Concentrated cannabidiol, also known as CBD oil, which can come from either hemp or cannabis, has many potential benefits. However, cannabidiol derived from cannabis may also include significant amounts of THC, which may have potential side effects that aren’t for everyone.
Cannabidiol derived from Hemp must have less than .3% THC. Therefore, we recommend you look to see where the CBD is derived and, in most cases, you should use full spectrum cannabidiol distillate from hemp to avoid potential intoxicating effects.
We will talk more about when you might consider using CBD from Cannabis in another blog. But for this discussion we will be talking about CBD derived from Hemp.
CBD concentration is a little difficult to understand when we start talking about nano CBD concentrates so let’s start with just plain CBD concentrates AKA CBD Oil or Hemp extract. If you were to smoke it or ingest unprocessed hemp, the concentration would solely be determined by the plant.
Many new strains of hemp plants are being developed to increase the concentration of CBD in the plant. But smoking anything has been shown to have negative effects on the lungs so this is probably not the ideal way to get the benefits of CBD.
Now lets talk a little about products made from CBD concentrates made by some type of distillation or pressure. These processes can lead to extremely high concentrations of CBD and other plant components as well. This process leads to three different types of finished products.
They are Full Spectrum oil, Broad spectrum oil, and CBD isolate. This is important because isolate for example ONLY contains CBD concentrated. It does not contain many other important compounds needed to get the best biological effect.
In the case of CBD isolate, distillation down to an isolate lead to the absence to compounds like terpenes, which have been shown to be very important partners to aid in the proven biological effects of CBD.
For example, a terpene known as Beta Caryophyllene is more complex than other terpenes and bridges cannabinoids and other compounds in the hemp plant. It has anti-inflammatory effects, and could be useful for a range of conditions like arthritis and nerve pain.
It also contains piperine and helps with CBD absorption. Isolates are also the cheapest and easiest to store so many products are made with this inferior form of CBD concentrate. Therefore, we recommend not using products made from CBD isolate.
Broad Spectrum CBD is a distillate that contains most the other plant components but NO THC. While this sounds good, full spectrum CBD contains only a small amount of THC, .3 Percent, and is the most biologically active form of CBD.
Full spectrum oils in the USA must contain less than .3 Percent THC and this is not enough to intoxicate someone but may be beneficial due to an effect called the entourage effect. Studies show Full Spectrum CBD Oil is the most biologically active form of CBD concentrate, meaning is most likely to give you the positive affects you are looking to achieve with your CBD concentrate.
Keep reading to learn about concentrated cannabidiol, its potential benefits and risks, dosage information, and more.
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What Is Concentrated Cannabidiol?
CBD concentrates are made using multiple different methods such as with CO2 extraction, a high-pressure process and ethanol distillation a more traditional distillation process. They’re many pros and cons of these processes but that is for another blog.
All the distillates of CBD oil start with hemp or cannabis plants, but CO2 extraction, for example, is cleaner, but takes longer and is more expensive of a process than say ethanol extraction. Yells and concentrations are also dependent on the plant you start with, the higher the plant concentration of CBD the higher the yield concentration.
Why are high concentrations of CBD so important? While CBD has many positive effects it is a relatively weak molecule. In fact the only Medication the US Food and Drug administration has approved is Epidiolex (Cannabidiol or CBD) oral solution for the treatment of seizures associated with two rare and severe forms of epilepsy.
Epidiolex (Cannabidiol) oral solution is clear, colorless to yellow liquid containing cannabidiol at a concentration of 100mg/mg. This is a very high concentration.
Concentrated cannabidiol and other CBD products are non-intoxicating; they don’t lead to a “high” like with cannabis usage. Therefore, even with the higher doses found in concentrated CBD, it doesn’t affect someone the same way as cannabis.
As we have previously stated, CBD products exist in various concentrations and forms — we generally recommend starting with lower dosages and increasing them if they have no effect.
Remember, each product is different in not only the CBD concentration, but also the other plant constituents that may increase the bioavailability of the CBD itself. So equal amounts of CBD in different products may create a product that’s more or less effective depending upon the other constituents as well.
Nano CBD Concentrates – What is it and why are they the gold standard for CBD Concentration?
True Nano emulsified CBD is a long and more complex issue, so that will be for another blog, but I will give a brief description of why and what are Nano CBD concentrates.
Nano emulsions are a process by which you take large molecules of CBD that are not very soluble (able to be absorbed), and you shrink the molecules and coat them to make them more soluble. This results in fast acting, greater bioavailability CBD concentrates.
The main determining factor of concentration and effectiveness in Nano CBD concentrates is the end particle size, basically the smaller the particle size if the finished product, the more concentrated and the more effective the CBD Nano Concentrates.
Most Nano CBD is NOT really nano CBD Concentrate, it is Liposomal CBD which has not been proven to be more effective. One way to determine size of the Nano CBD concentrate is to look at it. If it is clear, it is most likely very small particles.
One other factor is the actual amount of CBD in the Nano concentrate. 50mg of Full Spectrum CBD per ml is a superior amount of CBD. If particle size is given, looks for particle size below or at 40 Nanometers.
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Determining the Right Concentrated Cannabidiol Dose for You
Good products will list how much Full spectrum CBD is in the product somewhere. However, this information is becoming more challenging as the FDA does not like CBD listed on the product labels and is requiring that companies list hemp extract not the actual CBD amounts.
