Since it was legalized in most territories, the movement behind CBD has been growing pace and there is now a huge range of products available containing the substance.
CBD stands for cannabidiol and is the second most prevalent ingredient in the cannabis plant (from which marijuana can be produced). For this reason, CBD products have sometimes been viewed with skepticism, however, there are fundamental differences between the CBD and THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), the substance responsible for giving users the ‘high’ associated with cannabis use.
Unlike THC, cannabidiol doesn’t produce any mind-altering or hallucinogenic effects – nor is it thought to be addictive. Furthermore, on-going research into CBD has only found potentially positive health and therapeutic qualities.
The Huge Range of CBD Products Now Available
There are many different ways CBD can be administered including via inhalation, through the skin, under the tongue, and through food, etc. Consequently, the versatility of the substance has given rise to a huge range of new products online including home-growing kits, distillers, vacuum ovens and buy budder online.
Indeed, a whole cottage industry has sprung up around CBD manufacturing with entrepreneurs finding increasingly inventive ways to package the substance in other, more common items. Today, the most popular types of CBD products include:
Oils and capsules:
Oils and capsules are two of the most widely-used CBD products and normally feature a mixture of CBD with other oils to improve taste e.g. olive or coconut oil. While these items remain popular, they are thought to have a relatively low absorption rate in the body (also referred to as bioavailability). It is believed as little as 5-10% of CBD in oil products might be absorbed, making oil merchandise a relatively ineffective way to take the substance.
Edibles and drinks:
CBD in foodstuffs and drinks is probably the fastest-growing area of CBD production and a huge range of chocolates, candies, gum-based sweets and drinks have come on the market recently. Unfortunately, the majority of CBD food and drink products contain very low quantities of the substance so, while ingesting is relatively effective, the low potency of the products makes this a fairly ineffectual way to take CBD.
Vaping products:
As more and more smokers turn their back on cigarettes, the popularity of vaping has increased exponentially over the last few years. Recently, CBD liquids have come on the market and are proving highly popular amongst vapers. Vaping offers some of the best bioavailability of any product in this list – primarily because the vapor is so easily absorbed via the lungs.
Moreover, vaping offers one of the fastest routes for CBD to get into the bloodstream (where it can take effect). Research indicates vaping can offer bioavailability as high as 34-46%, making this a highly effective and efficient way to take the substance. This might also explain the enormous growth in the popularity of CBD vaping liquids.
Topical skin products:
CBD is now appearing in an enormous range of skincare products and other topically-administered creams, balms, and patches. Administering CBD through the skin has a highly localized effect which can be beneficial for skin or joint complaints due to the anti-inflammatory qualities of the compound.
CBD can be extremely successful at treating a variety of skin complaints (including acne, eczema, psoriasis, etc), while it also believed the antioxidant properties of the substance may help reduce the effects of aging.
