How Does CBD Work Inside The Body And How Long Does It Last Inside?
We live in a world where many of us enjoy the benefits of cannabidiol (CBD) daily. Most people have started using it as a part of their diet and even as use as part of cosmetics.
There’s no denying that it does have positive effects on our skin, metabolism, and even our mood.
However, do you ever wonder how does it work inside your body, and what makes CBD consumption so effective?
This article can be of great help, especially for those who are still unaware of the benefits that CBD has.
CBD is a naturally occurring substance extracted from the Cannabis Sativa plant that stimulates the endocannabinoid system in our body, and this is usually incorporated in different kinds of products.
How CBD Works?
To understand CBD’s response inside the body, we must first define the endocannabinoid system (ECS). This balances our body’s most essential functions in the form of homeostasis.
These functions can include sleeping patterns, mood, appetite, bowel movements, and more.
In turn, CBD interacts with certain endocannabinoid receptors such as CB1 found in our central nervous system, and CB2 receptors found in the peripheral nervous system and especially in immune cells.
CBD also interacts with serotonin (5HT) receptors, which has analgesic and anxiolytic effects as a result.
It can also bind itself to a receptor known as TRPV1, which regulates inflammation and body temperature, as well as improves our perception regarding pain.
Lastly, CBD can reduce tumor growth and decrease cancer cell migration by blocking and managing GRP55 receptors.
Therefore, consuming CBD can be an extension of support to our endocannabinoid system and our overall health.
How Long Does CBD Last Inside Our Body?
Now that we know how CBD works, the next question is, how long is CBD detectable in our body?
Usually, CBD stays in our system from two to five days. Sometimes its effects may last for a day while others may experience it for only a few hours.
On average, CBD can stay in our body for three to four days and leaves within a couple of days.
How and when people will experience its effects will vary, but typically, these can be felt approximately within two to six hours.
However, there are some cases wherein CBD can remain in our body for weeks. Several factors can determine this.
For example, CBD may stay longer in your system depending on how frequently you use it, and if you take higher doses.
A study conducted in 1991 found that one week after the administering of CBD was stopped, it was undetectable in 14 patients that were given a daily dosage of CBD for six weeks.
Other factors that determine how long CBD stays in our system include our Body Mass Index (BMI), water intake, how many physical activities we do, and the methods we use to take CBD.
You can mix CBD with liquids to make tinctures, use it sublingually to apply it under your tongue, incorporate it with edibles, or use CBD-infused products such as creams to be applied on your skin.
You can even smoke CBD. People who want to experience instant relief from pain can consume CBD through vaping and smoking. This can be beneficial as CBD can take effect immediately when inhaled.
Similarly, when you place oils or tinctures under your tongue. It can quickly get into the system through your bloodstream.
Each of these methods may affect how long CBD stays in the body.
Our metabolism also plays a prominent role in how fast CBD is absorbed and excreted. It isn’t advisable to take CBD on an empty stomach, but taking CBD after eating optimizes the chances of it having the highest bioavailability.
Bioavailability is the extent and rate at which a substance enters our body. In this instance, taking CBD after eating can be beneficial to our wellbeing since it will be digested along with the food we ate. This makes it easier for our bodies to absorb and excrete it.
Foods rich in healthy fats such as fish, avocado, nuts, and emulsified fats found in mayonnaise and chocolate can make CBD be easily absorbed by our body.
Will CBD Show Up On A Drug Test?
It’s unlikely that CBD can cause a positive result in a drug test since most drug tests only look for the presence of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and methamphetamine.
Therefore, there’s limited accurate data on how long CBD can stay in our body compared to THC, which is the compound in marijuana that gives users the sensation of being “high.”
However, keep in mind that some CBD-infused products can legally have 0.3% of THC in them as this level won’t induce psychoactive effects.
This is the reason why a lot of curious consumers hesitate to try out CBD because they don’t want to risk false-positive results.
Moreover, the chances of failing a drug test when CBD is ingested is very slim.
It would take a person to ingest an unreasonable dosage of full-spectrum CBD, ranging from 1,000 mg to 2,000 mg per day, to have positive drug test results.
To make sure this doesn’t happen, always use the recommended dosage and always check the labels of the CBD-infused products that you’re going to buy.
Lastly, you can always check with a doctor if you’re in doubt regarding the appropriate dosage.
Bottom Line
CBD can be very beneficial to our overall health, especially when it’s properly administered.
How long CBD will last inside our body will depend on several factors, such as how it’s consumed, how much is taken, how frequently we use it, our BMI, water intake, physical activities, metabolism, and the like.
At the moment, there are no strict measures yet to track CBD in our bodies as most drug tests only detect THC and methamphetamine, although this is one of the reasons why consumers may still hesitate to take CBD.
However, what we can do is make a conscious approach when consuming CBD by consulting a variety of doctors to check on how to use it properly.