How to Get CBD Out of Your System Quickly and Safely

Posted on February 12th, 2021

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:

drug test sampleCBD 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.