Buy CBD oil with confidence: pure, potent, and tastes freaking fantastic.
You might have already heard about CBD and how it can help relieve soreness, joint pain, sleep disorders, stress, and many other ailments. Hoping to experience the calming relief CBD offers, you might get stumped pretty early on. “What’s the best CBD oil?” or “how do I buy CBD products that will work for me?” are questions you probably want to get answers to before you pull the trigger on a purchase.
We want you to get the results you need and overcome any roadblocks in your life so you can discover new possibilities, find joy, and get wild.
So, here’s our guide to help you navigate the world of cannabinoids. Let’s look at how CBD works and the factors that contribute to getting the most benefit from CBD.
How does CBD work?
Cannabidiol (CBD) is a non-intoxicating component of the cannabis plant and has brought about considerable interest among physicians and scientists in recent years. CBD’s powerful benefits come from their ability to interact with your body’s endocannabinoid system to strengthen its function.
Your body’s endocannabinoid system (ECS) operates as your universal regulator. This complex cell-signaling system was discovered in the early 1990s and plays a critical role in helping maintain the homeostasis of your body.
It does this by helping to regulate your body processes like appetite, energy, metabolism, mood, sleep, stress, chronic pain, inflammation, immune response, sleep, and motivation (to name a few).
How does your Endocannabinoid system function?
The ECS operates with endocannabinoid receptors and endocannabinoids (molecules) made by your body that bind to those receptors. These receptors are mostly found in the central nervous system (CB1 receptors) and your peripheral nervous system (CB2 receptors) and immune cells.
Think of an endocannabinoid receptor and endocannabinoids like a lock and key. An endocannabinoid is a molecule that activates molecular messengers unlocking the endocannabinoid receptor by physically interacting with it.
This interaction sends messages to cells, tissues, and organs initiating changes in the cells, tissues, and organs. So when your body’s processes get thrown out of balance, it’s your endocannabinoid system that helps your body return to its proper balance.
Your ECS systems ability to bring balance back to your body largely depends on your body’s ability to produce enough endocannabinoids. When deficiencies occur, your ECS does not function properly, causing your body not to be able to maintain balance and homeostasis with your body.
Your endocannabinoid system consists of endocannabinoids, cannabinoid receptors, other receptors like serotonin, and enzymes that produce and break down endocannabinoids.
| Cannabinoid receptors | CB1 receptors found mostly in the brain CB2 receptors found primarily within the immune system. | |||
| Endocannabinoids | Cannabinoids produced by your body. Anandamide and 2-AG. | |||
| Other receptors Vanilloid Serotonin Adenosine | Your endocannabinoids interact with other receptors to perform important functions. Important for pain modulation or regulation. Integral to mood and stress management. Essential for the sleep-wake cycle. | |||
| Enzymes | Produce and break endocannabinoids like FAAH, MAGL, to name a few. |
While researchers are still working to discover what deficiencies in the endocannabinoid system (ECS) cause, it is clear that improper ECS function and a lack of equilibrium can cause severe, long-lasting problems – highlighting the importance of supporting your endocannabinoid system.
CBD supports your Endocannabinoid System
One of the best ways you can support your ECS is with CBD. Your body’s endocannabinoid system recognizes and responds to both endocannabinoids produced by the body, as well as the external cannabinoids like cannabidiol (CBD), which is a phytocannabinoid.
CBD’s unique ability to interact with your body’s endocannabinoid system helps amplify your body’s efforts to fortify the health and function of your ECS system, strengthening the whole body.
How CBD exerts its therapeutic impact on a molecular level has yet to be fully understood. That’s because cannabidiol gives rise to many effects through multiple molecular pathways.
Cannabidiol can alter several non-cannabinoid receptors and ion channels in ways that enhance or inhibit the binding of neurotransmitters. This delays them from being taken in by the cell allowing the benefits of these neurotransmitters to last longer.
Remarkably, scientific literature has discovered more than 65 molecular targets that CBD affects, ranging from biological to neurological processes, and include stress, appetite, sleep, pain, and perception.
CBD Activates your Endocannabinoid System
Cannabidiol works with and influences the two main endocannabinoid receptors, CB1 and CB2, which are located throughout your body, and produce a variety of potentially positive outcomes. CBD does not bind directly to either of these receptors, but acts on them indirectly.
CB1 receptors are primarily located within brain cells and the most abundant type of the neurotransmitters in the brain. They can also be found throughout your body in the central nervous system, connective tissue, glands, and organs, although they are not as densely expressed. CB1 receptors help to regulate and control functions like the release of dopamine as well as pain relief.
