Introduction
Many know it by now, many report good things, others report less good things. It all depends on where the oil comes from. In general, good, tested and safe oil does not contain any psychoactive substances and has many other positive properties, for example:
- Relieving pain and inflammation (arthritis).
- Counteracting anxiety and depression
- Counteracting stress and sleep disorders
- Strengthening the immune system
- Relieving nausea and vomiting associated with cancer treatment.
In addition, due to its active ingredients and their effect on neurotransmitters, this natural remedy is also used for mental illnesses such as Tourette's.
As you can see, treatment with CBD oil can counteract many physical as well as psychological complaints. Therefore, if you decide to try CBD oil for yourself, there is nothing to stop you from doing so. However, you should know about possible CBD side effects, which we would like to inform you about in the following.
What is CBD anyway?
Before we tell you about CBD oil side effects, it is good to know how CBD actually works in our body and how it is obtained:
CBD, short for cannabidiol, is a secondary plant substance of the hemp plant. Unlike the well-known tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), CBD has no intoxicating or psychoactive effect. CBD is one of more than 100 cannabinoids found in the hemp plant and is considered the best-researched cannabinoid. Even if the effect of CBD has not yet been completely researched, it is assumed that it has a positive effect on the endocannabinoid system (ECS). The ECS is a complex network of receptors and messengers that regulates our body. By docking with the receptors of the ECS, CBD can relieve pain, reduce inflammation and reduce anxiety, among other things.
What is CBD anyway?
A CBD flower is the flower of the female hemp plant, which is rich in cannabidiol (CBD). The hemp plant belongs to the Cannabaceae family and is related to the cannabis plant, but unlike cannabis, hemp contains only small amounts of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive cannabinoid known for the intoxicating effects of cannabis. Because of the low THC content (less than 0.2%) and positive effects on the body and mind, CBD is safe and legal in many countries. If you want to buy CBD flowers, you should pay attention to other parameters, such as cultivation methods and cannabinoid values.
How is CBD oil extracted?
CBD oil is extracted from the flowers and leaves of the female cannabis plant. At Lucky Hemp®, only the best flowers are used, no waste products of the plant, i.e. leaves or similar, as is the case with many competitors. The plant is specially grown and cultivated for this purpose. Harvesting is mostly done by hand, as mechanical harvesting destroys much of the plant's valuable ingredients. After harvesting, the flowers and leaves are dried and then pressed in a special extraction process. Many suppliers use CO2 or ethanol. This is absolutely not desirable as residues can remain in the oil. Lucky Hemp® uses a patented process that works exclusively with movement and heat. In this process all valuable ingredients of the plant are preserved. The resulting liquid, the CBD oil, is then filled into small glass bottles and can be used immediately. However, the active ingredient of the plant is not only available in oil form.
CBD is available in numerous other products, including capsules, tinctures, lotions, ointments, powders, buds and crystals. The hemp plant is now also processed in food and drinks, such as gummy bears, chocolate bars and coffee.
And how does it work?
CBD oil does not contain any relevant amounts of psychoactive substances and is therefore legally available in Germany and many other countries. It is often used to treat anxiety and depression. It can also be helpful for sleep disorders and pain. This is due to its interaction with the body's endocannabinoid system, as mentioned earlier. This system is involved in many bodily functions, including the regulation of sleep-wake cycles, appetite, pain perception and metabolism. CBD oil can regulate the endocannabinoid system's response to stimuli and thus alleviate the symptoms of various diseases.
What is Lucky Hemp?
Lucky Hemp is a Swiss company that sells high-quality CBD oil made from organic hemp. The oils are available in different flavours and can also be consumed in combination with other foods or drinks. Even for animals, special CBD oils have been designed to prevent stress-related situations. In addition, you can also find various CBD flowers that you can buy at Lucky Hemp.
What are the side effects of CBD oil?
Now that you have learned a bit about CBD, we can finally tell you more about the side effects of CBD. Basically, the effect of the oil lasts for a few hours. However, short-term side effects can also occur, but these usually subside as soon as the effect of the CBD also wears off.
Short-term side effects are roughly understood to be:
- Tiredness
- Diarrhoea
- Dry mouth
- Loss of appetite
If you notice these symptoms, it is most likely due to the fact that you cannot tolerate the active ingredient of CBD, which is why we advise you not to continue taking CBD in this case, in order to prevent further CBD side effects.
Long-term CBD side effects are also possible, but have only occurred in the rarest of cases. These CBD oil side effects only appeared in consumers over time due to regular use of CBD oil, including for example:
- Weight gain or weight loss
- Altered liver values
- Immune deficiency
What are the side effects of CBD oil?
As we explained at the beginning, CBD interacts with ECS, or in other words, it binds receptors that are responsible for controlling cell and organ functions. Although this interaction has positive effects in most cases, it can also cause side effects. The most common cause of CBD oil side effects is inhaling smoke or vapours. Smoking or vaporising CBD oil only leads to short-term deficiency symptoms, but can still cause short-term damage to the lungs due to increased levels of carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide in the blood. This can lead to fatigue, coughing or nausea.
How can you counteract CBD oil side effects?
- Do not smoke CBD oil. If you vaporise CBD oil and experience CBD side effects such as coughing or sore throat, we recommend that you refrain from using it. CBD oil can be taken orally or in capsule form. This should quickly make the symptoms disappear.
