Cannabidiol, or CBD for short, has been praised as one of the finest homeopathic alternatives to modern medicine. From helping regulate your mood, encouraging better sleep, reducing physical and mental distress, and many others, CBD has risen to the top as one of the most iconic compounds found within the hemp plant. But what happens when you don’t feel like it’s working for you? Those who have had positive outcomes may scoff at your misfortune or trivialize your concerns with a scornful, “you’re probably not doing something right.” You are then left feeling frustrated and dejected thinking that maybe the problem really is you. If you can relate to this particular scenario, you’re not alone. While it’s true that CBD has proven to be incredibly effective when used to combat a plethora of issues, the hemp-derived compound does have limitations as it works differently with each individual. In this article, we’ll be going over some reasons why CBD may not work for you. Some are specific to you as an individual, whereas others may require a slight adjustment in your personal use. Let’s go over some of the most common reasons why CBD may not be working as expected.
Doesn’t CBD Work For Everyone?
The short answer is no, CBD doesn’t work the same for everyone (and sometimes not at all!). There are many personal factors that may affect how well (if at all) CBD works for you, similar to how many medications are effective for some but not others. It’s important to keep an open mind and allot enough time for the CBD to take effect as well as how much you’re taking in a single dose. Since CBD doesn’t have any immediate effects, it’s crucial to allow the cannabinoid time to work. Consider keeping a journal to track your progress and notate any changes (good or bad) you may experience. If you still feel like CBD isn’t working for you, there may be some things that may help the efficacy of CBD for you personally. Let's go over those now!
Reason 1: Finding Your Goldilocks Product
The market for CBD is filled with literally thousands of products, ranging from beginner favorites like gummies to advanced items like vape carts and pre-rolls. Different products also carry different bioavailability rates, the amount of CBD your body is able to absorb. Edibles like gummies and softgels are typically lower on the bioavailability scale since they must first pass through your digestive system before being absorbed into your bloodstream. Inhalables like vape carts and pre-rolls have a very high bioavailability rate as they bypass the digestive system completely and are absorbed directly into your bloodstream via your lungs. If you’ve been simply eating a gummy once a day, you may want to consider switching to sublinguals (such as CBD oils or tinctures) or inhalables instead.
Reason #2: Poor Quality Products
You should pay very close attention to how your CBD products were made. Premium CBD uses high-quality ingredients and undergoes rigorous testing to ensure both potency and purity. Since CBD isn’t regulated by the FDA, anyone can produce and market a product as being “the best in the industry.” This can lead to a lot of false claims, the use of harmful pesticides, contaminants, and other pollutants. The only way to confirm if your product was crafted carefully and with premium ingredients is to check the Certificate of Authenticity (CoA’s). This may be listed on the vendor’s website, on the product packaging, or by specific request. Consuming an inferior CBD product may be the culprit why you’re not feeling any improvements with CBD, regardless of how consistent or frequently you consume it.
Reason #3: Restricting The Entourage Effect
Both THC and CBD (as well as others) can offer a plethora of benefits when consumed together, an effect that’s affectionately referred to as the Entourage Effect. This theory proposes that consuming the multiple parts of the hemp plant (i.e., the stem, stalk, and seeds) can offer multiple benefits as opposed to limiting yourself to only one cannabinoid (CBD). If you feel like broad-spectrum products or CBD isolate aren’t working for you, consider switching to a full-spectrum product. This allows the naturally occurring terpenes, flavonoids, and minor cannabinoids to work together to deliver the best outcome possible. As a result, the entirety of the plant’s makeup can work together to enhance the anti-inflammatory effects as well as reducing any negative reactions within your body.
Reason #4: Too Much Or Too Little Of Either CBD & THC
Both CBD and THC are found naturally in the cannabis plant; when derived from hemp, they are considered legal in accordance with the 2018 Farm Bill. It is true that CBD won't get you high while THC will indeed get you high, often leading CBD to be referred to as the “good cannabinoid” and THC as “the bad cannabinoid.” Biased opinions like these can severely limit the potential benefits that both compounds can offer overall. Since CBD doesn’t have any immediate effects, you may be tempted to think that it’s not doing anything.