CB2 receptors are mainly located in the central nervous system, peripheral nervous system, immune system, and white blood cells. They help manage inflammation.
CBD or cannabidiol as herbal alternative medicine and chemical therapy.
Once absorbed by the body, CBD interacts with your body’s endocannabinoid receptors in both CB1 and CB2 receptors, activating your ECS system to produce its own endocannabinoids. CBD also slows down the endocannabinoid breakdown, helping them to stay longer in your body, prolonging the benefits caused by their presence.
These increased endocannabinoids provide additional balancing support to your body processes and regulate functions like appetite, sleep, mood, pain response, and immune response.
How to choose the best CBD
There are a few things to look out for when starting to search for the right CBD products for you.
Look for third party test results for purity and potency
Companies using multi-phase testing at key points in the manufacturing process can verify the CBD’s potency and purity at every stage of the process.
Every bottle should have a full set of 3rd party testing, including current certificates of analysis (COA) on their website to confirm 0.3% THC level in the final product and the cannabinoid profile. Along with 3rd party testing, pharmacokinetic testing confirms the availability of the cannabinoids in the bloodstream.
Company Transparency
Transparent CBD companies can help you make better-informed decisions about the products you are purchasing so you can avoid ineffective or potentially harmful CBD products.
The FDA has taken a hands-off approach to CBD and doesn’t currently regulate the quality or consistency of CBD products. For this reason, the more information available to educate you, the better.
Currently, the only way consumers are able to verify quality, potency, and purity of products they purchase is by confirming the results of third-party lab testing. Make sure the reports includes cannabinoid potency, as well as easy-to-find information on sourcing, extraction, and manufacturing practices.
Also look for companies that include a separate analysis for the cannabinoid profile as well as potential microbial life, mold, heavy metals, herbicides, residual solvents, and insecticides.
CBD Extraction Method
Although there are a variety of ways to extract CBD from hemp, supercritical CO2 extraction produces the purest CBD, without leaving behind anything toxic in the final product. This method also prevents the loss of naturally occurring terpenes and helps ensure great flavor.
Full-Spectrum and the Entourage Effect
CBD products vary in their cannabinoid profile, purity, and potency. CBD profiles give you information about the potency and concentration of active cannabinoids. These beneficial trace cannabinoids work together along with terpenes to produce an intensifying physiological effect known as the entourage effect.
In other words, CBD needs the presence of other cannabinoids like CBDV, CBN, and terpenes to amplify the activity of the CBD’s influence on the various biological systems.
For example, recent studies exploring the medical benefits of terpenes reveal that terpenes appear to help CBD function more efficiently. When combined with cannabinoids, terpenes speed up the absorption of the cannabinoids into the bloodstream, decreasing the time it takes for you to feel relief and healing effects.
Every CBD oil contains different cannabinoids and terpenes, so if a CBD oil does not seem to work for you, it may just indicate you need to keep looking for another CBD oil that works better for your unique endocannabinoid system.
Water-Solubility
Given the many different methods to manufacture CBD, you might be wondering why it would be important to have a water-soluble CBD product. The truth is that the way CBD is manufactured and formulated affects your body’s ability to absorb and use these cannabinoids. Cannabinoids that are formulated to be water-soluble means higher absorption and faster onset of action (aka it works crazy fast!).
Traditional CBD extraction processes usually bond cannabinoids with additional fats and oils before being added to the end product. This oil combination makes it extremely difficult for your body’s cells to absorb the CBD oil.
In addition, when the CBD oil is digested in the digestive system, your body discards the majority of it, leaving only approximately 6~10% in your circulatory system.
CBD oil can only take effect if it can be absorbed by the body and made readily available for your body to use. This requires the CBD molecules to be water-soluble (readily absorbed in the body) and have high bioavailability (easily absorbed at a high rate).
Both of these attributes significantly affect how easily cannabidiol can be absorbed by the body, enter the circulatory system, and reach the desired destination so it can take effect.
Your body is more than 60% water with a water-based bloodstream. When you take an oil-based CBD product, you absorb as little as 6% of the CBD it contains, and end up wasting the rest. For these reasons, regular oil-based CBD products have a significant barrier in being able to deliver its healing effects.
New cutting-edge technologies transform CBD into finer and more water-friendly particles. The proprietary process of nano emulsification involves using ultrasonic waves to exert pressure on the CBD molecules and shatter them into nanoparticles so that they can be absorbed by the body and taken into the cells.
