and mental health concerns. However, CBD capsules can take some time before you can reap benefits to their fullest extent. While waiting an hour for the capsules to be broken down and the CBD distributed through your body might seem somewhat arbitrary, the effects afforded by ingestible CBD cannot be discounted.
Taking steps to get your metabolism working at its best level is an effective tool for shaving some of the time off. If you prefer a more rapid result for on-the-fly pain management, CBD vape fluid might be more your speed. Ultimately, your decision is the method you elect to use to introduce CBD to your system.
That said, finding effective CBD products to be used for your specific needs can be a difficult endeavor if you do not have much direct experience. Luckily for you, however, your search will not need to last long.
We at Neuro XPF offer a wide assortment of CBD products ranging from edible gummies and capsules, to oil drops, to vape fluid. No matter what your medium of choice might be, we can help you to meet the demand with safety and confidence. Each of our products comes with confirmation of the exact concentration of each ingredient on a batch-by-batch basis. So, if you want to take advantage of CBD’s effects, check out our website today and x-perience the best CBD in the game.
Do you have any potential questions about CBD capsules, or the length of time it takes to digest and absorb them? Or, perhaps, do you simply have any questions about CBD, in general? If you answered yes to either of these questions, please feel free to drop us a line at any time! We would be more than happy to answer any of your potential questions and assist you in making your CBD journey an excellent one!