This has only made things more confusing for the consumer who is looking for good product with high CBD concentrate. If a company is legitimate, it will list the Certificate of analysis(COA) and it is there that you can find the actual CBD concentrations.
How much concentrated cannabidiol is right for you depends on various factors, including:
- Your body weight
- Your individual body chemistry
- The condition you hope to treat
- The concentration of CBD in the product you use
- The way you intake the product, oral oil gummies, tincture, or capsules. (Topically, your CBD will NOT get absorbed unless it is Nano CBD or cannabidiol).
- Format of the CBD, whether it is in isolate, broad spectrum or full spectrum form
- Concentration of Nano CBD
There are many variables affecting your ideal CBD dose — it’s typically best to start small before working up to a higher dose until you feel like it’s treating your symptoms effectively.
However, calculating how much CBD is in your products and how bioactive it is isn’t always easy. Remember to look at the certificate of analysis if the amount of CBD is not stated anywhere.
How to Calculate Concentrated Cannabidiol Doses
Some products, like capsules and gummies, tell you how much CBD is in each serving, making dosing simple. For example, the packaging would say 5 mg of CBD per capsule or gummy.
CBD oils are also popular, typically coming in a dropper bottle. The packaging might say how much CBD is in one drop — or it might state how much concentrated cannabidiol is in each bottle.
A single drop is about .05 ml, meaning a 10 ml bottle of CBD oil has around 200 drops. So if the bottle contains 1,000 mg of concentrated cannabidiol, each drop contains about 5 mg.
In that case, say you determined your ideal dose is 30 mg; you’d take about six drops.
Possible Benefits of Concentrated Cannabidiol
If you are taking CBD straight from the leaf, via say smoking it, you will need the COA to determine how much CBD is in an OZ. This will take a little more math and is often not easy to determine exactly how much you have untaken.
While concentrated or distilled cannabidiol comes in higher doses than CBD taken straight from the plant, its potential benefits, if it is a full spectrum CBD extract, should remain the same. This is because both regular CBD and concentrated CBD act on your endocannabinoid system, producing possible health benefits, including:
Concentrated Cannabidiol for Pain Relief
People have used cannabis for pain relief for thousands of years; more recently, researchers discovered that cannabidiol is responsible for those pain-relieving effects.
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Concentrated CBD may help relieve chronic pain by interacting with neurotransmitters and reducing inflammation by affecting the body’s endocannabinoid receptor activity. For example, one study found that CBD alone can be effective for back and nerve pain.
Other studies have found CBD to be effective for treating pain related to arthritis and fibromyalgia.
Concentrated Cannabidiol for Mental Health Disorders
Many mental health disorders are treated with pharmaceuticals, which can have a number of side effects.
CBD and concentrated CBD have shown promise for treating some mental health disorders, including insomnia and anxiety.
For example, one study found that 300 mg of CBD significantly reduced participants’ anxiety before speaking in public. CBD has also successfully helped treat anxiety and insomnia in children and adults with PTSD.
Other studies show concentrated cannabidiol’s ability to help treat social anxiety, depression, and more.
Concentrated Cannabidiol for Neurological Disorders
Some researchers believe that CBD can benefit people with neurological disorders, and more studies are coming out to back up those claims.
The CBD-based spray Sativex helped 75% of people with MS reduce their medication-resistant muscle spasms. CBD oil (Epidiolex), also significantly reduced the number of seizures in people with epilepsy.
Concentrated cannabidiol and other CBD products may also benefit people with Parkinson’s disease and tuberous sclerosis.
Other Potential Benefits of Concentrated Cannabidiol
Other than treating the issues listed above, many other studies have focused on CBD and its effect on our health. Although more studies are needed in many of these areas, CBD may provide other benefits, including:
- Substance abuse treatment — CBD might help relieve depression and anxiety symptoms in those with a drug dependence, according to these two studies (one and two).
- Sleep improvement — This study and this study suggest that CBD may help improve sleep for people with certain disorders.
- Antipsychotic effects — One study found that concentrated cannabidiol may help reduce symptoms of psychosis in people with schizophrenia and other disorders.
Concentrated Cannabidiol Risks & Side Effects
While concentrated cannabidiol and other CBD products are generally considered safe and well-tolerated, they can cause rare adverse reactions with large doses.
Some studies note side effects like:
- Fatigue
- Weight and appetite changes
- Diarrhea
Some studies have reported additional side effects, including sedation, drowsiness, and abnormal liver function. However, these effects may stem from CBD’s interaction with other medications.
In addition, concentrated cannabidiol products are more potent than other types of CBD, meaning they might not be ideal for everyone, especially those sensitive to CBD or who don’t typically use it.
Taking a high dose of CBD without prior experience may come with a higher risk of side effects. Note: all these possible side effects are considered transient or temporary.
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Concentrated Cannabidiol: Final Thoughts
CBD has been rigorously studied for its role in easing the symptoms of various common health conditions, including pain, anxiety, and neurological disorders.
However, these health benefits vary based on each individual and the type and dosage of CBD they use. In addition, some studies focus on the combination of THC and CBD — not CBD alone.
Research is still ongoing regarding concentrated cannabidiol and its health effects, but from what we’ve seen, the results are extremely promising.
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