These particles are then mixed with a lipid-based emulsifier that dissolves the CBD prior to being absorbed into the body. This vital emulsifier prepares CBD oil molecules in a manner that allows the incompatible substances of oil and water to combine, creating compatibility with water in the bloodstream. Now water-soluble, these CBD molecules can be readily absorbed.
Pharmacokinetic testing confirms this water-soluble CBD produced with this proprietary process absorbs into the bloodstream at a rate of 91% versus the industry standard of only 6%-10%. It also verifies cannabinoids in the bloodstream after about 15 minutes after taking the CBD oil.
This makes water-soluble hemp products fast-acting and 21 times more efficient than raw CBD oil. With water-soluble CBD products, you will likely absorb more CBD than you would taking an oil-based product.
This means you will get more of what you paid for. The more effective the CBD absorption, the more affordable it is, because you won’t need as much CBD oil to get the relief and results you are looking for.
Taste!
One of the most common responses about unflavored, high-concentration CBD oil is that it has an earthy flavor with a bit of a bitter kick. If you weren’t looking for the relief and healing benefits of CBD, you might not seek out this taste.
Yet many health benefits of taking CBD come from making it part of your daily routine because it allows cannabinoids to build up in the body over time and strengthen your endocannabinoid system. So, if you don’t like the taste, you are less likely to take it regularly.
Most of the time, the taste of a CBD oil depends on the method used to extract the CBD (filtered or purified) and the type of base used to carry it – oil or water.
Base
For best results, use CBD with a water-based carrier for higher absorption and faster onset of action. Oil carriers don’t mix well in the body because your body works to break down oil instead of absorbing it.
Most CBD companies choose an oil-based carrier because it is less expensive to process. However, they compromise you body’s ability to receive the maximum benefit of the CBD.
The base used to carry CBD also contributes to the CBD oil’s taste. CBD with a carrier oil will frequently adopt the flavor of the CBD it’s combined with.
For this reason, paying attention to the carrier base can increase your chances you’ll find CBD tincture that works for you. Here are some of the most common carriers.
Good
Hemp seed oil has a nut-like flavor and one you will probably enjoy if you mix this CBD oil with dressings. However, if you are someone who prefers more subtle flavors, you’ll probably want to start with something else.
Olive oil enhances the earthy flavor and can be overwhelming, particularly when you get lower potency CBD tinctures.
Better
Coconut oil serves as a neutral base with almost no flavor. This means that the natural flavor of the CBD oil will be the predominant taste.
MCT oil has almost no smell or taste and comes with its additional health benefits. It doesn’t alter the natural flavor and goes well with citrus flavors.
Best
Water-based carriers result in better flavoring, so you get the important health benefits, along with it tasting freaking fantastic.
BUT, most importantly, you’ll get higher CBD absorption into your body and faster onset of the benefits.
Look for brands that are water-based, without carrier oils to ensure your CBD that tastes freaking fantastic.
Try CBD Gummies
The newest health-inducing sweet treat, CBD gummies, provide a tasty alternative method of consuming hemp for those who want to avoid the taste of CBD oil altogether. CBD gummies give you a fun, convenient, and approachable way to experience CBD without having to use a tincture or needing a glass of water.
Gummies support a sense of relaxation, healthy joint mobility, and a normal inflammatory response. That’s not all… there are many reasons why CBD gummies can make an ideal choice for you:
- Easy to use. You don’t have to keep a close eye on dosage, just eat one or two gummies and you’re good to go. No need for preparation or guesswork, and, best of all, they’re super discrete.
- Same relaxation and clarity without the high. This is because hemp-based CBD doesn’t contain the psycho-active component of THC.
- Flavorful taste. CBD gummies are created to emulate candy, so they taste like a sweet treat with only a hint of hemp. It’s great for people who hesitate because of hemp’s naturally strong, nutty, earthy flavor.
- CBD effects last longer. CBD gummies go through your digestive and circulatory system and are processed over a longer period of time. With CBD nutrients being absorbed at a slower pace, the benefits last longer.
- Rich in antioxidants. CBD is known to carry more antioxidants than both vitamin C and E. Antioxidants work as a natural defense to relieve your body’s stress and keep you healthy.
Conclusion
No matter how you choose to take CBD, safety and effectiveness of CBD products starts with pure, high quality hemp plants. Combine this with rigorous 3rd party testing and CO2 supercritical extraction to get the purest highest quality CBD oil products.
Most importantly, make sure you choose a CBD that’s water-soluble with high bioavailability so you can get the important health benefits you need. By knowing what to look for and expect when you buy CBD oil, you’re more likely to find what works for you.
So do your research, experiment with different products, and find out what works best for you, then get wild!
