CBD Drinks: Do They Provide Effects Or Other Benefits?
CBD

CBD Drinks: Do They Provide Effects Or Other Benefits?

CBD is seemingly everywhere these days. CBD products are sold on a vast number of websites, they’re available at supermarkets and in corner shops, many pharmacies and chemists carry them, and you can even purchase CBD drinks from your local newsagent.

Beverages are the latest category of CBD-infused products to hit the market, and they’ve been a big hit. But are they just a fad, or do they actually provide wellness benefits?

It’s probably both. Consumers often rush to sample any product that earns widespread attention, and CBD drinks are getting lots of attention from the press and on social media. However, these beverages may provide many of the purported benefits of CBD.

How effective might CBD drinks be? How do they stack up to other forms of CBD products? And what are their possible benefits?

Let’s find out.

What Are CBD and CBD Drinks?

We’ll start with the basics.

What is CBD, and How Does It Work in The Body?

CBD (cannabidiol) is one of more than 100 cannabinoids (a class of natural compounds) found in plants belonging to the species cannabis sativa, specifically the cannabis plant and the hemp plant. The other major cannabinoid in those plants is THC (tetrahydrocannabinol).

Hemp and cannabis are related, but there’s a crucial difference. Hemp contains large amounts of CBD, but very little THC. Cannabis, by contrast, has low CBD levels and high THC levels. Marijuana is sourced from the cannabis plant because of its THC content; CBD is usually sourced from hemp because it contains lots of cannabidiol but only small amounts of THC.

Both cannabinoids to provide benefits. The effects users feel when consuming THC and CBD differ, though, because they interact with the body’s endocannabinoid system (ECS) in different ways.

The ECS controls an enormous range of important human processes. It has two components, endocannabinoids which shuttle messages and instructions throughout the body, and receptors which receive and send those messages. Cannabinoids can interact with the ECS because their chemical makeup is very similar to that of endocannabinoids, but they don’t act the same way.

THC primarily interacts with CB1 receptors, which are located mostly in the brain and nervous system and regulate functions like cerebral activity, movement, body temperature, sleep, and appetite. CBD interacts primarily with CB2 receptors located in the rest of the body, which are responsible for processes like immunity and fighting inflammation.

Here’s why that matters.

The trademark euphoria, sensory distortions, drowsiness, and even munchies associated with cannabis use essentially occur because the weed’s THC interacts with the CB1 receptors that control those functions. Cannabidiol mostly interacts with receptors that don’t control those functions, and it only contains a small amount of THC — so CBD doesn’t cause the same effects.

In short, THC can get you high. CBD can’t.

What Are CBD Drinks?

CBD drinks are just what their name implies; they’re ordinary beverages that have been infused with cannabidiol extract. Water, tea, coffee, and juice are most commonly turned into CBD drinks, although virtually any liquid can be combined with cannabidiol.

In the UK, you can also purchase alcoholic beverages infused with CBD (those premade drinks are illegal in countries like the US). Some agencies like the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warn that combining the two substances could cause excessive drowsiness, but limited research hasn’t shown increased levels of impairment after consuming the two together.

The CBD oil or extracts added to beverages often have a bitter flavor, so manufacturers usually use sugar or flavorings to sweeten them and mask the unpleasant taste. Other plant-based ingredients with benefits are often added as well, as are colorings and carbonation.

Premade CBD alcoholic drinks are legal in Britain, as long as their manufacturer has obtained a “Novel Food” authorisation from the government’s Food Standards Agency (FSA) and the cannabidiol does exceed the legal maximum for THC content, approximately 0.2%. Some drinking establishments also prepare specialty cocktails made with CBD.

As we’ve already established, however, none of these drinks will make users high.

Type of CBD

The type of cannabidiol infused into a beverage can affect its effectiveness.

CBD extracted from hemp initially contains all of the plant’s cannabinoids (including the small amount of THC) as well as terpenes and other plant compounds. They all work together in a so-called “entourage effect” to maximize the CBD’s absorption and performance. This type of cannabidiol is known as full-spectrum CBD.

Producers can then remove the THC, with only slight traces of the cannabinoid remaining, to create what’s called broad-spectrum CBD (which has a lesser entourage effect), or completely remove all of the other compounds to create pure CBD, known as CBD isolate (which has no entourage effect at all).

The latter two types of CBD aren’t as effective as full-spectrum products, but some consumers choose them to lessen the possibility of a positive drug test for THC, or if they are allergic to THC or other hemp components.

The CBD drink you purchase should indicate whether it contains full-spectrum, broad-spectrum, or isolate CBD. If it doesn’t, the product label should have a link to the producer’s website where you can see a third-party lab’s Certificate of Analysis (COA) of the beverage. It will tell you if the drink contains THC, and how much of every cannabinoid has been detected.

Dosages

The amount of cannabidiol infused into a CBD drink also determines how much of the cannabinoid’s supposed benefits the beverage can deliver — and understanding how much CBD you’ll be consuming can be a challenge.

The product label should indicate how much CBD (in milligrams) is in the bottle or other container. There should also be instructions with recommended doses, as well as information on the number of “servings” the bottle contains. That may help you figure out how many milligrams of cannabidiol you’ll be drinking.

5-10mg is considered a reasonable dose for “beginners,” and the UK’s Food Standards Agency (FSA) has issued guidance recommending that people take no more than 10mg per day. However, research has found that much higher doses were needed for effectiveness in controlled studies, and many seasoned users consume much more than 10mg in a day.

One other twist: CBD drinks are often sold as “low CBD” (10-15mg), “medium CBD” (25-50mg) and “high CBD” (100mg) options. That may help you choose the right product for your desired dose.

The best approach is to first consult with your doctor or another health professional to get their advice on CBD use and dosages. If you don’t take that route, all experts suggest “starting low” and slowly increasing the dose until you receive the desired effects.

Fortunately, it’s rare to encounter serious side effects after using CBD; a few users report issues like dry mouth, fatigue, or nausea. Those taking other medications, however, should consult with their doctors about possible interactions with prescription drugs like pain meds, blood thinners, and antidepressants.

Are CBD Drinks More Effective Than Other Consumption Methods?

Different methods of using CBD can affect the speed with which the cannabidiol takes effect and how effective it is. The important scientific term is “bioavailability,” which measures how much of the CBD is absorbed and can be utilized by the body.

The bioavailability of CBD is best maintained either by drinking CBD isolate dissolved in water, dropping CBD oil or tinctures under the tongue to be absorbed by sublingual tissues, or vaping. Those methods allow the CBD to bypass the digestive system and quickly pass into the bloodstream, with very little of the cannabidiol being “lost” in the process.

CBD capsules take longer to act because the capsules must be broken down before the cannabidiol is available in the body, and as you’d expect, digestion of CBD edibles takes even longer than that. There’s also some loss of bioavailability as the products are processed by the body and the cannabidiol is released.

What about CBD drinks? Unless they contain just water and cannabidiol, they do require some digestion (and that includes CBD oil, which contains a “carrier oil” that must be digested). However, CBD drinks work much faster and provide more bioavailability than capsules or edibles.

The bottom line: CBD drinks are among the most effective ways to deliver cannabidiol into the system. The cannabidiol they contain generally takes effect in about half an hour, twice as fast as CBD gummies, capsules, or other products that require lengthy digestion.

Shop our CBD products:

 

*It is important to note that the benefits of these products have not been conclusively proven. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease, and the NHS has not made any guarantees about the efficacy of such products.