Overview
Table of Contents
If you are already using CBD regularly or at intervals for a long time, you might be wondering how long it stays in your system. Typically, CBD stays in your system for five to seven days. However, that range does not apply to everybody. For some people, CBD can stay in their system for week two. The duration may vary from person to person since many factors will greatly have effects on how your body will process CBD. These factors will make out how quick CBD is processed in the body and eventually, how long it will take for it to be completely out of your system.
In a recent study, patients were given a uniform and particularly high dosage of 700 milligrams of CBD a day for six successive weeks. During the end of the 6th week, the patients were tested, and it was found out that CBD levels became undetected at seven days after stopping usage or intake. Ongoing studies have been carried out to determine a more precise duration of CBD’s longevity in the human body. However, it has been established that there will be no specific duration since it changes depending on the consumer and other external factors such as the consumption method.
Basically, the time it takes for a compound to leave the body is based on the chemical’s half-life. It will then be constructed on how your organs will break down and filter the compounds effectively. A good and established rule of thumb is that CBD will leave your body within two to four days for light users and up to a week for heavy users.
Longevity of CBD effects in the body
CBD does stay in your system for a number of days. However, its effects will only last for a couple of hours. The effects of CBD in your body will also vary from one person to another. It will be subjective based on the method of consumption, frequency of usage, and dosage. A good way to identify it yourself is to observe when the effects start kicking in, right after using CBD.
If you want to experience the effects quickly, you should opt in sublingually taking CBD in or inhaling. These two methods let you experience the effects quickly, but they fade a bit fast too. If you would not mind waiting for a couple of minutes for CBD to kick in and want the effects to last for a couple of hours, we suggest that you consume the edible ones or use CBD topicals.
Take note that you will only enjoy the effects on the particular part where the product is applied to and not your whole body when using topical CBD.
The time it takes for CBD to work
Some people may be able to feel the effects right away while some might have to wait for a couple of minutes for CBD to kick in. Essentially, the time it takes for CBD to work will vary from person to person. In order to understand how long CBD stays in our system, we need to understand the different method of consumption as well. Different forms of CBD, such as oil, edibles, topicals, have different impacts on how the body is consuming them and how they are eventually processed.
CBD oils
CBD oils or also commonly referred to as CBD tinctures or sublingual drops are one of the quickest methods of intake available today. Oils have remarkable fast effects and are felt immediately. Normally, CBD oils and tinctures take effect at around five minutes after use. When it comes to oils, the best way to have and maximize its effect is through the sublingual intake. Drop the oil under the tongue and let it stay there for a minute or two before swallowing.
Sublingual application or intake has fast-acting effects since the oil bypasses the digestive tract and gets absorbed directly through the salivary glands and proceeds right away to the bloodstream. This method of consumption is ideal for those who want to experience how CBD makes you feel right away.
CBD edibles
The edible ones are very famous nowadays since they are a very quick and guarded way to take your daily dose of CBD. Edibles may be made in the form of cookies, brownies, gummies, and capsules. If you want to achieve faster results with CBD, we suggest that you take them in an empty stomach. For edibles to take effect, they also need to enter your bloodstream, and since there are ingested orally, they will have to pass through the digestive system. The CBD component in the edibles will then be metabolized before the active CBD compounds will be sent to the bloodstream.
CBD lotions and topicals
Lotions and topicals are more common in beauty or skincare products. CBD is infused in lotions, creams, ointment, or balms and is applied topically. They are effective against pain and inflammation and can be directly applied to the problem area.
Since CBD topicals are applied only on the surface of your skin, they never really enter the bloodstream. However, it directly acts on the specific area of concern and is eventually absorbed by the skin to interact with the cannabinoid receptors in the area. If your main usage involves getting relieved from localized inflammation and pain, CBD topicals are truly an excellent choice.
Vaporized CBD
Many CBD consumers, especially the young ones, prefer vaping over the other methods because, besides this popularity, vaping also has its unique benefits. Aside from its ease of utilization, vaporization also offers effects that can be felt almost immediately, similar to the sublingual method. Upon inhaling CBD through vaping, the CBD then proceeds to the lungs and get directly absorbed towards the bloodstream.
In terms of bioavailability and the fastest time for the CBD to take effect, vaporized CBD will be the top choice since it has the highest bioavailability. When vaped, up to 50% of CBD is fully absorbed by the body.
