With CBD oil becoming more widely available, it is being sought out by an ever-growing number of people due to its potential health benefits. The list of CBD’s reported therapeutic uses is also ever-growing, leading many people to consider trying it for the first time.
This increased interest in CBD oil tends to raise many questions, with one of the most common being, “how long does CBD last?” If you’ve never taken cannabidiol (CBD) before, knowing how long its effects will linger is important for nailing down your ideal dosage, and ultimately deciding if CBD oil is right for you.
Here’s your guide to how long CBD lasts, as well as information on what factors can affect its duration and onset.
CBD Delivery Methods and Duration of Effects
Depending on the product you use and your individual biochemistry, CBD oil can last anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 days.
For example, edible preparations of CBD oil, like gummies, can last between 4-6 hours while a CBD oil transdermal patch can last up to 48 hours. A CBD vape oil’s effects can disappear within an hour while a CBD oil tincture can last 2-4 hours.
When choosing a CBD oil delivery format, these durations need to be taken into account. If you are trying to relieve an ongoing chronic pain condition, it is likely that you will want a format that offers longer relief versus one that presents shorter-lived (but often faster-acting) effects.
CBD Duration Chart
CBD edibles, capsules, tinctures, vaporizers, flower and to pical cream are all methods for taking CBD, and each has its own time for onset and duration of effects.
|
CBD Oil Delivery Format
|
Onset of Effects
|
Duration of Effects
|
|---|---|---|
| CBD inhalants (Vape oils; vape juice; e-liquid; CBD flower) | Within minutes – These products bypass the digestive process and are absorbed directly into the lungs | 30 minutes to an hour |
| CBD Edibles | Up to 60 minutes – Edibles must pass through the digestive system before being absorbed through the liver | 4-6 hours |
| CBD Oil Tinctures or Drops | Up to 30 minutes – Drops and tinctures bypass the digestive system and CBD is absorbed directly into the bloodstream through the thin skin under the tongue | 2-4 hours |
| CBD Oil Capsules | Up to 60 minutes – CBD capsules must pass through the digestive system before being absorbed | 4-6 hours |
| CBD Oil Topicals | Up to 2 hours – Topicals must be absorbed through the skin. The CBD’s absorption rate can be impacted by the amount of hair on the skin and fatty tissue under it | Typically 5 hours or more |
| CBD Oil Transdermal Patches | May take hours to show effects – The CBD’s absorption rate can be impacted by the amount of hair on the skin and fatty tissue under it; Transdermal patches may also be designed to release CBD at certain time intervals over the course of their relatively long lifetime | 24-48 hours |
There really is no universal answer to how long CBD will last in your body. With many factors playing a part in CBD’s duration and the onset of effects, it can impact each person a little differently. By keeping the initial dosages low, you can see how you react before fully adopting a regular CBD oil routine.
Factors that Affect How Long CBD Lasts
How you choose to take CBD oil is not the only factor that determines the duration of its effects.
Other factors that affect how long CBD lasts in the body include body weight, certain lifestyle choices, how frequently you use it, and dosage.
Your Body Weight
CBD is a fat-soluble compound. What this means is that it is stored in the body’s fat cells. With any fat-soluble substance, like vitamin D or vitamin K weight plays a role in CBD oil’s rate of metabolization.
If you’re on the leaner side with a lower body fat percentage, CBD’s effects may not last as long as in a person with a higher body fat percentage. Typically, people with more muscle than fat have a higher metabolic rate which means substances like CBD oil will be processed through the body much faster, reducing the duration of their effects.
Your Lifestyle
Another factor that plays a role in how long CBD lasts in the body is lifestyle and activity level. If you lead an active lifestyle, your body is likely to process more cbd quickly because your metabolism will be faster, resulting in a reduced duration of effect.
