Have you ever heard anyone say “I tried CBD and it didn’t work?” Have you ever tried CBD yourself and thought it didn’t work? There are several reasons that this could be. First, about 88% of the CBD market is fake. So if you are not buying a CBD product from a reputable company such as Equilibria, or if you don’t know your farmer or supplier, then your CBD product may actually be very expensive coconut oil, olive oil, or some other diluted concoction. The easy solution is to purchase a CBD product from a reputable brand that offers 3rd party lab testing.
While CBD does have an immediate effect, most people don’t notice it right away. Some feel slight relief in 15-60 minutes, lasting for up to 6-8 hours. But most people benefit from an accumulating effect that takes about anywhere between 7-30 days to see a significant difference. After this time period is when clients using CBD really notice its effects and feel less discomfort, stress, and sleep better. If those clients stop using CBD, all of those problems slowly seem to creep back into their lives and that’s when they notice where and how it was actually working. Also, a variety of factors such as what other medications a person is taking, their gender, and where they are in their life cycle (for women, specifically their menstruation cycle) all impact how CBD affects a person.
Another reason that CBD “didn’t work” for an individual is that their dosing may have been incorrect. Dosing CBD can be tricky which is why I advise people to start low and go slow. The way to find the right dose is to utilize your Equilibria dosing specialist or to consult a cannabis clinician. A journal is always handy as well! I encourage my clients to journal heavily to keep track of incremental progress.
Researchers don’t really know what the true mechanism of action is for CBD. It is an agonist (unlocks or enhancement) for some neurotransmitters such as serotonin, but it also is a weak antagonist (blocker) of CB1 and CB2. Scientists understand that it is a great phytocannabinoid. It works on a large number of symptoms and disease processes, has little in the way of side effects, and all without being mind-altering. But more research is needed to understand exactly what CBD is doing inside our bodies and why/how it can be used for such a wide array of ailments. Currently, there are 191 ongoing studies on CBD looking into its effects on more than 300 conditions which is really amazing.
Overall, CBD is sometimes more about what you don’t feel rather than what you do immediately feel. And it requires guided patience to work with. While it does not have the euphoric effect of THC, it has amazing anti-inflammatory, stress-relieving, pro-sleep, anti-seizure, antispasmodic, and anti-nausea properties and the potential for so much more. One of the best parts of my job is when I see the data come to life for my clients and watch them have better symptom control leading to a greatly improved quality of life from using CBD.