Guide to CBD Capsules – Benefits, Dosage & Disadvantages

Over the last couple of years, we have seen CBD oil and other cannabis derived products hitting the mainstream, and with good reason. As laws and attitudes change people are beginning to be able to take advantage of the health benefits of CBD completely legally and without feeling like they are doing anything wrong.

Thanks to the recent legalisation of some parts of the cannabis plant, we are seeing more and more research being carried out on its impact on the human body and a change of people seeing cannabis not as an illicit drug for stoners, but being accepted as something which has the potential to help people with an array of health issues (as some cultures from around the world have been doing for thousands of years).

What is CBD?

CBD is a great way to give your general well-being a lift as well as being able to help with some more specific issues which can arise from certain imbalances in the body.

In our body, we have a system known as the endocannabinoid system. This is a system which helps to regulate many of the other systems and function of the body. These include:

• The immune system
• The central nervous system
• Mood and chemical levels in the brain
• Body temperature
• Pain
• Sleep and appetite
• Nausea

The endocannabinoid system works though the interaction between endocannabinoids (which are produced naturally in the body) and cannabinoid receptors (generally known as CB1 and CB2 receptors).

Scientists believe that when the levels of endocannabinoids are low, it can affect the endocannabinoid system, and this is when certain health issues occur.

And this is where CBD comes in handy.

CBD is a natural cannabinoid which is found (amongst others) in the cannabis plant. These are called Phyto cannabinoids as they are made in a plant, but the important thing is that they can interact with the CB1 and CB2 receptors in a similar way to the endocannabinoids which are made in the human body. So, when there is a deficiency in endocannabinoids, these Phyto cannabinoids can step in and help to get the endocannabinoid system working properly.

It is for this reason that there are so many different biological factors that CBD can help. In its present form, it doesn’t ‘cure’, it just gets the body working at an optimal level, so it can effectively ‘cure itself’.

There are a number of methods that people use for taking their CBD, including vaping, CBD oil drops under the tongue, CBD infused food, and, one which is growing in popularity, is CBD capsules.

CBD capsules look like any other supplement that you take for your general good health and are taken in the same way. It is a quick, easy and discreet way to get your daily dose and this is why it is proving to be so popular.

So, if you are thinking about CBD capsules, you probably have a wealth of questions. So here is your definitive guide to CBD capsules.

CBD Capsules are easy to dose

One of the best things about taking your CBD in capsule form is that you know the exact dose that you are taking. It can be tricky to know exactly how much you are consuming with other methods, whereas with CBD capsules you will always know exactly how much you are getting.

Whether you are vaping your CBD or taking drops under the tongue, it can be difficult to know exactly what dosage of CBD you are getting. You might miss-calculate your dosage of CBD vape juice, not vape it all, or mis-judge your drops, for example.

With CBD capsules, you don’t have any of these problems. As the doses are already measured out into each capsule, there is no chance of your getting your dosage wrong. Just pop it in and wait for it to take effect.

CBD Capsules can be integrated into a routine

It can sometimes be difficult to remember to take food supplements – especially if it is for your general well-being and not to treat something specific. By taking CBD in a capsule form, you can lump it in will any other vitamins or minerals that you take daily, ensuring that it doesn’t get forgotten.

Unless we are in pain or can tell that we are having some sort of health issue, it can be easy to forget to take something. So, if you are taking CBD to help to keep your body in tip top shape, it can be useful to be able to take it in capsule form, as part of your daily vitamin and mineral routine.

CBD Capsules are discreet and portable

CBD capsules are ideal for carrying around and can be taken anywhere. By just popping a pill, no-one can see what you’re taking or question why you’re taking it. Your little bottle of CBD capsules can be kept in your handbag, pocket or gym bag, isn’t bulky and people are less likely to ask questions.

You might not want people asking about what you’re doing, what you’re taking and for what, or just generally commenting. CBD capsules are a very discrete way of taking CBD, with only a few mouthfuls of your favourite drink needed.

Vaping can attract attention from others when you’re out and about – and is sometimes not allowed in public places, there is less of a stigma attached to taking a capsule, so it means that you can take your CBD wherever you are, whenever you want.

CBD Capsules taste better

Well, not exactly taste better. You just don’t taste them. Many people don’t enjoy the ‘grassy’ or ‘earthy’ taste of CBD. When it is taken in the form of CBD oil, and kept under the tongue for a while a lot of people find the taste of it unpleasant.

