Want to learn about CBD?

CBD is an acronym for cannabidiol. It is a cannabinoid, which is a kind of chemical compound found in cannabis. Over 500 compounds are found within this plant, and approximately 113 of them are cannabinoids. Most people are familiar with THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), the psychoactive cousin of CBD, which creates high feeling.

Humans have cannabinoid receptors throughout the body that are part of the Endocannabinoid System (ECS). These receptors are even found in your brain! ECS receptors help your body control several different reactions like memory and appetite. Your body creates natural cannabinoids called endocannabinoids, given that they are produced endogenously.

The two primary cannabinoid receptors in the body are called CB1 and CB2 receptors. CB1 receptors are generally found in the nervous system. CB2 receptors help support your immune system and reduce pain. CBD interacts with over 70 receptors and enzymes in your body to regulate a wide array of physiological functions.

If you’re a CBD beginner, you’re probably most interested in how CBD affects your physical and mental health. First, you need to understand a little bit about how CBD works within your body to understand its effects. One of the main things for you to remember is that CBD doesn’t bind with the ECS receptors.

However, CBD does stimulate many receptors such as the receptors for serotonin, vanilloid, and adenosine. It also could activate the receptors in your body that regulate body temperature, inflammation levels, and how you perceive pain. The overall purpose of the ECS  is to restore homeostasis, normalcy, and bring the body back into balance.

Concerning the receptors that CBD activates, adenosine helps reduce the amount of inflammation in your body. It may also stimulate things like dopamine production, along with the production of other chemical compounds that are important for your body’s functioning. For example, dopamine is responsible for your motor and cognitive functions and may even help motivate you — glutamate aids in memory, learning, and cognitive function. CBD may affect your serotonin receptor, allowing you to have a more positive mood.

Another important aspect of CBD that a beginner should know is the difference between full spectrum, broad spectrum CBD, and isolate CBD forms. This distinction will come in handy when browsing available CBD products. It’s not uncommon to find CBD products labeled as full spectrum, broad spectrum, or CBD isolate (or isolate CBD). That begs the question, what’s the difference between the two?

Full spectrum & broad spectrum CBD

The main thing to know about full spectrum CBD is that it has all of the other cannabinoids and chemical compounds found in hemp. It is a holistic way to take CBD as it was created directly from the source. However, be aware that full spectrum CBD oil may also contain THC depending on where you live and the legality of recreational and medicinal marijuana. Broad spectrum has most of the compounds and cannabinoids except THC.

These CBD types provide the bonus of ingesting the 100+ other cannabinoids contained in the cannabis plant in addition to its resin. The resin has a wide array of beneficial compounds that include phytocannabinoids, flavonoids, terpenes, and antioxidants. The idea of including these is that the compounds could work together to create a stronger effect called the entourage effect.

As you can see, full spectrum CBD oil comes with quite a few extra goodies on top of cannabidiol.

CBD isolate

CBD isolate is just CBD, there is nothing else in this form of CBD. All other compounds and cannabinoids have been extracted. Given the perks of using full or broad spectrum CBD, why should a beginner even care about CBD isolate?

Despite what you may think, there are plenty of benefits with CBD isolate. First, you may find guaranteed a high degree of precision when it comes to identifying exactly how much CBD is in the product you use. Using an isolate also makes it possible to pack in more CBD per dose. As a result, most CBD edibles have been made using CBD isolate. Finally, any potential trace amounts of THC will be completely removed.

There are so many different kinds of CBD products, picking the right one for you might seem like a major task. Now that you have a primer on what CBD is, you probably want to learn about the different types of CBD products. Because CBD exists in multiple forms, it can be made into many different types of products. So, below we gathered descriptions of different CBD products.

If you’re not familiar with tinctures, they are the concentrated form of herbal extracts and are one of the more popular ways CBD is sold. Certain tinctures will even have some other essential oils in them to add some flavor.

To use a CBD tincture, take the dropper and place a few drops under your tongue for maximum absorption. You will want to hold it under your tongue for a few seconds to get the most out of the CBD. This may be a little messy the first few times you do it, so it will take some practice. Tinctures come in various potencies, so you start with smaller doses until you find the strength best for you.

CBD capsules are a common CBD product. This may be the most appealing method for a beginner to try. Many CBD users take it as a daily supplement, similar to a multi-vitamin, so swallowing a capsule every day may be a quick and simple way to keep up your CBD intake. All you need to do is take the capsule like you would any other health supplement. Capsules make it easy to keep track of exactly how much CBD you are taking since they each contain a set amount. However, you may get a smaller CBD dosage than you would when using a tincture or concentrate. This could make it the perfect CBD product if you’re trying to keep a tight control on how much CBD you take.

Edibles are a CBD-infused product rapidly rising in popularity. CBD edibles are the go-to product for beginners because they taste great and are easy to take. Edibles come in all forms, including cookies, bars, chocolate, and gummies, among others. It may be difficult to ascertain the amount of CBD you receive from edibles, but most edible CBD products should show how many milligrams of CBD they contain.

An increasing number of products are being infused with CBD. Topicals tend to be things like lotion, salves, and creams. These topicals are rubbed onto the surface of the skin with the intention of relieving pain and/or helping with skin-related conditions. If you’re looking for relief from a skin condition or joint-related inflammation or pain, you might start with a CBD topical.

CBD is a naturally occurring compound found in the Cannabis sativa plant that may benefit its users in a variety of ways. There is a CBD product for everyone. Although the CBD industry is currently booming, it is nowhere near reaching its full potential as more studies are being conducted to understand CBD and its health and wellness properties better.

Now that you have a basic understanding of CBD, you are no longer a beginner in this exciting new field. There is a lot that CBD may help with. So, why not try some today?