How Long Does CBD Oil Take To Work For Anxiety?

There is little chance that you haven’t heard of CBD by this point. Widespread publicity has made CBD a recognizable household compound that many people use for its proven medicinal benefits. Unlike its psychoactive cousin, THC, cannabidiol (CBD) does not produce any psychoactive effects. Since CBD usage does not produce a high commonly associated with ingesting a Cannabis sativa-based compound, CBD might be better suited for those looking for the positive benefits that Cannabis has to offer without the mind-altering effects.

CBD is commonly used to aid with a variety of common ailments. One of the most frequently cited uses for CBD is as an anxiolytic, or a compound used to help curb anxiety. Despite the FDA not currently recognizing CBD as an anxiolytic, there have been scientific studies that have produced positive results. In addition to the scientific research, it is also hard to ignore the positive claims from CBD users who claim that the compound has made a significant impact on their anxiety symptoms.

CBD is now widely available and comes in many different forms. From gummies to CBD-infused sodas, there really is something out there for everyone. One of the most common ways of consuming CBD is in oil or tincture form. CBD oil is easy to take and is fast-acting, meaning that it is a good option for those that are looking to try CBD without too much fuss. As with any compound that you are introducing to your body, it is important to consult with your doctor before trying CBD to help with anxiety.

In this article, we’ll cover some of the CBD basics and try to answer a few questions. Does CBD really work for anxiety? How long does it take for the effects of CBD oil to kick in? How much CBD oil does it take to alleviate anxiety symptoms? Keep reading to find out.

What is CBD and How Does it Work?

Before we go deeper into the benefits that CBD has for combatting anxiety, it’s important to understand what CBD is exactly and understand how it works on the brain. At this point in time, CBD research is well underway but there are still some significant questions that still need to be answered.

CBD, also known in more formal terms as cannabidiol, is the second most prevalent compound in the Cannabis sativa plant. CBD falls only behind the primary active ingredient in marijuana, THC, in terms of its sheer naturally occurring amount in the plant.

While CBD is often extracted from regular, psychoactive marijuana, it can also be derived from hemp plants, which contain less than 0.3% THC content. In fact, CBD is the most prevalent compound in the hemp plant. In 2018, the Farm Bill was passed which separated hemp from the legal framework that makes marijuana illegal. As a result, hemp-derived CBD products containing less than 0.3% THC have been deemed federally legal. While hemp-derived CBD has been legalized, it is important to pay special attention to labeling and lab test results as CBD products containing more than 0.3% THC are still considered federally illegal and could potentially cause a failed drug test.

How Does CBD Work on the Brain?

As with most of the other compounds found in the Cannabis sativa plant, CBD affects the body by interacting with your central nervous system. However, cannabidiol does so in a slightly different way than other psychoactive compounds like THC. Instead of interacting with C1 and C2 cannabinoid receptors, CBD binds more effectively with serotonin receptors. CBD is also known to react with other targets like sodium, potassium, and calcium channels, which all have a corresponding effect on the body.

The most significant interaction in terms of anxiety is CBD’s ability to bind with serotonin receptors. Serotonin neurotransmitters are thought to be linked to the body’s regulation of happiness, mood, and anxiety. Since CBD has the most interactivity with serotonin receptors, it makes sense that it could play a role in how your brain processes anxiety.

Does CBD Actually Work to Help Anxiety?

Since there is still quite a bit to be discovered about how CBD interacts with the brain, there are also quite a few conflicting opinions about its effectiveness to treat anxiety. Since the FDA hasn’t yet classified Cannabidiol as an anxiolytic, many people dismiss its effectiveness to treat anxiety. With that being said, numerous other studies have concluded that it may be an effective medicine to relieve anxiety symptoms.

A 2010 study published by the British Association for Psychopharmacology produced some promising results that showed that CBD had a positive effect on subjects experiencing social anxiety disorder. The subjects were given both a placebo dose and later an active dose of CBD in a double-blind procedure while being monitored using functional neuroimaging. The study concluded that CBD is effective in reducing anxiety-related activity in the limbic and paralimbic brain regions.

