What is CBD Oil?

CBD (cannabidiol) is one of over 100 anti-inflammatory compounds called cannabinoids that naturally occur in cannabis and some other plants.

CBD brands and manufacturers use food-grade production methods to extract cannabinoids from cannabis plants and infuse them into oils, creams, and edible snacks.

Most people prefer CBD-dominant cannabis extracts because they offer cannabis’s soothing and anti-inflammatory benefits without causing any kind of high or intoxication.

What are the benefits of using CBD Oil?

CBD oil is the subject of numerous ongoing clinical trials. It’s being studied for its reported effects on pain, inflammation, irritation, and stress—making it a candidate for treating various issues, from depression and arthritis to epilepsy.

Thanks to its ability to provide natural, non-intoxicating relief from pain and anxiety, people are using CBD to help manage GAD, PTSD, and neurological disorders such as MS. It’s also being used topically to help fight acne, skin conditions, and muscle aches.

Pet-friendly CBD oil for dogs is another popular type of CBD supplement. Owners of pups with conditions like canine arthritis and separation anxiety have found that CBD can improve their pets’ daily wellbeing.  

How do you take CBD oil?

Depending on the format, CBD can be consumed in a variety of ways:

• Under the tongue: Using a tincture to drop CBD underneath your tongue (sublingual application) is the recommended way to consume CBD oil.

• Eaten: Edible oil, gummies, candies, capsules, and phoenix tears infused with CBD create a whole-body effect when eaten.

• Inhaled: CBD vape oils are designed to work with all standard devices.

• Topically: Creams, balms, lotions, and roll-ons deliver CBD directly to an affected area.

Should I take full-spectrum CBD oil or a zero-THC CBD oil?

For most people, we recommend full-spectrum CBD oils, as they contain a wider variety of beneficial cannabis compounds. Full-spectrum extracts include CBD as well as minor cannabinoids like CBC, CBG, and traces amounts of THC.

Consuming a full range of cannabinoids in their original ratios creates something called the entourage effect. This can be summed up as the whole is greater than its parts. So CBD is shown to work better when it’s accompanied by the other cannabinoids present in the marijuana plant.

While hemp-made full-spectrum CBD oil contains only small traces of THC, many wish not to consume any of the psychoactive compounds—either due to personal, legal, or employment reasons. For those with THC concerns, isolate CBD oils made with 99% pure CBD ensure that no other cannabis compounds are present in the product.

Here’s our full page on Full Spectrum CBD vs. Hemp-Based CBD Isolate

How is CBD oil manufactured?

CBD manufacturers infuse cannabinoid extracts into high-fat carrier oils to aid digestion and absorption. Mostly, carriers are made of hemp seed oil or coconut-derived MCT oil.

The cannabis extracts contained in carrier oils are usually harvested from hemp plants—a variety of cannabis that’s low in intoxicating compounds like THC and is legal across North America.

Not all cannabis extracts are made the same. Canadian CBD brands label their products using three ‘spectrum’ categories to indicate the extract type:

Full-spectrum extracts are unprocessed, whole-plant extracts that contain all of the cannabis compounds present in the original hemp flower.
Broad-spectrum extracts undergo processing to remove certain cannabinoids (often THC).
Isolate extracts are further processed to remove all cannabinoids besides CBD.

Hemp farmers and enthusiasts spend time breeding plants with different bouquets and ratios of cannabinoids. The result is a wide range of CBD strains that offer slightly different benefits.

Does CBD have any side effects?

Clinical studies have not shown any significant side effects from consuming CBD oil, even in high doses. In fact, CBD is thought to have a favorable side effect profile in comparison to similar pharmaceutical medications such as NSAIDs.

A minority of people using CBD may experience minor ill-effects such as drowsiness, light-headedness, dry mouth, and diarrhea.

CBD is one of several compounds (along with grapefruit juice) that are known to interact with enzymes in the liver that help to break down certain medications. These include benzodiazepines, antihistamines, and statins. As a result, consuming CBD along with such medications may affect their function.

What’s the difference between CBD oil from hemp or from marijuana?

Traditionally, cannabis plants are categorized as either hemp or marijuana. Marijuana plants typically have potent flowers rich in THC, while hemp plants have harvestable stems and flowers containing a higher amount of CBD.

Today, however, modern cannabis breeding means that traditional distinctions are blurry. Some marijuana plants contain lots of CBD and hardly any THC, while several hemp strains offer potent mixes of cannabinoids.

All of the CBD products we offer are made from cannabis plants that fit current definitions of hemp, with THC levels below 0.3%. Regardless of plant type, isolated extracts contain only CBD and no other cannabinoids.

How does CBD oil for dogs work?

Because humans, dogs, and most mammals share similar endocannabinoid systems, CBD is thought to work in the same way across people and their pets.

As a result, dogs can benefit from the way that CBD lowers inflammation and calms the nervous system. Conditions such as arthritis, seizures, and canine anxiety are all highly common conditions in dogs, and all have been shown to respond positively to CBD supplementation.