What is CBD Oil?

CBD oil is a consumable product composed of hemp extract and carrier oil. The hemp extract used in CBD oil contains high amounts of cannabidiol (CBD), and may also contain other cannabinoids. Commonly used carrier oils include medium-chain-triglycerides (MCT) oil and hempseed oil. 

CBD is a cannabinoid found in the hemp plant (hemp is cannabis that contains less than 0.3% THC by dry weight). 

CBD is a non-psychoactive cannabinoid, meaning it doesn’t cause a head high. Research suggests that CBD has therapeutic potential for pain, inflammation, anxiety, sleep, epilepsy, and more.

Why Shop CBD Oil from Natural Ways CBD?

At Natural Ways CBD, we only carry products that contain less than 0.3% THC and have been tested by a 3rd-party lab to verify their safety and potency. 

But legal, safe, and effective products are table stakes for any CBD brand — what truly sets us apart is our:

• Selection — We offer an extensive product line under our own brand name: Natural Ways CBD. But we aren’t limited to carrying our own products; we also curate the best of what other companies have to offer. This means you get more options to choose from without needing to spend more time vetting products: you can confidently select an option and know that it will be safe and effective. 
• Experience — Although we pride ourselves on providing a great online CBD shopping experience, Natural Ways CBD isn’t just an online business. In fact, we have six brick-and-mortar retail stores in the Houston, Texas area. Because we talk to customers face-to-face every day, we receive immediate and detailed feedback about how our products are working, allowing us to continuously improve our products. The end result? The CBD oil and other products you buy from us are what’s actually working for real people, not some formula we think works. 
• Values —  We put people over profit. Our company was started after the owners experienced a medical scare with a family member and witnessed how CBD products helped. We’re dedicated to making natural wellness available to all; we do that by offering the highest-quality products at fair prices.

Is CBD Oil Legal?

The 2018 Farm Bill made hemp-derived cannabinoids federally legal, including CBD. Therefore, CBD oil is legal on the federal level. However, state-by-state legality varies — always check our state laws before you buy CBD online.

Types of CBD Oil: Full-Spectrum vs. Broad-Spectrum vs. Isolate CBD Oil

There are three types of CBD extract that are used in CBD oil and other products: full-spectrum CBD, broad-spectrum CBD, and CBD isolate.

In its natural form, CBD extract contains cannabinoids such as cannabigerol (CBG), cannabinol (CBN), and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) (less than 0.3% to comply with federal law), as well as terpenes, which are naturally occurring compounds in the cannabis sativa plant.

Other cannabinoids and terpenes can be considered secondary elements that are part of CBD extract. 

Different types of CBD contain different secondary elements in addition to CBD:

• Full-spectrum CBD – Consists of CBD extract as it naturally occurs. Includes other cannabinoids, including THC (legally less than 0.3%), and terpenes. 
• Broad-spectrum CBD – Consists of CBD extract with other cannabinoids and terpenes, but with no THC. 
• CBD isolate – Consists solely of CBD, with other cannabinoids and terpenes removed.

Benefits of CBD Oil

Research suggests that CBD has a variety of potential therapeutic benefits:

CBD may promote physical relaxation

Several studies and surveys suggest CBD has anti-inflammatory and analgesic (pain-relieving) properties.

In one clinical study, transdermal (topical) CBD significantly reduced joint swelling. 

A research review examining several studies found that CBD may have beneficial effects for both chronic and acute pain. 

Research has also looked at the potential benefits of CBD for autoimmune disorders and inflammatory bowel syndrome (IBS). 

CBD may promote restful sleep

Research and anecdotal evidence suggest CBD may have sleep-supportive properties.

One research review found that CBD may provide therapeutic support for insomnia. 

Anecdotally, many people use CBD as a replacement for Ambien and over-the-counter melatonin.

CBD may promote mental balance and relaxation

Research suggests CBD may promote a calm, stress-free, anxiety-free mind.

One study found that CBD reduced physiological and behavioral stress responses to anxiety and stress. 