Due to the fact that CBD taken in capsules, it is kept within an outer shell, so you won’t taste the flavour of the CBD at all. This means that you bypass the less-than-delicious taste of the CBD itself and get all of the benefits. CBD capsules have no flavour and no odour, so you can take them just as you would any vitamin or mineral.

CBD oil or CBD capsules?

CBD oils is another very common method of taking CBD. Deciding whether to take it in oil for or in capsule form – other than personal preference with regard to the actual method, really comes down to the reason why you are taking it.

The main difference to your body between CBD oil and CBD capsules is in the time that it takes to come into effect, and the length of time that it stays in your system. In short, CBD oil offers a quick, fast acting ‘hit’ of CBD. It is absorbed quickly into the bloodstream, starts its work, and then fades relatively quickly. This is great for people who are taking it for specific reasons – such as pain relief.

CBD capsules, however, can take up to a couple of hours to come into effect as they enter the bloodstream through the digestive system. It will also stay in your system for longer and are therefore more effective for people who are taking CBD for their general good health.

If you are taking your CBD out and about, you might find that capsules are a better option as there’s no chance of leakage occurring – unlike liquid oils.

CBD capsules for pain relief

One of the health benefits that CBD can help with is for pain relief. For people who suffer long term chronic pain, CBD capsules can be a good way of keeping their CBD levels consistent for long periods. Although CBD oil or vaping can give you faster relief, capsules can give a ‘slower release’.

CBD can help with pain in two ways. Firstly, it can help the endocannabinoid system to regulate the central nervous system, and secondly it can help to reduce inflammation – which is often the cause of pain in the human body.

If you know that you are going to suffering from pain and are looking to take the edge off it for a few hours, then CBD capsules will be able to help you. If you are still feeling pain, you can also top up your CBD with sub-lingual drops or sprays, and if your pain is in the joint or muscles or a headache, topical CBD products can be rubbed into them for a more localised pain relief.

Personalised CBD doses

As we said before, one of the best things about taking CBD capsules is that you know exactly what dose you are taking. However, does that mean that you are limited to the dosages that you can buy? Well, the answer’s no! You can mix and match different dosages, or even make your own capsules.

When you buy CBD capsules, they can be found in varying strengths. This means that you can take a combination of different strengths so that you get the right dose of CBD for you. Or alternatively, you can ‘make your own’.

To make your own capsules, you can buy capsules online inexpensively in large quantities. You then buy the CBD oil which is right for you (full or broad spectrum CBD oil is best, unless you have a reason not to use this). You then measure out the dosage that is required and put this into the capsule.

Most CBD oil come with a dropper which can help you to measure your exact dosage and easily be put into a capsule and then hey presto! You’re just one gulp away from getting your own, personalised, optimum CBD dose.

CBD oil has CBD in it, Hemp seed oil doesn’t

One of the reasons that CBD oil is legal in many places is because it is made from the hemp plant. CBD oil, however, isn’t the same as hemp oil. In fact, hemp oil contains no CBD whatsoever.

The hemp plant is a specific variety of cannabis which has very low levels of THC present – the compound which gives you the ‘high’ that is associated commonly with the plant. This means that when CBD products are taken, they won’t make you high, and this is why in many places you are allowed to take CBD.

You can find out more about the difference between CBD and THC in this video here.

Hemp seed oil is made using the cold compress method (just like olive oil) of the hemp seed. The hemp seed doesn’t not have any CBD in it yet, and therefore you can’t get any dosage of CBD from your hemp oil – although it does taste nice and does have other properties which are beneficial to your health.

Hemp seed oil – good for your health

Although hemp seed oil won’t give you CBD, it will give you a whole host of other goodness for your body. It is packed full of essential fatty acids and vitamins that are crucial to a healthy body and is also an excellent way to help your body to absorb CBD.

Hemp seed oil contains no CBD or other cannabinoids but can still be very useful to your body. It has high amounts of omega-6 and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, and Linoleic acid (LA) and linolenic acid (LNA) are found in hemp seed oil at the ideal ratio (3:1) according to nutritionists.

It is also rich in Vitamin E – the vitamin which is very useful as an antioxidant.

CBD itself if not soluble in water. This means that its bioavailability (ability to become absorbed into the body ) is very low. This is why when CBD products are made, they are often mixed with ‘carrier oils`. When it is mixed with a fat, it can be absorbed much better, and hemp oil is the ideal oil for this.

