How Long Do the Effects of CBD Last?
- by Lourdes Staff
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CBD, or cannabidiol, is a cannabinoid that's extracted from hemp and cannabis plants. It's best known for its therapeutic effects on pain and inflammation, but it also offers many other benefits. For example, CBD oil may help reduce anxiety and improve sleep quality.
For some people who use CBD oil regularly, the question becomes: how long does CBD last? How long do its effects last once taken? We'll examine this topic in more detail below.
Does how CBD is consumed make a difference?
CBD can be consumed in many ways: orally, topically on your skin, or via inhalation. Each method has its pros and cons—and what works best will depend on the condition being treated and your personal preferences—but they all have one thing in common: they work differently from each other when it comes to duration and intensity of effects.
How long the effects of CBD last depends on how it's consumed.
Does eating or drinking CBD take longer to affect you?
The time it takes for CBD to affect you depends on the method of administration. Ingested CBD products are absorbed into the bloodstream slowly, so they can take up to an hour or two to produce effects.
This is in contrast with inhaled CBD products, like vape pens and sublingual sprays, which generally have a faster onset time and take effect within minutes. Topically applied creams or lotions can also provide relief more quickly than other methods because they're directly targeting certain areas of the body rather than being ingested into general circulation through the digestive system.
Additionally, any substance that interacts primarily with the endocannabinoid system (ECS) will take longer than those that interact primarily with other receptors in your body—like opioid receptors or serotonin receptors—since ECS-targeting substances work through complex pathways throughout your brain and nervous system before producing any noticeable effects.
Does smoking or vaping CBD affect you more quickly?
The effects of CBD are felt within minutes when you smoke or vape it. That's because your body absorbs the cannabinoids in CBD quickly, so you'll feel them almost immediately after inhaling. It's a different story when you eat or drink your CBD product, which will take longer to digest and be absorbed into your bloodstream.
The effects of smoking or vaping CBD lasts longer than other methods because of how quickly it gets into your system—but it also depends on how much you have consumed and whether there are any other factors involved, like eating.
What other factors impact how long effects of CBD will last?
It's important to keep in mind that there are other factors that can impact the length of time you feel effects from CBD. Factors like: how much you consume, your body weight and metabolism, how much sleep you get, your diet and exercise habits, age, stress level and any other drugs or medications that may be interacting with CBD.
The short answer of how long the effects of CBD lasts depends on how you consume the CBD. If you eat or drink it, it will take longer to affect you than if you smoke or vape it. Other factors like your tolerance level and whether or not there are other compounds in your product can also impact how long the effects last.