CBD is becoming very popular. More and more people are taking CBD supplements, and many of them are wondering how long CBD products stay in the body after consumption. Below we will explain how the body processes CBD, what the half-life of the substance is, and much more.
How does CBD work?
CBD works mainly through interaction with the endocannabinoid system, a regulatory network that makes the body work at its best. Unlike other cannabinoids, CBD does not directly bind to ECS receptors, instead working behind the scenes to deliver its unique effects.
The situation becomes a bit more complicated because CBD can be taken in different ways, and the method of administration plays a fundamental role in how the compound is metabolized (how it is broken down and distributed in the body).
For example, if you take CBD orally, the compound must pass through the digestive tract before it takes effect. However, if consumed sublingually (under the tongue) or inhaled through a vaporizer, CBD bypasses the digestive tract and begins to work more quickly.
How is CBD processed?
Once consumed and absorbed, CBD reaches the liver, where it is metabolized into a series of compounds that can be used by your cells. This metabolic process is carried out by the same group of enzymes that are responsible for breaking down approximately 60% of all drugs on the market.
From the liver, CBD metabolites are transported throughout the body, where they can interact with a wide variety of receptors.
Although this describes the fundamental journey of CBD, what we are interested in is how long the interaction between CBD metabolites and receptors lasts: how long does CBD stay in your body. To understand it, it is necessary to explain the concept of “half-life”.
Half-life is the term used to measure how long it takes for a compound to reduce to half of its original amount or efficacy in the body. It is calculated by measuring the blood plasma to know the amount of metabolites of the compound in question. From the plasma, drug metabolites are either removed from the body or transferred to another type of body fluid.
Generally, the half-life is calculated by administering a single dose of a compound and subsequently analyzing the blood plasma at regular intervals for traces of the drug. The amount of drug in the plasma tends to increase, reach a maximum level, and then begin to decrease.
Using the information obtained by measuring the half-life of CBD, scientists can calculate how long CBD remains in the body. We can’t do this in-house, but we can use the data to provide a general timeframe.
How long does CBD stay in your body?
The half-life of CBD is not known with absolute precision, but we can analyze some of the studies carried out. there is evidence[1] which suggest that CBD has a half-life of approximately 2-5 days. This is based on a study involving 14 Huntington’s disease patients. The patients received doses of around 700mg of CBD per day for 6 weeks. Keep in mind that these doses are much higher than a regular recommended dose.
In another study[2], the half-life of CBD was evaluated based on a single dose of 20mg administered intravenously and 18.8-19.4mg by smoking. Consequently, the half-life was estimated at 18-30h and 27-35h respectively.
But, and this is a major drawback, that time frame will vary from person to person. The length of time that CBD remains in your body is also affected by various biological factors, as well as the way in which it is consumed.
As a general rule, the more efficient the method of consumption, the faster the CBD is processed and the faster it is eliminated by our body. So, going back to the example above, CBD taken orally should stay in your system for a longer time compared to sublingually or vaporizing. It’s a delicate balancing act, one that you’ll have to experiment with to find out what’s right for you.
When discussing the metabolism of any compound, it’s important to understand that each person has a slightly different body and that there are various biological factors that can influence your ability to process compounds like CBD.
These include:
• Body fat
CBD is fat soluble, so a small portion may be stored in fat cells. The cannabinoid can stay in your body a little longer if you have a high percentage of body fat.
• Efficiency of your metabolism
Our metabolism is a combination of chemical reactions, including the conversion of food into energy. The faster your metabolism, the faster substances (including CBD) will be broken down, processed, and eliminated.
• Method of consumption
The way you consume CBD not only alters the potency but also the duration of the effects. The method of consumption is also linked to bioavailability. Generally speaking, delivery methods with higher bioavailability will also be cleared from the body more quickly.
• Amount of CBD consumed
The more CBD you take, the longer your body will take to process it. But you have to be careful, high doses could produce mild side effects, so it is very important to identify the right dose for each person.
• Purity and potency of the oil/supplement used
The higher the concentration of a CBD oil or supplement, the longer it takes for the liver to process it and the longer the active ingredients remain in your body.
How long does CBD stay in your body? conclusion
CBD is a complex and very unique compound, which can affect each person slightly differently. Unfortunately, research has not yet been able to accurately determine the half-life of cannabidiol. The half-life of CBD can be estimated at 18-35 hours, while there are studies that suggest that the half-life of CBD could be up to 5 days.
But remember that these are approximate figures. As we have mentioned before, there are several factors that can influence the speed with which your body processes and metabolizes compounds such as CBD. Until new studies are developed to determine the half-life of cannabidiol, these data are the closest we have.