The truth is that CBD is most effective when taken consistently over a long period of time. THC has noticeable effects, but consuming too much or unknowingly eating a “funny” brownie or other THC-infused goods unawares may elicit a sense of uneasiness due to the overwhelming high you weren’t expecting. Aside from getting you high, THC also has the ability to reduce physical discomfort, reduce the urge to vomit and can even lessen pangs of nausea, can help you feel more relaxed to the point where your mind can unwind and just zen.
Reason 5: Your Condition Isn’t Responsive to Cannabinoids.
We mentioned earlier that some personal factors may dictate whether or not CBD is effective for you. One such factor is that your specific condition may not respond to cannabinoids at all, regardless of dosage, product type, or length of time consumed. CBD works naturally with your endocannabinoid system (ECS) to help regulate your body’s natural processes. Some of the processes CBD can help with includes reduction of stress, inflammation, physical discomfort, mental anguish, PTSD, some cancers, and a variety of others. Yet your particular physical and mental struggles may be different from your peers, meaning that CBD may not work the same for your specific condition.
Reason 6: CBD May Interfere With Other Medications You’re Taking
CBD can negatively interact with certain blood thinning medication (warfarin), medication for heart rhythm (amiodarone), certain painkillers (tramadol), medication for thyroid issues (levothyroxine), and seizure medication (clobazam, lamotrigine, and valproate). CBD has also been known to counteract the enzymes in your liver (cytochrome P450), a crucial enzyme that metabolizes several known medications. Some consumers speculate that the aforementioned drugs can also interfere with the overall efficacy of CBD. Before you embark on your cannabidiol adventure, check with your primary care physician to ensure it's safe for you to take CBD.
How Long Does CBD Take To Start Working
CBD does not have a set period of time to start working; inhalable CBD can take effect within minutes whereas edibles can take hours. You won’t feel any immediate changes but should notice improvement after a few weeks of consistent consumption. Your body needs time to acquire the necessary level of phytocannabinoids (cannabinoids derived from plants) to replace the endocannabinoids (cannabinoids found within the body) lost during the regular ECS function.
Consider CBD Alternatives
As a last resort, you can consider consuming CBD alternatives. CBD is the most popular cannabinoid, but it is by no means the only one! There are over a hundred known cannabinoids and countless terpenes and flavonoids found within the hemp plant. It may be beneficial to look at other compounds and medication instead of basing your results solely off of CBD. Some examples would be THC-rich CBD, CBG, CBN, etc. It’s always a good idea to speak with your primary care physician to find a more effective alternative to standard CBD consumption methods. As more research and studies are conducted on cannabidiol and hemp-derived cannabinoids, we can learn more on how to determine what CBD is effective for and other possible alternatives.
Final Thoughts
Cannabidiol is by no means a magic wand; you should never expect the hemp-derived compound to eliminate ALL of your problems (i.e., physical discomfort, sleep issues, appetite and mood swings). Yet the reverse is also true; taking CBD and fully expecting it not to work can hinder the potential benefits your body needs. It may help to approach cannabidiol consumption with an open mind and notate any positives or negative outcomes you come across. One good thing about CBD is that it has no known withdrawal symptoms; if you start it, don’t like it, and decide to discontinue its use, you won’t experience any detrimental effects like nausea, hallucinations, cold sweats, and other withdrawal symptoms.
Here at ERTH Wellness, we take great pride in all of our CBD products. Our gummies, CBD vape juice, softgels, tinctures, and topicals are crafted with premium ingredients to deliver the best results possible. All of our products have undergone rigorous testing by third-party independent labs to ensure purity and potency, the results of which are embedded in each product description as well as via a scannable QR code on the product’s packaging. If you’re a bit skeptical if CBD will work for you, check out our Try Before You Buy program! Once you’re ready for a full-sized container, we offer discounts for recurring subscriptions and frequent price drops to deliver the full power of the hemp plant. Should you need more information or clarification on anything in this article, feel free to reach out to us; we look forward to hearing from you. Our next article will touch on a topic briefly mentioned in closing: why doesn’t CBD cessation come with withdrawal symptoms? Only one way to find out; we’ll see you in our next article!