Making CBD capsules and CBD oil types

If you are going to make your own CBD capsules, it is important that you fill them with the correct CBD oil for you. There are usually three kinds of CBD oil available – full spectrum oil, broad spectrum oil and CBD distillate.

Choosing the right CBD oil for you is important to making sure that you get the best effects for what you need.

• Full spectrum CBD oil is also known as whole plant CBD, and this means that the oil contains the ‘full spectrum’ of cannabinoids, terpenes and flavonoids from the plant – including low levels of THC. This is the most effective CBD oil as all of these compounds together enhance the efficacy of the product.
• Broad spectrum CBD oil is similar to full-spectrum, except that although it has a broad range of the compounds, it doesn’t contain all of them. Typically, the THC is not extracted, meaning that there are only traces in the oil. This is also a very effective way of taking CBD, but it is not as enhanced as it would be if it were full spectrum oil.
• CBD distillate is made by only extracting the CBD. This means that it can be up to 99% pure CBD. It should have no other compounds present but is less effective as it doesn’t include the other compounds which give the CBD a leg up.

Getting the right CBD Capsules

If you are not making your own CBD capsules, it is still important to check that you are getting good quality CBD. Unfortunately, the laws are unable to keep up with the rapidly changing CBD industry and this means that there are some CBD cowboys out there. Fortunately, there are some things that you can to do to ensure that you are getting the best CBD capsules for you.

Capsule producers should be able to tell you what kind of CBD product you are getting in them. If they are filled with oil, they should tell you what kind of oil it is. Some CBD capsules have a powder inside. This could be for a number of reasons – CBD oil can be sprayed onto a powder and then encapsulated, CBD isolate has been refined down to a powder form, or they have been made to be water soluble and converted into a powder.

All reputable CBD producers will be able to give you the results of independent lab tests. These will be able to give you an exact breakdown of all of the compounds – cannabinoids, terpenes and flavonoids – included in the product, as well indicate the presence of other substances such as solvents and pesticides which might have been used during the cultivation and extraction processes.

Getting the right dose

Everybody is different and this certainly applies to finding the right CBD dose for you. There are a number of factors which can affect how much CBD you need – from your weight, to what you are using CBD for. The best way to get the right does for you is to start low and gradually increase how much you are taking.

CBD can have a different effect on you depending on how much you take. As everybody is different, 20mg of CBD for one person might be too little, for another it might be too much and for another it might be just right.

To find out what the best dose for you is, it is recommended that you start off with a low dose – usually about 10mg and then gradually increase it (about every three days) until you notice that you are getting the results that you need. You cannot overdose on CBD, so when you start taking more than you need, you will just find that it becomes less effective for you.

Although CBD capsules lend themselves well to be taken at the same time as other food supplement or medications, it is important that if you are taking medication you speak to your doctor before trying CBD.

This is because it can affect how some medications are metabolised, changing the balance in the bloodstream, and meaning that some medications can become more, or less effective. Just because you are taking medications doesn’t mean that you can’t benefit from CBD, just that it is important to talk it through with your doctor first.

Likewise, if you are taking CBD and your doctor is going to prescribe you new medication, you should tell them before you start taking it to ensure that they don’t interfere with each other.

CBD capsules are an easy and discrete way to get your daily dose of CBD, especially if you are taking it for general good health or to have an underlying base of CBD in your system. Capsules can give you exact control over your dosage and can also leave you space to vape or take drops under the tongue for fast acting effects if you need to. Topicals can also be rubbed into the skin to provide more localised effects.

In addition to your dosage, the factor that has the biggest impact on how effective your CBD is, is the quality of the product. With little regulation in the world of CBD, doing your own research is vital. Try reading reviews online, speaking to other people who you know take CBD, researching the producers and checking those all important lab test results to make sure that you are getting a legitimate product.

Although CBD is a great thing for our health, some companies make unbelievable claims. In fact, legally, there are very few companies who are allowed to make medicinal claims about CBD, and in its current, legal form, CBD most producers can only talk about it being about to support general wellness and good health.

If there is a company which is making outlandish claims about CBD, they obviously are not staying within the law here, and consequently, you might find it difficult to trust them on other levels as well.

CBD capsules are an excellent way to start taking CBD as they are easy to administer, can be taken with you if you are out and about and can be taken as part of a routine. So, if you are thinking about trying CBD – or want to try a new method of taking it – CBD capsules could be the best way for you.