Depending on where you live, CBD might be regarded as an illicit substance. Keep in mind that CBD tests are rarely performed by companies and governmental officials, which can be a saving grace for medicinal hemp users.
Although people are rarely scrutinized for the use of cannabidiol, the presence of this substance in your body can indicate that you’ve been using THC, a common ingredient of marijuana.
In order to avoid any potential issues, people often ask us: ”How long does CBD stay in your system?” The answer may vary from numerous factors.
In this article, we will try to mention some of the main factors as well as the potential issues if you test positive for CBD.
Read on!
What is CBD, and how does it affect you?
CBD or cannabidiol is a substance that can be found in hemp. It is also present in some other plants, but most companies utilize hemp for extraction.
Certain strains have 20% and more CBD content making it the dominant chemical compound within the plant. Besides cannabidiol, the hemp plant is rich in cannabinoids, terpenes, flavonoids, and other substances.
The reason why the hemp plant is so intriguing is because of its ability to bind to endocannabinoid receptors in the human body. It is believed that the endocannabinoid system can regulate numerous internal processes, including mood, appetite, sleep, reproduction, regeneration, etc.
Image taken from the National Center for Biotechnology Information
In other words, by being able to bind to this system, cannabinoids such as CBD are able to harmonize and restore it to its optimal efficiency.
CBD and THC
However, although CBD is often portrayed as this “miraculous substance, the studies show that cannabidiol requires THC in order to bind to receptors. Otherwise, it would even work as an antagonist preventing binding to receptors and denying the potential regulation of the endocannabinoid system.
Luckily, most medicinal hemp products have both THC and CBD.
The combination of cannabinoids could facilitate the abovementioned process providing numerous benefits to your body. It is really hard to say how exactly a substance will affect you and what kind of benefits you can expect. We simply don’t have enough data to make any claims.
As for cannabidiol, it is a non-toxic substance, and, unlike THC, you shouldn’t get high by using it. Here is an excerpt from an abstract posted on the National Center for Biotechnology Information website:
“Several studies suggest that CBD is non-toxic in non-transformed cells and does not induce changes on food intake, does not induce catalepsy, does not affect physiological parameters (heart rate, blood pressure, and body temperature), does not affect gastrointestinal transit, and does not alter psychomotor or psychological functions.”
While CBD is generally regarded as safe (barring a few mild side effects), THC is a psychoactive substance that can get you high. However, in most countries where medicinal hemp is legalized.
These products cannot have more than 0.3% THC content which isn’t enough to change your perception of reality.
How long does CBD stay in your body?
To give you a short answer, CBD will remain in your body for 2 to 5 days. However, in some cases, it might stay in your body for weeks.
This can be especially troublesome for people who are using medicinal hemp on a regular basis. Have in mind that subsequent uses can have a major impact on cannabidiol concentration in your blood.
Here are some of the main factors that will affect how long CBD stays in your body:
1. Frequency and quantity
Needless to say, like with all other substances, the concentration of CBD will increase with the dosage. If you took a higher dose, it would stay in your body for a longer period of time.
If you’re using cannabidiol regularly, it will start building up over time, which will make it harder to flush out. On the other hand, if you only use it occasionally, it will be much easier to remove it from your system.
2. Body type
There are various body factors that determine how long does CBD stays in your system. All of us are different, with different tolerances and reactions to substances.
The first thing you need to consider is body weight. After that, there is also the speed of metabolism, water content, the overall state of the body, etc.
3. Diet
Diet is another thing you need to consider. Taking cannabidiol on an empty stomach can improve digestion allowing the body to flush it faster. Things such as quality and quality food also play a role.
4. Administration method
Nowadays, there are a lot of different CBD products on the market. By changing the product type, you usually change the administration method, as well.
Consumers have various items at their disposal, including edibles, oils, pills, capsules, topicals, vapes, and so on. Generally speaking, if a product enters your body quickly, it will also leave it relatively quickly.
For example, vapes will start taking effect after 20 minutes, but they don’t last long. On the other hand, edibles take a lot of time to be digested by the body, and their impact is much longer.
Does CBD show on a drug test?
The main reason why people ask up how long does CBD stays in your system is because they don’t want to get exposed during a drug test. Luckily, most of these tests don’t focus on CBD but on THC and other chemical compounds.
And while you might not test positive on cannabidiol. There is a chance you will test positive on THC, given that this substance is often present within medicinal hemp products.
Even if we’re talking about medicinal hemp products that have less than 0.3% THC, there is still a chance you will test positive on the substance (a small chance, but it’s there).
So, here are some suggestions that will help you avoid this potential problem:
- Avoid products that are labeled “medical marijuana” or “medical cannabis” (they have higher THC concentration). Only use items categorized as “medical hemp.”
- Always go with broad-spectrum CBD and isolates. Unlike full-spectrum CBD, these two product types don’t have any THC whatsoever.
With these tips, you will avoid all the issues that come with medicinal hemp use.