How to Get CBD Out of Your System Quickly and Safely

CBD has recently come into the spotlight thanks to its potentially therapeutic and non-intoxicating properties. Both anecdotal and scientific evidence suggest that CBD may have a positive impact on various conditions, from anxiety issues to chronic pain. Many people may be hesitant to try it due to the general stigma associated with cannabis or the fear of failing a drug test. Although CBD doesn’t have the same psychoactive effects as THC, it still gets stored in the body. While the majority of drug tests typically screen for traces of THC, some may want to know how long CBD remains in the body. This article will look at what CBD is, how it functions, and how to get CBD out of your system.

Introduction to CBD

Cannabidiol or CBD is a natural chemical compound in the cannabis plant. It is also present in the marijuana plant, however, most CBD comes from the hemp plant. This is mainly because the majority of marijuana derivatives are generally low in CBD. Although THC users experience a ‘high’ feeling, CBD won’t make users experience the same feeling. CBD comes in a variety of forms, including capsules, tinctures, gummies, sprays, creams and gels.

How Does It Work?

CBD interacts with the brain and body through the endocannabinoid system. The ECS manages most of the body’s important functions such as appetite, sleep, mood, pain and perception, fertility, temperature, and immune response. The ECS discharges natural cannabinoids when there’s something wrong with the body. This restores balance in the body, which makes the system attain homeostasis. Based on this positive information, it seems unlikely that many of you would want to get CBD out of your system.

How Long to Get CBD Out of Your System

The Research Says

There’s no single answer as to the amount of time CBD will remain in somebody’s system. Everybody is different and there is a range of factors involved. This 2005 study found that CBD was only detectable for 9 hours after the subjects ingested it. This 2016 study gave subjects high doses of CBD every day for six weeks. One week after the test stopped, the amount of CBD left was so small it was practically undetectable. A 2018 study found that CBD left its subjects’ systems between two and 5 days after their last dose. Finally, this 2016 study couldn’t even detect traces from a single oral dose 24 hours afterwards.

The duration that CBD stays in your system will depend on variables like:

CBD Dosage

Like the majority of other substances, the higher the amount of CBD you take, the longer it will take to get CBD out of your system. 

Frequency of Usage

How often you take CBD will influence how long it remains in your system. If you take CBD frequently, it will build up in your system over time. CBD will clear from your system faster if you consume it intermittently.  

Your Body

Each person is different and so are their bodies. This is why CBD and other substances have different effects on every user. Your metabolism, body mass index, and water content are some of the factors that can affect how long CBD remains in your body.

Food

When you eat, how much you eat, and what you eat matter. Another aspect that influences CBD effects in the body is whether you take it on an empty stomach or with food. This matters because certain types of foods could improve bioavailability and increase CBD concentration in your system. If you consume CBD on an empty stomach, your body will clear it faster than if you use it when you are full.

Method of Administration

There are several methods of taking CBD. Both the effects and how long CBD remains in your system depends on how the cannabinoid was administered. The various forms include creams and lotions, vaping, edibles, pills and capsules, and oil and tinctures. Generally, things with higher concentrations of CBD (like tinctures) will increase the time it takes to get CBD out of your system. Here some of the many ways you can get CBD into your body:

Ingestion

This is the most common method of getting CBD into your system. This is likely because ingesting CBD through the mouth is the most convenient method. Still, ingestion isn’t the best choice if you want to feel those effects quickly. When you swallow CBD oil, it doesn’t enter the bloodstream directly. It must go through the digestive system and then the liver, where it breaks down before entering the bloodstream.  

Research shows that after the liver metabolizes the CBD, it will undergo something called the ‘first pass effect’. This is where liver enzymes minimize CBD concentration. From there, the remainder enters the bloodstream and the circulatory system. Even though oral intake of CBD is popular for its ease of usage, it’s not the most efficient way. Around 5% of ingested CBD enters the bloodstream, which means this administration method offers low bioavailability. This method usually takes around one to two hours for its effects to set in.  

Sublingual

This is a more efficient method of consuming CBD than ingestion. You can take CBD sublingually by putting a few drops directly under your tongue for a couple of minutes. With this method, CBD oil enters the bloodstream through the mucous membranes inside the mouth. This bypasses the liver and digestive system. Compared to oral ingestion, this consumption method has higher bioavailability. The only issue some may have with this is the flavor of the tincture you use. Many hemp extract tinctures come in various flavors to make the experience more enjoyable. 

Inhalation

This is another efficient way of using CBD because of its rapid absorption. The lungs are very efficient at transmitting CBD into the blood. Regardless if you’re vaping or smoking a high-CBD strain, its interaction with your system will remain the same. After inhaling this cannabinoid, it is sent to the lungs and directly absorbed into the bloodstream rapidly. Typically, you feel the effects of CBD about three minutes after inhalation, which is as fast as any method. Therefore, it seems to make sense that the faster it gets in, the faster your body will start to get CBD out of your system.

How to Get CBD Out of Your System

Although the majority of drug tests concentrate on THC, some individuals are getting positive results despite only using CBD. This is usually as a result of some CBD products containing trace amounts of THC in them. CBD products are legal if they contain less than 0.3% THC concentration. This can still occasionally be enough to trigger a positive result on a drug test. 

The body mainly eliminates CBD from its system through sweat and urine. And although this can take a while, they are various methods you can use to assist clear CBD from your system faster.  

Drink More Water

Drinking a lot of water speeds hastens urination, thereby assisting in clearing CBD as well as other toxins from your body faster. If your objective is passing a urine test, try drinking 2 to 3 liters of water on the day before the test. On the testing day, drink 1 to 2 liters and your chances will be pretty good.

Try a Diuretic

Diuretics have proven to speed up urination. When coupled together with too much water intake, it can assist in speeding up detoxification and eliminate traces of CBD quicker. Using diuretics and drinking lots of water are effective methods to clear CBD from your system. However, since the objective here is diluting urine as much as possible, it may make the urine appear pale. You should keep in mind that in some cases, lab technicians may decline the sample given how the pale color is a sign of lower than acceptable creatinine levels. 

Eat More Fiber

CBD is also excreted from the body together with body waste. Therefore, consuming a diet high in fiber can assist in stimulating bowel movement and subsequently support faster CBD removal. If you are looking to eliminate CBD from your body, steer clear of fatty foods and consume more vegetables, fruits, and beans. Foods with high-fat concentration may disrupt any detoxification efforts.  

Engage In Exercise

Exercising not only enhances overall health and physical fitness, but it’s also among the most effective methods to get CBD out of your body. Intense to moderate exercise increases sweating, which enables CBD to be excreted through sweat. Exercising also makes you drink more water, which helps speed up the cleansing process. An intense exercise session can also assist in breaking down fatty cells that facilitate CBD storage.

Detox Pills

For those who want a fast 1-day cleansing, you may try using a detox pill that assists in getting rid of toxins in the body. Although most of these products are costly, anecdotal evidence shows they are very effective. Like any other product, make sure that you conduct sufficient research so you know exactly what you’re using. Never take more than the provider recommends on the packaging, and drink plenty of water.

Conclusion

One thing to be clear on is that the 2018 Farm Bill legalized hemp and CBD at the federal level in the United States. You should not have any legal issues with drug tests detecting CBD. But if you are concerned that there is THC in your full spectrum hemp extract, use the information we’ve provided here. We need more scientific studies into how CBD metabolizes. However, based on what we know, CBD should not be detectable in your system after about a week after your last dose. Keep in mind however, there are a lot of variables involved.