Are you a new Cannabidiol (CBD) user? Or are you considering testing out one of the many CBD products in the market? In just a short time, the CBD craze has taken the world by storm. Thanks to the remarkable benefits it offers, more and more people are joining the bandwagon. However, since it’s relatively new, most people, especially new users, don’t know much about the various aspects of this revolutionizing compound. One of those aspects is how long does CBD oil stay in your system?
One issue that most people are especially not aware of is that of how long CBD oil stays in their system after using it. An even more significant number might not even be aware of whether CBD can test positive in a drug test or not. If you are one of these people, fear not! As your leading experts in all things CBD, we have compiled information about the effects of CBD on your body. You will know how long it lasts, and if or when you need to be concerned about going for a drug test when using it. Read on to find out.
What is CBD?
Before looking at the effects of CBD on your body and how long it lasts, it’s essential to understand what it is. Cannabidiol(CBD) is one of the over 100 chemical compounds known as cannabinoids that have been isolated from cannabis plants. Research into the compound has revealed several potential health benefits, ranging from improved cognitive function to pain relief, and alleviation of stress and anxiety. However, what has made CBD products popular is the fact that the chemical isn’t psychoactive. Therefore, unlike THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), CBD won’t get you high. THC is the primary psychoactive ingredient in cannabis
The Different Types of CBD Products
To understand CBD, we need to understand the different types of CBD products available in the market. Various methods can be used to get CBD from cannabis plants. This is a factor that can affect how the compound affects your body and how long it lasts. Below is a look at some of these different types:
- Hemp CBD– is extracted from the hemp plant, and usually comes in the form of oil. It contains minimal amounts of THC, which are not enough to give you a “high” feeling
- Marijuana CBD – is extracted from the marijuana plant and is also usually in the form of oil. There is no restriction on the amount of THC it can contain, which means that it can give you an unwanted “high.”
- Full-spectrum CBD – during the extraction process, all other cannabinoids, including THC, terpenes, vitamins, and others found in the cannabis plants are kept.
- CBD isolate –with these products, only the purest form of CBD compound is extracted and kept. CBD isolate usually found in the form of powder or crystal, which is added into food products or made into a tincture.
- Broad-spectrum CBD – similar to full-spectrum CBD in that all other cannabinoids are kept during extraction, except for THC.
How Long Does CBD Oil Effects Last?
CBD products are usually taken for their health benefits, as opposed to some other cannabis products that are made for leisure. Once consumed, the compound in CBD oil links up with the body’s CB1 receptors, where it promotes the functioning of the endocrine system.
Cannabidiol, however, like any other compounds that enter your body starts to wear off over time. The half-life of CBD is estimated to be somewhere between 18 and 32 hours. However, several factors can affect the half-life, and consequently, how long the compound stays in your body. Below is a look at some of these factors. Also, check out “From Hit to Kick: Time For CBD Oil to Take Effect” to see how long each CBD product takes to take effect on your body.
The type of product used
The kind of CBD product you use has significant bearings on how the compound affects your body. Products from high-quality CBD extract will have a much stronger effect on your body, and likewise, will last longer. CBD products that contain other cannabinoids will also affect your body more and are likely to last longer than pure CBD extracts.
Frequency of use
How much you use CBD oil (and other cannabis products) will also affect how long it takes for the compound to clear from your system. For heavy users, the compound will take more time to clear due to building up in the body. On the other hand, CBD will clear up pretty quickly for a first time user, or one who only uses it occasionally.
Dosage amount
The amount of CBD oil you take will influence directly how long the compound remains in your system. A high dosage will take longer to clear, while a small amount will clear up faster. This is pretty obvious.
Method of administration
CBD can be taken in several ways, which can significantly affect the effects of the compound on your body. This is due to the different absorption times and quantities for each of these methods. Below is a look at each of them:
- Sublingual application – the product is held under the tongue for about 30 to 90 seconds before being swallowed. This allows for it to be absorbed into the mucous membrane found in the region, and then onto the bloodstream. The direct absorption combined with oral intake means that more amount of CBD finds its way into your body. However, the faster absorption rate also means a slightly shorter duration of the compound in the body, as it will start clearing up faster.
- Oral administration –in this method, the CBD oil and pills, are swallowed to get to your system. The compound then has to pass through the digestive system before being absorbed into the bloodstream. As a result, a smaller amount of CBD is absorbed, which means that the body won’t have a lot of CBD.
- Edibles – the CBD oil is mixed into food products or beverages and has to pass through the digestive system, and thus a lower amount of it is absorbed.
- Topical– topical administration involves applying CBD oils, balms, creams, and other agents directly on the skin. The compound is then absorbed directly into the CB1 receptors that are found on the skin. The administration technique is thus fast-acting, but the CBD never finds its way to the bloodstream, which means that it clears up from your system faster.
Metabolism
CBD is metabolized in your body. Therefore, your body’s metabolic rate will have a direct influence on how long it takes for CBD oil to be cleaned up entirely from your system. If you have a fast metabolism, it might only take a few days or even hours depending on other factors. However, if your metabolism is slow, you can expect to wait a little bit longer to get rid of the compound.
Lifestyle
Lifestyle is another factor that might seem trivial but might have a significant impact on the effect of Cannabidiol in your body. If you have an active lifestyle, for example, exercising or engaging in sports daily, CBD in your body will be burned up faster. However, if you don’t do much during the day, the compound will take longer to be eliminated.
Your diet is also another influencing factor. A healthy diet, especially one high in fiber content, will lead to faster elimination due to the efficient digestion and removal of waste.
