One of the more popular CBD products on the market today is CBD softgels. The great thing about them is that they are very convenient and easy to use. All you have to do is open the bottle, pop one in your mouth and swallow it. No mess, no fuss, just like taking a pill and you are good to go. But, how long does it take for them to hit your system and deliver the benefits? That all depends, read on and we will explain.
Table of Contents
What Are CBD Softgels?
The CBD softgels that are available on the market today come in various forms. For the people that do not mind animal products mixed with their CBD softgels come in a capsule-like casing made out of beef gelatin. For people that only like plant-based products, there is a vegan version of the softgel capsule. In both cases, the gelatin capsule allows the CBD that is inside of it to be introduced into the body by way of the digestive system.
Hemp Extracts and Softgels
The way that softgels are created is a cross between natural extraction and manual introduction. The first phase in the process of softgel manufacturing is to have a high-quality hemp extract to encapsulate. The extract that gets put into the softgel is basically the essential oil of the hemp plant. This oil can contain over 100 different cannabinoids, including a small amount of THC unless it is a broad-spectrum or isolated CBD extract.
A sophisticated piece of machinery doles out a precise measurement of hemp oil, then pulls the gelatin in a liquid form around the hemp oil. As soon as the gelatin encapsulates the oil, it is moved into a cooler chamber and kept in motion until it cools down and forms a solid capsule.
The Softgel And the Stomach
The softgel protects the contents within from the stomach acid and allows the CBD to enter the bloodstream in the same manner as food would. When you swallow pills or food, they go down into the stomach to be processed then converted into energy and sent to the parts of the body they are supposed to go. In the case of softgels that contain CBD, the stomach can absorb the contents of the softgel and distribute the contents throughout the body via the bloodstream CBD is believed to interact with the endocannabinoid system that is located within the nervous system.
Softgels vs. Tinctures
In order for CBD to become effective, it has to be introduced into the bloodstream. The fastest ways that CBD can enter the bloodstream are either directly, or sublingually. Although using CBD intravenously is not heard of, smoking it, or dropping it under the tongue are both ways that it can be instantaneously administered into the bloodstream. When you use a tincture to put drops under your tongue, you instantly introduce CBD into the veins. When you smoke cannabis or hemp the substance is brought directly into the bloodstream via the lungs. When you swallow your CBD in pill form, it has to go through the digestive system in order to hit the bloodstream. This can take up to an hour, or more.
Conclusion
In order to answer the original question regarding the amount of time that it takes for CBD softgels to work, we have to consider the quality of the softgel, the biochemistry of the person that is taking it, and whether or not they took it on an empty stomach. Theoretically, it could only take 30 minutes or so for the softgel to hit the bloodstream and cause an effect, however, there are a plethora of factors involved that will change the dynamics of everything. In most cases, it can take between 30 and 90 minutes for the CBD to take effect. However, it might be worth waiting a little longer in order to avoid the taste and inconvenience of using a tincture or smoking it.