Myths and facts – 6 Things you probably got wrong about CBD
BY READERS DIGEST
1st Dec 2020 Wellbeing
CBD has been around for quite some years now and has become one of the most talked-about supplements on the market. Its array of health benefits, together with the multitude of product types, has made CBD a popular choice among those who need help with keeping issues such as anxiety, insomnia, and chronic pain under control.
But as you try to learn more about CBD and what it actually does to your health, you are bound to find many contradicting arguments, which can make things confusing especially for those who have never had experiences with CBD in the past.
The reason why these contradictions appear is not always that someone intentionally tries to spread misinformation. It’s mostly because CBD research is still in its infancy, and every day scientists make new discoveries, and that may mean some things are bound to change.
To help clear the air, here are some of the most common things people still get wrong about CBD, as well as what science actually says.
CBD is the same as cannabis
Many people believe CBD and cannabis can be used interchangeable, which could not be more wrong. CBD is a compound which can be found in the cannabis, hemp, as well as other plants from the same family.
To help you understand better, we will also explain the main difference between cannabis and hemp. It all has to do with THC, the other most popular compound associated with cannabis. While cannabis is high in THC, hemp is high in CBD and contains low to no traces of THC.
Most CBD supplements on the market are derived from hemp and contain under 0.3% THC.
If I take CBD, I will get high or fail a drug test
Before we go into this, we want to clear out another misconception: many people assume that CBD is not psychoactive. In fact, even caffeine is considered psychoactive, as it is a substance that affects your mood and perception.
While CBD will not get you high the same way its cousin THC would do, any substance that alters your brain is considered psychoactive. So, no CBD will not get you high or drowsy, but is it still a substance that will affect your overall state.
As to the fact that CBD will make you fail a drug test, the short answer is NO. Typical drug tests test for THC, not CBD, and even though your CBD oil may contain traces of THC, it is usually under 0.3%, which means it is not detectable in a drug test.
All CBD oils are the same because all CBD is the same
Saying that all CBD or CBD products are the same is like saying all caffeine-based products are the same when coffee and black tea are quite different things. Although the cannabidiol molecule is the same, not all types of CBD oil are the same.
CBD oil is a product that contains CBD as the main ingredient, but in addition to CBD, it also contains other plant molecules and terpenes, which can sometimes have more beneficial effects than the compound itself. These other ingredients are called the entourage, which can be very different from product to product. This means full-spectrum CBD oil, such as the one you can find on The CBD Planet, which contains other cannabinoids and terpenes, will be much more potent than CBD isolate, which only contains CBD.
Just as you know if your body reacts better to coffer or black tea, you will have to try and discover which type of CBD oil better suits your unique biochemistry. Read the label carefully, pay attention to the source of your CBD, and choose brands that test their products carefully.
There is no scientifical proof CBD has any health benefits
While research to prove exactly how many health reasons to use CBD exist is still ongoing, it’s not right to discredit all the work that has been done by now. There is scientific proof to support CBD can be very beneficial in alleviating some health conditions.
Epidiolex is a CBD-based medication that has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration and is uses to treat two severe forms of Epilepsy – Dravet and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome. This is a significant step for CBD research, as cannabis is still labeled as a Schedule 1 drug. Schedule 1 means this type of drug holds no medical value, but impressive clinical trial results for Epidiolex compelled the FDA to approve it. This puts into question whether or not cannabis should be considered a Schedule 1 substance.
CBD does not work; I tried it for a week
There is an array of articles on the internet where various people tried CBD or a week or two and were quick to write a review saying they did not feel any difference. This prompts many people to think CBD is nothing but a marketing trick, and the effect is, in fact, placebo.
While THC is felt almost instantly and can hit you very noticeably, CBD has more mild effects. Some people feel them after the first few uses, while others take time to experience any difference. This happens because CBD interacts with your individual biochemistry, and no two people are the same.
The best method to see if CBD is suited for you is to have a clear reason why you use it. Whether it’s sleep troubles, anxiety, or chronic pain, keep good track of your symptoms the moment you start using CBD. After a few weeks, read back to see if there was any change.
Dosage is another factor that can influence the effect of CBD on your body. Check the recommended dosage on the package and start from there, then adjust it according to your symptoms. Experiment with it a bit until you find the dosage that works for you.
I will get addicted to CBD
Some people are afraid to try CBD, as they believe it will get them hooked and won’t be able to stop using it. While it is true that CBD interacts with your nervous system, it does hot have the ability to make you addicted.
What’s more, CBD is shown to be a useful replacement for morphine-derived medication, which is normally used to treat severe pain and is known to be highly addictive.
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