- Correct dosage: Make sure you take the correct CBD dose, because the more CBD you take, the longer the effect will be noticeable. It is therefore better to take a little less than too much and increase the dose from time to time. However, it is best to follow the instructions on the package leaflet or check with a doctor or pharmacist.
- Drug interactions: If you are also taking medication, this can lead to CBD side effects in combination with the intake of CBD oil. Although this is only very rarely the case, it is still possible. In this case, you should also ask your doctor in advance whether CBD intake is safe.
- Health problems: If you suffer from general health problems such as low blood pressure or liver problems, it is not advisable to take CBD oil. Although CBD oil normally lowers your blood pressure - which is quite positive in stressful situations - it is the opposite in hypotension. Because of the already low blood pressure, CBD lowers it below the normal level, which can lead to drowsiness. CBD oil side effects can also occur with liver dysfunction. This is because our liver processes every substance within our metabolism before it is excreted. Therefore, if the liver is not functioning properly, it cannot remove various substances, which, when CBD oil is taken, causes the metabolites of CBD to accumulate in the bloodstream and can lead to CBD side effects.
- High quality CBD products: Another reason that can lead to CBD oil side effects is low quality CBD products that are laced with heavy metals or pesticides, sometimes even containing too much THC. As you can imagine, you certainly don't want to find these ingredients in your body. Therefore, when buying CBD products, make sure that they come from reputable manufacturers and at least comply with the regulations of the EU legislation. At Lucky Hemp®, all oils are tested by TÜV Süd and enjoy a high reputation and high safety standards.
- Allergies: CBD oil side effects can also be a result of an allergic reaction. Of course, you cannot foresee this. However, if you are generally sensitive to many active ingredients, we recommend that you apply a drop to your skin and wait 30 minutes before taking the oil orally. Within this time, you will be able to determine whether itching or a skin rash occurs at that spot. In this case, you can safely assume an allergic reaction and should refrain from further use.
What can you do if you notice CBD oil side effects?
If you have taken CBD oil and notice any of the CBD side effects mentioned above, this is usually not a big deal. However, we will now tell you what you can do if you experience various symptoms so that they subside more quickly.
- Fatigue: CBD is often taken by people who suffer from insomnia due to its sedative effect, so this CBD oil "side effect" is also usually desired. However, if you are taking CBD for another reason, it is recommended to take the oil in combination with caffeine to counteract fatigue.
- Diarrhoea: To counteract diarrhoea, you can eat some food at the same time as taking the CBD oil.
- Dry mouth: This is also a possible CBD oil side effect, but can be prevented if you have drunk enough beforehand. If this is not the case, make up for it after taking the oil.
- Dizziness: Some users have experienced dizziness in connection with the intake of CBD oil. This is perfectly normal if the body has never come into contact with the CBD active ingredient. Usually, the occurrence of dizziness is due to your blood pressure being a little too low. So lie down for a moment and the discomfort should quickly disappear. If you want to prevent dizziness, drink a liquid enriched with electrolytes before taking the medicine to stabilise your blood pressure.
- Loss of appetite: Having no appetite is not a serious CBD oil side effect. Eating less can lead to irritability and weight loss due to the lack of nutrients. So it is best to eat a snack before taking CBD oil.
Are there any other side effects from CBD?
We have now illustrated in detail the side effects of the active ingredient CBD, but for the sake of clarity we would also like to tell you about the side effects of THC, the primary psychoactive cannabinoid of the cannabis plant, for the following reason: Low-quality CBD products may contain THC that far exceeds the 0.2% limit in concentration.
Side effects of THC include:
- Dizziness
- Alteration of perception
- Headache
- Dry mouth
- Increased appetite
- Paranoia
- Fatigue
Especially the paranoia and the altered perception are manifestations of the psychoactive substance THC, which differ significantly from the active substance CBD. If you experience these side effects, your CBD products are of poor quality, which is why you should stop taking them immediately.
Which groups of people should not take CBD?
There are some risk groups that can experience CBD side effects more quickly. These include people with low blood pressure or liver dysfunction. Pregnant women should also avoid taking CBD products. Although CBD has not yet been tested on any embryos, it is possible that it could have an effect on brain development. The same applies to breastfeeding mothers. Since CBD is a fat-soluble substance, it can be transferred to the baby via breast milk. In principle, this is not a big deal, as cannabinoids are also generally contained and transferred in natural breast milk. However, for a nervous system that still has to develop, pregnant women should leave the natural cannabinoids in breast milk for the time being.
Conclusion
CBD oil is a natural remedy that is extracted from the cannabis plant. It has been used for many years in both traditional and modern medicine and is considered one of the most effective remedies for a variety of ailments.
So, in summary, CBD oil is largely valued and consumed by consumers because of its many positive aspects. It not only helps with physical ailments, but can also counteract psychological conditions such as stress, depression or panic attacks. It is therefore a very safe and, above all, effective product. Nevertheless, certain CBD side effects can occur, but usually only in connection with other physical problems such as low blood pressure or allergies. Should these occur when taking CBD oil, they are usually very mild and only temporary. However, if you suffer from underlying health problems, it is always advisable to consult a doctor beforehand to clarify possible risk factors that would contradict a CBD oil treatment.
Also, if you are pregnant or already breastfeeding, you should refrain from taking CBD oil. Otherwise, CBD oil side effects are harmless and usually go away on their own.