Another 2019 study published in The Journal of the International Association for the Study of Pain came to a similar conclusion with their test in rats. They found that seven days of intravenous CBD reduced mechanical allodynia, decreased anxiety-like behavior, and normalized 5-HT activity. While this study was not conducted on human subjects, the findings are still convincing.

As time goes on and more CBD studies are conducted, there will inevitably be more concrete information arguing for or against CBD’s effectiveness in fighting anxiety. It was the same story for studies regarding CBD’s use to help treat some forms of epilepsy, which eventually led to the FDA approving Cannabidiol for that purpose. Only time will tell for sure, but the studies that have been conducted so far are promising.

How Long Does It Take For CBD Oil To Work?

As we established earlier, orally ingesting CBD is one of the most common methods of taking it. In contrast to gummies or other forms of edible CBD, CBD oils and tinctures are most often taken sublingually, or under the tongue. There are a couple of benefits to taking CBD in this way. Other orally consumed ways of taking cannabidiol have to travel through your digestive system before they are processed by the liver.

With CBD oil, CBD is absorbed through the mucous membranes in the mouth. This faster method of CBD absorption means that effects will set in at around the 30-minute mark. While tinctures have a slightly shorter absorption time than other CBD oral ingestion methods, the effects are also significantly shorter. The effects of CBD oil typically last around 2-4 hours.

While the immediate effects of CBD oil are important to note, it is also important to recognize that the best results of CBD for anxiety are seen over time. A 2020 study showed the most significant quality of life improvement in subjects suffering from anxiety after three weeks of continual use. It is concluded that building up CBD in your system helps prolong the immediate anxiety-reducing effects.

CBD Oil Dosage

As with most supplements and compounds, the dosage that is right for you might be completely different than someone else. That is true with CBD oil as well. CBD dosage is entirely dependent on your own individual body chemistry, so there isn’t a catch-all number that works for everyone. In the studies mentioned above, dosages ranged from 10mg-600mg per day, so there is clearly a wide margin in terms of what works for some people. Pure CBD isn’t toxic to the body in any quantity, meaning that it is impossible to overdose on it. However, it might interact with other medications or prescriptions which is why it is crucial to consult your doctor before you begin taking it.  

The good news is that CBD oil is very easy to dose correctly, as it is measured in the number of drops that you place under your tongue. Pay special attention to the usage instructions on the label when determining how much is the right amount to take. By most accounts, a daily dosage of between 50-100mg is an effective starting amount. Most people find that a dosage in that range can help with acute anxiety symptoms. In terms of how that equates to liquid CBD drops, that is entirely dependent on the CBD concentration within your chosen product.

How Long Does CBD Oil Take To Work For Anxiety Takeaways

CBD has gone from a relatively unknown compound to one of the most talked about in recent decades. Cannabidiol is a naturally occurring compound in the Cannabis sativa plant that has numerous potential health benefits. One of the most promising of which is CBD’s ability to alleviate anxiety symptoms. While there is still a lot of research to be done in terms of how CBD affects the brain, its ability to bind to serotonin receptors presents some speculation about its use as an anxiolytic.

CBD oil is one of the most common forms of CBD available on the market. As it is taken sublingually, the effects begin quickly, at around the 30-minute mark. The effects last around 2-4 hours for acute anxiety symptoms. Some people might use CBD oil simply to treat these acute symptoms, while others might stick to a daily regimen to help with chronic anxiety.

CBD oil dosage is entirely dependent on the individual. Everyone’s body processes CBD, and other cannabinoids, differently, so the dosage for one person might not be the correct dosage for another. Studies have reported benefits from doses ranging from 10-600mg, so it is hard to pinpoint a concrete dose that will work for everyone. With CBD oil, it is relatively easy to work out dosing, as it is determined by how many drops you place under your tongue. Be sure to follow the dosage information provided with the CBD oil product that you purchase. Once again, consult your doctor before consuming CBD products. While CBD isn’t dangerous, it can interact with other substances.