Processing of CBD in the body
CBD is normally stored in your body’s fat cells instead of the water cells, and this is because CBD is a fat-soluble substance. Therefore your weight or your body mass index will greatly affect how fast CBD is metabolized. The higher your body mass and weight are, the longer it will take to leave your body system.
As mentioned above, your intake method will also affect how your body will process the CBD once it gets into your system. It will also affect how immediate the effects will be felt, but regardless of how you take CBD, the effects still typically last for up to three to four hours.
CBD in screening tests
Both THC and CBD compounds are present in cannabis, but unlike CBD, THC is a psychoactive compound and is commonly used for recreational purposes. On the other hand, CBD is used more in the medical field because of the health and medicinal effects it can offer.
Drug screenings generally check for recreational drugs only, and they usually test for THC and not CBD. However, it is helpful to note that even though CBD alone will not yield a positive result in the drug screening test. It is still possible that some products may contain trace or small amounts of THC, and this may build up in your system enough to yield a positive result in your drug screening test. That is why it is important to check the product labels to be sure of what you are getting.
Avoiding the use of full-spectrum CBD will help you ensure that you will not test positive during a drug test. We suggest that you opt for a CBD isolate instead since it contains pure CBS with no other cannabinoids at all. Most CBD isolates are declared to contain no THC at all, make it a point that you purchase from manufacturers who are transparent and with reputable labels and third party laboratory results. There are a lot of differences between CBD isolate and full-spectrum CBD, and it is important to know them.
Remember that just because you don’t feel the effects of CBD, it does not mean that it is no longer detected in your system. If you are scheduled to take a drug screening test for employment, it is better to abstain or better yet use a CBD isolate product that you can be sure of and confident with no THC in it.
How long does CBD stay in your body system
Numerous factors affect the stay of CBD in your body system, and these factors will not only influence how long the CBD stays but also how it will affect you wholly. CBD can be detectable for a long time for some while not for others; it is definitely not the same for everyone. It can depend on the method of consumption, dosage, frequency of use, and physical factors such as age, weight, metabolism, and genetics.
CBD in hair
Hair tests are famous for being able to detect chemicals and drugs for a longer period of time. This type of test will detect THC metabolites in CBD, if any, for as long as three-months post-consumption. But hair tests are very uncommon for the detection of THC and CBD.
CBD in urine
Urine tests are the most common method of screening, especially for employment purposes. The THC metabolite detection window in urine tests may vary according to the dosage and frequency of use. Normally, these metabolites can be detected in the urine for up to two weeks after the last time of administration or intake.
CBD in blood
Blood tests to detect CBD and other cannabinoids are not very common. However, they are still utilized to detect THC metabolites in the body. Blood testing is not a preferred method since cannabinoids are eliminated from the bloodstream less than a day. However, THC metabolites and CBD can be present in the blood for up to a week.
CBD in saliva
Saliva tests are also rarely used; however, compounds can be detected within minutes after consuming them and could last for up to a day or two, depending on the frequency of use and dosage.
Factors affecting the longevity of CBD in the body
It would be best to consider certain important factors or variables when thinking about how long CBD can stay in your system. These are:
- How much you are using or the dosage of the CBD you are consuming is very vital. Similar with other substances, the higher the dose, the longer it will be in your system.
- The frequency of usage also determines how long the CBD will be staying in your system since it builds up in your body over time with frequent use. If you use CBD occasionally, there are greater chances for it to be clear from your system a lot quicker.
- Your body’s mechanism will also matter, and every one is unique and different; that is why CBD affects people differently. Metabolism, water content, and body mass index are important things that can influence the longevity of CBD in your body.
- Apart from your metabolism, your food intake will also matter. If you consume CBD on an empty stomach it will be metabolized and eliminated faster compared to having it on a full stomach.
- As mentioned above, the method of intake or usage also plays an important role in the effect of CBD in the body and how long it stays. Those that will enter the body quickly and produce effects faster will also leave the body faster.
Final thoughts
The best way to determine how long CBD can stay in your system is to fully understand how the body functions differently from one person to another. There are guidelines and rules of thumb established through research; however, the way your body receives and interacts with CBD will play a huge factor in determining how long it can stay in your system. Each person’s usage and metabolic activity are different from the other person’s, same goes to the products being used and the method of intake utilized.
CBD has indeed helped many people greatly when it comes to relieving medical issues or those who just want to achieve a well-rested and relaxed night. That is why we prepared this post so that we can help you understand more about the actions of CBD in our body systems and aid you as well in making informed decisions based on your needs and personal preferences.