Another study found that CBD decreased negative feelings in people subjected to a public speaking test.

Research suggests that CBD may work similarly to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), a class of medications commonly prescribed for anxiety. 

CBD has therapeutic potential for depression

CBD may promote mental balance for people dealing with depression. 

Research suggests CBD has therapeutic potential for depression, and many people use CBD for seasonal affective disorder. 

CBD may have anti-seizure properties

CBD is FDA-approved as an anti-seizure medication for specific types of epilepsy, in the form of Epidiolex. Clinical trials for Epidilex, which is CBD isolate, show that it reduces several forms of epilepsy.

Other research shows CBD may improve the quality of life for epilepsy patients.

Anecdotally, many people use CBD as an alternative to Keppra, a common epilepsy prescription. 

CBD may help with addiction

There is research indicating that CBD has the potential to help people break their addiction to opioids, cocaine, and psychostimulant drugs.

How Does CBD Work In the Body?

CBD and other cannabinoids work by interacting with your endocannabinoid system (ECS). The ECS is a receptor system responsible for maintaining mental and physical homeostasis, or balance. 

Your ECS regulates all of your vital functions, including the sleep-wake cycle, immune response, inflammatory response, and mood. 

By regulating your vital functions, the ECS works to maintain normal states of health for the mind and body. CBD may promote balance by interacting with the ECS and helping it to better perform its function. 

However, CBD doesn’t bind to the CB1 and CB2 receptors in the ECS as most cannabinoids do. Instead, research suggests CBD promotes wellness by preventing the breakdown of your endocannabinoids, or internal cannabinoids. 

Research also suggests CBD may affect how neurotransmitters (such as serotonin) work in your brain, thereby promoting mental balance.

What are the Side Effects of CBD Oil?

Research suggests CBD is safe and well-tolerated, even if you take large doses and use it regularly.

However, CBD oil has the potential to cause the following side effects in some people:

• Dry mouth
• Drowsiness
• Diarrhea
• Reduced appetite
• Fatigue

CBD Dosage: How Much CBD Oil Should You Take?

If you’re new to CBD oil – or CBD in general – we recommend using a weight-based dosage formula to calculate how much CBD you should take. 

The starting formula is:

(0.1) x (your body weight in lbs.) = your daily dose of CBD in mg. 

Once you have this number (for most people, it’s 10-25mg), use the chart below to determine how much of a dropper (or how many droppers) of CBD oil you should take, based on the potency of your product:

500mg bottle = 16.7mg CBD per 1 ml.

1000mg bottle = 33.3mg CBD per 1 ml.

1500mg bottle = 50mg CBD per 1 ml.

3000mg bottle = 100mg CBD per 1 ml.

6000mg bottle = 200mg CBD per 1 ml.

Once you use this dose a few times, you can slowly increase it until you achieve the effects you’re looking for. CBD dosage isn’t an exact science, and it’s not a big deal if you accidentally measure too much CBD oil.

But by using a formula and being mindful about how much you take, you can minimize or avoid the side effects.

What’s the Difference Between Hemp Oil and CBD Oil?

Hempseed oil and CBD oil are similar, but not the same. Both types of oil come from the hemp plant, which is a variant of cannabis sativa containing less than 0.3% THC. 

Hemp oil is extracted from the seeds of the hemp plant, whereas CBD is extracted from the stems, leaves, and other parts of the plant.

Hemp oil does not contain CBD and other cannabinoids; CBD oil does. 

Hemp oil is nutritionally dense — it’s high in healthy fats and proteins, including omega-3 and amino acids. You can find hemp seeds at most grocery stores.

CBD is not a dietary supplement — it’s one of more than 100 cannabinoids found in the hemp plant. No one uses CBD by itself, rather, products contain CBD mixed with other ingredients to make it palatable.

Whereas hemp oil and hemp seeds can complement your diet, CBD is best used for acute conditions, like anxiety, sleep trouble, or pain (though to be clear, it isn’t a treatment).