CBD needs no introduction. It has started a wave in the US market that doesn’t seem to slow down anytime soon. So, it makes sense if you would want to be a part of the trend too.
Now, for people who are not used to CBD and wish to give it a try, knowing that it is a cannabis component can raise a lot of questions, such as, how long does CBD oil last in your system?
If you’ve been using cannabis or have heard about the herb, you may already know that it does show up in a drug test and can even leave you with mild effects the next morning. So, what about CBD? Does it last in your system long enough to get detected or have any residual effects?
Well, the answer to this question is not as simple as black and white.
How Long Does CBD Oil Last?
The way CBD works in your body will probably not be the same as someone else across the room. That’s because each person is different from the other on a number of fronts. This is the reason why knowing how long CBD oil will last in your system will depend on the following:
- Individual factors
- Consumption habits
- Method of Administration
Let’s discuss these points in detail.
Individual Factors
Our bodies are made differently. Everyone has a different metabolic rate, weight, lifestyle, etc. And these factors are extremely important in deciding how long CBD oil will last in your system.
The following factors are frequently seen as the primary determinants of the same.
Past Experience With CBD
Now, CBD is not intoxicating like its cannabinoid cousin THC. So if you’ve been wondering if CBD intake will leave you falling all over the place, you can rest assured that it will not happen.
However, this doesn’t rule out the fact that CBD is psychoactive. It can affect the way your brain works and change your mood, appetite, feelings, etc. And getting used to this change can take time not just for you but also for your body.
Using CBD for the first time may not be as wonderful and pleasant as you might be expecting. The results can be underwhelming or extremely overwhelming.
So, if you are a beginner, you may feel the effects for a longer time as compared to those who are experienced with CBD.
Body Characteristics
Every single aspect that makes you different from the other, such as your weight, lifestyle, hormones, metabolic rate, etc. will decide the duration of the effects of CBD. For instance, if you have a high metabolic rate, your body will metabolize CBD faster and it will not last in your body for a long time.
Even the level of hormones in your body will change the way CBD reacts inside your body.
Your food intake also decides how long and how fast CBD affects you. The bioavailability of the chemical highly depends on whether or not you took it on an empty stomach or after a meal.
Consumption Habits
Besides your individual factors and the method of administration, the ‘how’ and ‘when’ of your CBD consumption habits say a lot about the duration of the chemical in your system.
In simple words, you must answer the question- ‘how much you consume and when?’
These factors will give you an idea of the kind of effects you will experience and the duration of the same.
Dosage
It’s a very simple conclusion- the higher your CBD dose, the longer it will stay in your system.
A dose of CBD varies from person to person and their needs. But, when you consume a stronger dose, your body will take longer to metabolize it and remove it from the body. This is generally in the case of people who use CBD for severe conditions like chronic pain and PTSD.
Frequency
Even if you are using a smaller amount of CBD, it will stay in your system for a long time if you dose frequently or regularly.
For people who use CBD occasionally, it’s much easier to get it out of your system. Regular use does not give your body enough time to completely metabolize CBD.
Related: How Long Does It Take for CBD Oil to Work?
Method of Administration
The most important determinant of how long it takes for CBD to work and leave your system is the way you consume it. There are a number of different methods of administration for CBD. Each one is processed in the body differently which affects the bioavailability and metabolism of CBD in your system.
Ingestion
CBD can be ingested in multiple ways. You can either use pre-made edibles like gummies, lollipops, chocolates, etc. or beverages like CBD water, energy shots, lemonades, etc. or make your own edibles at home by infusing your food with CBD oil or CBD flower.
The fact about ingesting CBD is that it takes time to enter your bloodstream because of the digestive process involved in ingesting food. In addition to this, the bioavailability of edibles is around 20%. So your body absorbs 20% of the total CBD in the edibles and that too in about 30 minutes to 2 hours.
And on top of that, the effects can last from six to eight hours after consumption.
Sublingual
Sublinguals are generally CBD strips or tinctures that are used by placing them under the tongue. The CBD is absorbed by the tissue under your tongue which directly delivers it to the bloodstream without having to go through the digestive system.
This is what makes the onset quick. It works in 15 to 30 minutes and the effects stay for about 1 to 3 hours.
Inhalation
CBD can also be inhaled by smoking or vaping it. The market is brimming with CBD cigarettes, CBD flowers, modern vape pens and E-liquid.
Inhaling CBD is one of the fastest methods of administration. Inhaling CBD is quick because you can feel the effects almost instantly. The duration of effects will depend on your strain type. Generally, the effects can last from as low as 45 minutes to 4 to 5 hours.
Topical
Topicals generally do not contain a high CBD concentration. They are also meant for a topical application so the CBD enters your bloodstream through your skin.
Topicals deliver the effects within a few minutes and can last for a few hours.
Transdermal
Transdermal patches are also a kind of topical. You apply it on your skin and let the CBD enter your bloodstream through the permeable skin. However, it happens throughout the day and so the patch can last for as long as 8-12 hours.
What’s the Final Answer?
The duration of the effects of CBD is different for every method. However, even after the effects wear off, it can stay in your system for 2-5 days. And it takes about 11 days for the CBD to be completely gone from your body.
Now, is CBD detectable?
Yes, if you used full-spectrum oil. It will be detected because of the trace amounts of THC. Since CBD is federally legal, authorities don’t really test or care about CBD content in the blood.
But generally, CBD is detectable only within 24 hours of consumption. Beyond that, you have nothing to worry about.
