What is CBD?

Diving into the world of CBD is overwhelming. There are lots of product types, new terms and little standardization across companies. CBD stands for cannabidiol. It is one of the more than 100 cannabinoids, chemical compounds that act on receptors in your body, found in the cannabis plant.

CBD and THC are the two most prevalent cannabinoids in the cannabis plant. THC is the cannabinoid that produces a marijuana high. CBD won’t get you high. While CBD is an essential component of medical marijuana, it is derived directly from the hemp plant, which is a cousin of the marijuana plant.

While CBD does not induce the mind-altering high that THC does, it is touted for having some psychoactive properties. Meaning, CBD can act in beneficial ways on our physiology without causing the typical high associated with marijuana consumption. For this reason, it is especially suitable for those who have medical challenges but also those who want to function normally on a day to day basis.

 

What does CBD do?

Depending on who you talk to, CBD is said to treat epilepsy, cancer, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s insomnia, diabetes, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory diseases, nausea, anxiety, depression, drug addiction, among many other conditions. However, the FDA does not allow medical claims for CBD. Manufacturers cannot promise their products will diagnose, treat or cure a disease as the FDA is notoriously, and importantly, conservative in their review of claims.

There are, however, many peer-reviewed journals such as this one that states, “CBD exhibits neuroprotective, antiepileptic, anxiolytic, antipsychotic and anti-inflammatory properties” – Pharmacotherapy.

CBD may offer an option for treating different types of chronic pain. A study from the European Journal of Pain showed, using an animal model, CBD applied on the skin could help lower pain and inflammation due to arthritis. Another study demonstrated the mechanism by which CBD inhibits inflammatory and neuropathic pain, two of the most difficult types of chronic pain to treat. For the FDA to substantiate these anti-inflammatory claims there needs to be more study in humans.

Is it OK for Athletes to take CBD?

CBD was removed from the World Anti-Doping Agency’s list of prohibited substances in 2018. It’s important to note that tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the better known psychoactive component of cannabis and its derivatives are still on the prohibited list. As a result, athletes who wish to use CBD must ensure any products they use don’t contain any THC.

How much CBD should I take?

No matter what condition you’re trying to treat with CBD, giving yourself an adequate dosage is key — or it might not work for you. It can be tough to figure out how much CBD you should take as there are no official recommended dosages.

The best strategy is to start low and go slow. Start on the low end of the recommended dosage and if you are feeling no effects after three to five days add onto the dosing.

It is also recommended to take your first doses an hour before bed, which makes sense since one common use for CBD is improved sleep. With a sign of taking too much CBD being lethargy or grogginess, it is something you will want to experience at the end of your day.

BUY CBD LIKE A PRO

When you start researching CBD products there are a million different types of CBD products, different verbiage than what you are used to and you are not completely certain what you need. The first thing to consider is the product type.

When consumed orally, such as through a tincture or a capsule, CBD can influence physiological functions throughout the whole body. It does this through an interaction with the endocannabinoid system (ECS), a biological system responsible for maintaining homeostasis.

If you are going to take CBD orally, your main options include capsules or tinctures. The tinctures have more flexibility in dosing as you experiment as a newbie. The capsules are easier to take and pack.

Topical creams are an easy-to-use topical agent that can be applied to almost any bodily area to relieve problems like soreness and inflammation.

As the largest organ in the body, it makes sense that the skin is full of cannabinoid receptors that can interact with CBD. When applied topically, the CBD can target localized clusters of cannabinoid receptors, rather than interacting with the ECS as a whole. If you don’t want to consume CBD but think it could benefit you in some way, then CBD topically could be the way to go.

Packaging

When reviewing CBD products, you will notice the packaging state whether it is Full Spectrum or CBD Isolate. These labels do not necessarily relate to how potent the product is.

Full-spectrum CBD is made with an extract that contains all or nearly all the compounds naturally present in the cannabis plant. This obviously includes CBD, as well as other cannabinoids (CBN, CBC, and CBG), terpenes, flavonoids, and much more.

CBD isolate, on the other hand, contains only CBD. In scientific terms, an isolate is the purest form of a compound, which is produced by singularly extracting that compound from its environment and isolating it from all other compounds.

After you decide on the product type and if you want full spectrum or CBD isolate, it is important to check the ingredients in your CBD product. Any CBD company that is legitimate will clearly put its ingredients on the package. it’s very important to choose a CBD product that is made by a company that is transparent about where their hemp is grown. Equally important is to ensure that the company you are purchasing from follows good manufacturing practices in their extraction process.

Your CBD producer should have access to viewable third-party test results that they can share with you to confirm that the CBD product you select meets regulatory requirements. These tests are usually easily accessible via QR code on the packaging itself. If your product contains more than 0.3 percent THC, it is no longer classified as hemp. If you want to avoid THC entirely, use the third-party test results to confirm that your CBD isolate products have 0% THC.

Drug Tests and CBD

Taking CBD shouldn’t cause you to test positive for THC, especially if you choose CBD isolate instead of full-spectrum products. However, there have been some reports of people testing positive for THC after taking CBD, depending on the type of test used. The risk increases if you take CBD from an unreliable source, as it may be contaminated or mislabeled. If you’re an athlete or have a job where you may be drug tested, you may want to avoid taking CBD. If you do choose to take it, read product labels and do your research to be sure you’re getting a high-quality product.

The Brands We Carry

At The Running Well Store we explored countless amount of CBD brands trying to uncover the best options for our clients. We wanted to make sure that the brands we offer were great for athletes and typical injuries we see in the store each day. After much deliberation we decided to bring in two brands:

Floyd’s of Leadville: We gravitated towards the Floyd’s of Leadville Brand due to their athletic history and focus. Floyd’s story is that of a world-class athlete who attained both extraordinary peaks (winning the Tour De France) and painful valleys (injury and depression). As a professional cyclist, discomfort was a way of life. Floyd Landis has sought out several herbs, supplements and other natural remedies but only CBD worked. Studies are examining how it optimizes the body’s ability to perform effectively and improve recovery rate. Floyd’s Of Leadville has opened a door to other high-performance athletes who have now discovered its numerous health and performance effects.

Aspen Green: We chose Aspen Green because they are dedicated to purity and that is backed up by being one of the few CBD companies that is USDA Certified Organic. That certification is extremely rigorous and difficult to achieve.

 

 

 

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