Hello TribeTokes community, hope you are all feeling fit and lit in 2020! Today we’re discussing how long CBD lasts in your body. If you are new to CBD check out CBD 101 and CBD Dosing first!
Always remember, if you have a serious health condition please consult your doctor first. Rest easy knowing daily consumption of CBD is easy on your bodily systems. TribeTokes recommends CBD for Wellness as an essential component of an active, healthy lifestyle.
How Do You Take Yours?
According to the National Institutes of Health, how you take CBD determines how long it will take to feel its effects and how long it will last in your bloodstream. For instance, smoking or vaping CBD will take effect almost immediately, while ingestion with food can delay the onset for an hour or two.
Also note CBD builds up in your body over time if used regularly. If you only use it occasionally, it’ll clear your system faster – so if you would prefer CBD to build in your system to help with a certain condition, regular use is recommended.
How Long Does CBD Stay In The Body?
Generally, the therapeutic effects of CBD can last from two to six hours. However, CBD does stay in your system long after the effects are felt. The estimated half-life of CBD is 3-5 days. Half life is low long it takes the concentration of a substance in your body to decrease by half – so for example if you consume 50mg of CBD, 3-5 days later 25mg of CBD will still be in your system. Any excess CBD is stored in fat cells, and CBD will completely leave the body after a week or two.
When consumed orally, cannabidiol (CBD) is processed by the liver and by digestive enzymes, and only 6-15% of the CBD makes it through this process. Note that fatty lipids help carry more of the CBD into your bloodstream, which is why we use MCT Oil as the carrier in our oral full spectrum CBD tinctures. See a lot more detail on dosing and different consumption methods in our CBD Dosage Calculator.
Factors Impacting How Long CBD Lasts
- Metabolism: Plays a prominent role in determining time for CBD to metabolize and eventually be excreted
- Body mass index or BMI: A measure of body fat based on height and weight
- Frequency of Use: Some people consume CBD every few hours, others daily or weekly
- Strength of dosage: The higher the dose, the longer CBD will stay in your system
- Food & Water: How much and what you eat, when you eat it and how much water you drink all matter
- CBD is metabolized / eliminated faster on empty vs. full stomach
- Certain foods such as fats/lipids enhance bioavailability and increase CBD concentration in body
A Little Under the Tongue
The sublingual method allows CBD to enter the bloodstream fast via mucous membranes in your mouth. Eating/drinking and swallowing CBD means your liver and digestive system need time to process. Oils and tinctures placed under your tongue are absorbed into the bloodstream quickly and linger longer. TribeTokes recommends placing a few drops of its TribeTINCS under the tongue and in your cheeks for 60 seconds, then swallow.