Weight
Your body’s weight, or rather the amount of fat in your body is another factor that will affect how long CBD stays in your system. This is because CBD is a fat-soluble compound. When you consume it, a portion of it is dissolved in the body. A person with a high-fat content will most likely have a higher amount of CBD dissolved into the fat tissues. This will cause the compound to stay in the system longer.
Check out “CBD Oil & Back Pain: Here’s What You Should Know” for more info on how your body weight affects your overall health.
Gender
Gender will not directly affect how long CBD stays in the system. However, the physical and physiological differences that exist between males and females can affect the amount of time it takes to clear the compounds. For example, men usually have bigger bodies, and they are likely to have a higher metabolism. Therefore, there is a good chance that the compound will clear up much faster in men than in women.
Can CBD Show Up On a Drug Test?
Ideally, the answer should be no. There are two main reasons for this. The first one being that a lot of research into the compound has revealed that CBD is quite safe to use without risk of harm or addiction.
The second reason is the fact that in normal drug tests, other cannabinoids such as the psychoactive THC are the ones being tested. CBD is either left out of the test intentionally because the person/body conducting the test knows that it is not harmful, or because they are not aware of it.
However, if someone was to test for CBD use deliberately, it is possible that they would find evidence of use in your bloodstream or urine. However, given the increasing legalization and acceptance of CBD as having substantial health benefits, this is unlikely to happen.
Why Can CBD Oil Use Result In a Positive Drug Test?
If you are only using CBD oil, you do not have to worry about getting a positive result in a routine drug test. But, before you celebrate this fact, you should know that you are not in the clear yet. People have reported failing drug tests after consuming CBD oil and other Cannabidiol products. So, can the compound cause you to fail a drug test? No!
So, what exactly can be the reason for failing a test after using CBD oil? Below are some of the possible scenarios:
1. Using products with THC
While a drug test might not be testing for the presence of CBD, one of the compounds they will be testing is THC. Therefore, if you are using CBD oil that contains THC or other psychoactive compounds, for example, full-spectrum CBD oil, you should not hope for a clean bill of health. The THC and other compounds in the oil are more than likely to show up on the test, leading to a positive result.
Because of this, you should be very careful when purchasing CBD oil to use. Be sure to confirm that the product you are buying does not contain other compounds, and for the best guarantee, always purchase from a certified company.
2. Cross-contamination
Only purchasing CBD oil products that do not contain THC should spare you from a positive drug test result, but this is not always the case. Remember that CBD oil is extracted from plants that contain THC compounds. Therefore, if the extraction and processing stages are not handled with extreme care, there is a high chance of contamination of the compound with THC or other psychoactive. In some cases, the contamination may be high enough, such as to result in a positive test result.
3. Mislabeled products
Some CBD oil products contain THC, but in small amounts such that they cannot cause a positive result. For example, Hemp CBD oil should contain less than 3% of the psychoactive, which is too low to show up on a test. Again, this might not always be the case. Some companies can extract oil that has higher than stated amounts in their product labels due to poor extraction practices. If you are unfortunate enough to consume such oil, you will be unknowingly ingesting a high enough amount of THC. Sufficient to cause you to fail a drug test.
Take a look at “Main Differences Between CBD Oil & Hemp Oil You Should Know” for a look at what the differences are between these two oils that get mistaken for one another all the time.
4. Second-hand exposure to THC
Another way that you might fail a drug test is if you are exposed to THC through other means, after consuming CBD oil. The most likely situation where this can occur is if you are exposed to second-hand smoke from marijuana. However, for THC to show up in your urine or blood, you would need to be exposed to a lot of smoke and for an extended amount of time, say hours.
Apart from second-hand smoke, another likely scenario is if you come into direct physical contact with THC or other marijuana psychoactive, or paraphernalia containing the substance. After such contact, a drug test that is conducted from hair follicles could likely return positive results. Again, this is also a rare occurrence, especially given that hair tests are not very common.
The only way to avoid any of these situations is to practice caution before your drug tests. Avoid being in any situation where you can be exposed to THC if you are about to undergo a drug test.
5. Accumulated THC from CBD use
Lastly, another reason why you could fail a drug test due to CBD oil use is if you are a heavy user of the product. Unless you are using 100% pure Cannabidiol, any product you consume will have some small THC amounts. And while a single-use might not be enough to appear on a drug test, heavy use might lead to a positive result. This is due to the accumulation of THC, which can easily build up in your system to high amounts if your body is not given enough time to eliminate it.
To avoid this scenario, you should avoid using CBD oils excessively. Alternatively, you should only purchase pure CBD products, such as the CBD isolate. It might also be a good idea to abstain from using CBD oil for a few days to prevent the accumulation of THC.
Cannabidiol is a revolutionary compound that has proven to be a reliable alternative treatment to some health problems. As time goes on, CBD is only going to get more and more popular. However, before using it, you should be aware of how long CBD oil stays in your system, especially if you are worried about a drug test.
Usually, using CBD oil should not make you fail a drug test. After all, Cannabidiol is safe and doesn’t stay in your body for long. However, it might be possible to consume THC and other psychoactive compounds alongside CBD oil, leading to a failed test.
Thank you for reading with us today! Let us know in the comments below if you’re using CBD products and which ones. Also, check out “CBD Oil & Migraines: Everything You Need to Know” for a look at how CBD can help out with those migraines you’re having. We’re on Instagram and Facebook as well, be sure to follow us for all your CBD and medical marijuana inspiration. We’ll see you there!
