What is CBD Oil and How do I Take it?

CBD Oil: What is it? How do I use it? 

What is CBD oil?

Cannabidiol, a.k.a. CBD, is a powerful plant extract that has been used for medicinal purposes for thousands of years. CBD is one of 113 cannabinoids extracted from a hemp plant having very low levels of THC. This allows CBD to be used in our products safely and legally. CBD Oil, is an extracted, highly concentrated solution of cannabidiol. Extraction technology allows for the extraction of CBD without the unwanted THC, giving you many of the desired benefits of medical marajuana without the “high” that THC produces. 

Types of CBD oil:

Full Spectrum CBD Oil - Contains all 113 cannabinoids within the marijuana plant, including THC (the only psychoactive cannabinoid). Full spectrum is easier to manufacture, because it can be emulsified, dissolved, and homogenized much more effectively - compared with an isolate. Since the isolate are difficult to dissolve in water containing media during manufacturing or consumption, they pose a risk of inconsistent delivery of active for consumers and patients alike.

Broad Spectrum CBD Oil - Contains only a few cannabinoids within the hemp or marijuana plant. More beneficial than an isolate. CBD in the presence of other plant constituents improves the dose-response in a standardized hemp extract, showing it is more potent and efficacious than pure CBD isolate. Various research groups have studied a range of physiological parameters, such as analgesic effects, and have concluded that the higher efficiency of plant extract can be explained by additive or synergistic interaction between CBD, terpenes, and the minor phytocannabinoids in the extracts. This is because other phytocannabinoids, including Tetrahydrocannabivarin, Cannabigerol, and Cannabichromene exert additional effects of therapeutic interest and the therapeutic synergy observed with plant extracts results in the requirement for a lower amount of active components.

CBD Isolate - Contains only 1 cannabinoid within the plant - CBD. CBD isolate has been used for various Investigational New Drug applications. GW Pharmaceuticals has an approval pending with Food and Drug administration for a drug with CBD as the active ingredient. Historically, the active ingredients in their purified form are not allowed in any consumer or drug product upon FDA-approval. Therefore, designing a product with purified CBD, will present a challenge for manufacturers, as it will soon be illegal to use. However, designing consumer products or supplements with full-spectrum hemp oil with up to 80% CBD and no THC provides a solution to those who would want a viable and legal supply of CBD raw material in the form of a botanical extract.

Broad Spectrum 0.0%THC - That's us!! We utilize the entire marijuana plant, and remove ALL traces of THC. This means that we are utilizing all of the cannabinoids within the marijuana plant, except for THC.

How do I take CBD oil: 

CBD comes in many different forms, and as we continue to explore CBD’s many uses and medicinal properties, we will educate on each form of CBD “consumption” for lack of a better word. We will primarily focus on CBD oil at large. As I mentioned above, CBD oil is a highly concentrated liquid whose primary ingredient is cannabidiol (CBD). CBD oil is made by extracting CBD from the cannabis plant and then infusing oil with the extraction. Coconut and hemp seed oils are commonly used as the carrier oil. I also want to take a moment here to make something clear that was not clear to me when I began my own CBD education. CBD oil, and CBD tincture, while often used interchangeably, are not always the same. A tincture comes in the form of a tincture, duh, but it also may have additional ingredients for flavor, and different compounds depending on intended use. CBD oil, on the other hand, while it can be in the form of a tincture, it may also come in the form of soft gel, capsule, and oil to be vaped (ie. a cartridge). 

Anyways, let’s dive into the different ways you can use CBD oil:

Orally: First, in my opinion, the easiest way to consume CBD is in the form of a capsule or soft gel. You would take this form of CBD in the same way that you would take a vitamin or daily medication, just wash it down with a nice glass of water. Or, you could add some CBD oil to your food or drink and consume it that way, many of the oils developed now are virtually tasteless, so no worries there. The one downside to oral consumption of CBD is that it’s not as fast-acting as the other methods that we’ll dive into in a moment. Digesting CBD orally essentially means that the CBD’s pain relieving properties will kick in as soon as your body metabolizes it, which is different for everyone. So if you’re looking for immediate relief of acute pain or anxiety symptoms you may want to consider a different form! 

Under the Tongue (Sublingually): Administering CBD oil under the tongue is one of the quickest ways to experience your desired relief. This again, is what we are referring to when we say a tincture of CBD oil. The active ingredients are absorbed directly into the bloodstream and will take anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes, nice and fast acting. Of course when dropping CBD oil under the tongue you will get a taste of the CBD oil, I don’t think it’s bad, but this is very much so personal preference. Fleur offers both flavored and unflavored options. 

Topically: Perhaps the most common way CBD is used in general is in topical form. CBD oils can be infused into your daily moisturizers or creams that you already use or you can purchase premade topical salves, roll-ons, lotions, etc. Topical application is great because you can target the specific pain point; achey, stiff joints, sore muscles, etc. If you are looking into CBD primarily for arthritis or joint pain relief, we recommend topical solution paired with an oral supplement to combat inflammation from the inside out. Topical CBD solutions are also used for skincare! 

Vaping: Another very common way to consume CBD is via a vape pen. Vaping CBD is unique in a number of ways. First, inhalation is the most direct way for CBD to enter the bloodstream. If you get migraines, or the kind of anxiety attacks where you can feel them coming on, I highly recommend keeping a CBD vape on hand. Vapes offer immediate relief on the go. They are very easy to transport and the effects of the CBD are very buildable. On the other hand, vaping comes with it’s own set of preconceptions and judgements that don’t necessarily exist for the other methods of consumption. Afterall, with CBD a vape you are still inhaling the foreign CBD vapor into your lungs. If you have asthma or another lung condition, we would recommend trying out another form of CBD. 

How much CBD oil should I take?

As a general rule of thumb, start low and increase in small increments (5mgs to 10 mgs) if you’re not getting the relief you’re looking for. We recommend starting with 25 mgs! (which is one of our CBD softgels, or about one dropper of our lowest concentration tincture)