How Long Does It Take for CBD Gummies to Kick In?
Summarize
Generally, people feel the first effects of CBD gummies within 30-60 minutes, but it may take up to two hours. Each person is unique, resulting in a significant variation as to when people report feeling the CBD effects and how long the effects last.
How Long Does it Take CBD Gummies to Start Working?
You may feel the first effects of CBD gummies within 30-60 minutes. It can take longer when certain conditions exist. For example, CBD gummies are edibles, so they must go through the digestive process before the CBD reaches the bloodstream and then the endocannabinoid system (ECS). If you have a slow metabolism, the distribution of the CBD in your body will take longer.
Factors that Affect the Time it Takes for CBD Gummies to Kick in
The CBD onset time refers to the time it takes for you to feel the effects of CBD. How long do CBD gummies take to kick in? As mentioned, it can take 30-60 minutes in most cases, but there are various factors, including the following, that influence the time it takes. Some of these factors also influence how long the effects last.
How Long Does It Take CBD to Start Working?
➥ Dosage
The higher the CBD dosage, the faster the effects are usually felt. For example, you consume two CBD gummies instead of one.
➥ Metabolism
CBD gummies undergo the first-pass metabolism process, a crucial step in their absorption and metabolism. This means they go through the digestive process. The gummy is broken down in the stomach by the stomach’s acids and enzymes, and then is passed through the small intestine, where some CBD enters the bloodstream through the intestinal wall.
Most of the CBD undergoes first-pass metabolism, a process in which the liver breaks down the CBD into metabolites that enter the bloodstream. The metabolites then travel through the bloodstream to interact with the endocannabinoid system (ECS). Your metabolic rate affects the time it takes CBD gummies to kick in.
➥ If CBD is taken without food or not
When you eat a CBD gummy on an empty stomach, the absorption process is faster.
➥ CBD potency
Potency is the amount of CBD in the CBD gummy. The potency may influence how fast CBD effects are experienced. When you take high-potency gummies, a higher amount of CBD enters your system at once, which may lead to faster effects. However, potency alone does not necessarily determine the CBD gummy onset time. How fast the body processes the CBD is more of a determinant.
➥ Body weight
Since CBD is fat-soluble, some of it will be absorbed into fat cells for eventual release. This process will delay the onset of the CBD effects.
➥ Consistent usage
Consistently taking CBD may help the effects kick in sooner because the cannabinoid levels can build up in your body’s tissues.
How Does it Feel When it Kicks in?
When you eat a CBD gummy, the effects kick in gradually since the CBD goes through the digestive system. Though effects vary depending on the individual, there are some common ones people report experiencing soon after consuming a CBD gummy. You may expect one or more of the following results.
- CBD is not intoxicating, so there is no “high” feeling like you get when taking THC. The amount of THC in full spectrum CBD gummies is below the 0.3% level allowed by federal law and believed to be the point at which intoxication could occur.
- Consumers frequently report a general feeling of calm or relaxation.
- Many people report experiencing less general discomfort.
- CBD may improve mood.
- CBD may also increase a sense of well-being.
Once the CBD kicks in, you may experience some of the effects that medical researchers have reported as clinical trial results. Taking a CBD gummy formulated to promote better sleep may improve sleep quality.
How Long Do the Effects of CBD Gummies Last?
CBD, like any compound, has a half-life. This is the time it takes for a substance to decrease by half in the bloodstream after consumption. If you consume a 10 mg CBD gummy, the half-life is the time it takes for the CBD milligrams to drop to 5 mg in the bloodstream. It takes approximately five half-lives before a substance is fully cleared from your system.
If you take a single dose, it will take approximately 2-5 days for the CBD to be eliminated from your system. However, various factors, including metabolism, dosage, CBD potency, body weight, stomach contents, and the type of CBD spectrum, influence the rate of CBD gummies absorption and the duration of CBD effects. If you have been taking CBD consistently for an extended period, the effects may last longer. It also means you always have CBD in your system that is going through the half-life process.
The effects may be sustained throughout the day by splitting a dosage to prolong the effects. One approach is to split a dose into two doses, with one taken in the morning and one in the afternoon. Another strategy is to take a full dose twice a day.
You should follow a schedule for taking CBD. Eat your CBD gummy at the same time each day. This will ensure an even supply of CBD is delivered to your system.
Factors Influencing the Duration of Gummy Effects
Various clinical studies have demonstrated that the effects of CBD consumed in edibles can last 6-12 hours. The peak effects of CBD are usually experienced between 2.5 and 5 hours after consumption. This is when the CBD reaches peak concentration in the bloodstream. The concentration of CBD in the bloodstream is significantly increased when CBD is consumed with a high-fat, high-calorie meal.
➥ Food intake
A common question is: Do CBD gummies work better with food? CBD is fat-soluble. Consuming a CBD gummy with a meal that includes fats will increase CBD bioavailability and extend the duration of the CBD’s effects.
Ranking Bioavailability of Different CBD Products
➥ Empty stomach
Do CBD gummies work on an empty stomach? Yes, they do. In fact, since the stomach is empty, CBD is absorbed more quickly than if the stomach is full. This means the effects may not last as long since the metabolic process is accelerated.
➥ CBD potency
As mentioned, potency alone is not a determinant of when CBD effects kick in or how long they last. Potency is impacted by other factors that contribute to when CBD effects are felt. For example, if you regularly consume CBD, it is possible to develop a tolerance. If you have a slow metabolism, the effects of a high-potency CBD gummy may last longer compared to a low-potency CBD gummy.
➥ Dosage
The dosage is the amount of CBD consumed per serving. If you take a small dose, the effects may not last as long compared to taking a higher dose.
➥ Entourage effect
A full spectrum CBD gummy is made with a CBD extract that contains all of the hemp plant’s natural compounds. These compounds include terpenes, flavonoids, and other cannabinoids like CBG and CBN. These compounds are believed to work together synergistically to produce a greater effect than each compound would alone. Broad spectrum CBD gummies also deliver the entourage effect but without THC. The entourage effect may increase the duration of the effects. Isolate CBD is pure CBD, so the synergistic effect is not produced.
➥ Body weight
As mentioned, since CBD is fat-soluble, any CBD absorbed into fat cells does not go directly into the bloodstream. CBD is instead released over time from the cells. This could increase the duration of CBD effects.
How to Make Gummies Work Faster?
There are several ways to make CBD gummies work faster.
- Consume the CBD gummy on an empty stomach or between meals, and not right after a meal.
- Purchase fast-acting gummies made with nano-emulsion technology that breaks down cannabinoids into water-soluble particles that are easily absorbed into the bloodstream through the stomach lining, bypassing the digestive system and liver processing.
- Drink water to aid the digestive process.
- Consume a higher dosage of a high-potency CBD gummy, i.e., eat two gummies instead of one per serving.
- Buy high-quality CBD gummies to ensure the amount of CBD in the product is accurate.
- Consume full spectrum CBD to enjoy the entourage effects.
Take CBD Gummies in a Responsible Manner
One of the things to avoid is taking too much CBD in the belief that you will experience faster results. Like any compound, it is important to start with a low CBD dose and increase the amount slowly over time until the desired effects are experienced.
Purchase CBD gummies from reputable producers that accurately label their products with ingredients, including the CBD mg per serving, and provide a Certificate of Analysis (COA) that details the cannabinoid content per serving. Finally, be sure to consult your doctor before taking CBD.
Sources
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7023045/
- https://www.sleepfoundation.org/sleep-aids/cbd-for-sleep
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK554498/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32504461/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK556048/
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