Is My CBD Working? 5 Steps to Measure CBD Benefits

Is this [vitamin, medicine, workout, diet] even working? Is my CBD working?

What a question. I think we are all guilty of asking this when we have started any sort of new routine. We eventually learn that patience, time, and adjustments are the best ways to ensure success. This is the mindset you need when starting a new CBD routine as well. Even if you are just changing brands, remember that patience and adjustments are vital for your progress in achieving the benefits from CBD. 

Quick Overview of CBD

CBD stands for Cannabidiol. Cannabidiol is one of the MANY naturally occurring chemical compounds, that are called Cannabinoids, found in cannabis plants. This chemical compound, however, is not psychoactive, meaning it won’t get you “high”. Chances are if you are already to the point of measuring your progress with your CBD, then you have a pretty good idea of the basics of CBD. If you would like a deeper delve into it, read our CBD Basics blog for a quick fun rundown.

Selecting Your Product and Dosage

Picking out your CBD shouldn’t be just walking into a store or browsing online and purchasing the best looking packaging. We all love a pretty looking product and most of us definitely have judged one or two books by their cover. Unfortunately we cannot do that when it comes to choosing the CBD product that is right for you and your lifestyle, for that matter. 

Let’s take a look at some of the things that you need to consider when you decide to add CBD into your health routine.

• Reason

The first question you need to ask yourself is “why?”. Why are you looking into using CBD? Are you looking for pain relief or management benefits? Are you interested in anxiety or depression help? Is there a specific health concern you think CBD may help manage? Maybe you just want to improve your general health.

There are quite a few types of CBD products, so narrowing down why you are interested in it will help you decide which CBD type and product is best for you.

We will talk about measuring the benefits later on, but be sure you have some sort of measurable goal to start out, if you want to determine if it's working. Seems obvious, but many people skip this step. A good example is "I would like to wake up less than 3-4 times during the night I am now."

• Intake Method

There are many ways to obtain the benefits of CBD such as edibles, topicals, tinctures, and oils. Think about how you’d prefer to take it and when you’ll be taking it.

Gummies and capsules are easy to transport and take whenever you want. If it’s warm out, though, make sure you aren’t leaving your gummies in the sun. Check out our blog on proper gummy storage here.

CBD oils, also commonly referred to as tinctures, are another way to take your CBD. These are usually taken sublingually, which just means under your tongue. Another cool thing about using tinctures and oils is that you can put them in food or drinks!

• Potency

Each CBD product and brand has their own potency levels. Check the milligrams on the package, which is usually based on how much is in the entire container. Take the total amount of milligrams (mg) and divide that number by the size of the container and you can get to a level of potency (milligrams per milliliter, milligrams per gummy, or milligrams per ounce, etc.). Of course the amount you actually need to take will vary from person to person. One of our favorite CBD dosage guides comes from Daily CBD which you can access here. 

• Flavors

Many CBD edibles such as gummies and tinctures will come in a variety of flavors. This is the fun part. You probably already know what your flavor preferences are. So once you figure out what potency and form of CBD you need or want, then you get to choose what flavor. Miss gummy worms from when you were a kid? Grab some CBD gummy worms. You can also find sugar-free gummies if you’re watching your sugar intake. The world of CBD edibles is fun and a good way to play with the way you take your daily CBD.

• Quality

Making sure you get quality products is KEY to making sure you are getting all of the benefits that CBD has to offer. One of the best ways to ensure quality is checking for the lab results and every product should have them attached to the product. Another way to get quality products? You guessed it, shop OUR online store or stop by in person in Chesterfield, Missouri. We only stock products that we have previously vetted and accepted as top quality with 3rd party lab testing. We always carry varying products and brands so that our customers can browse for what they need and find it while knowing they are only the best, verified products.

5 Steps To Measure CBD Success

If you don’t see the benefits of CBD, why would you take it? We get it. We would question it, too. With any new introduction you make to your health routine, measuring the progress is important to being able to see that it is working. If your new routine isn’t working or you’re not seeing results, it could be a simple change like upping your dose. Here are some key steps to ensure you can measure your progress and get the benefits you are looking for.

1. Understand your goals - quantify them where possible
2. Seek advice on the right type of product and initial dosage (we are always available for free consultations)
3. Select a product and use your CBD consistently for 2-3 weeks
4. Keep a log to measure results
5. Make dosage or product-type adjustments and repeat

The best way to track this is a simple spreadsheet or calendar. Each day write down how much you’re taking and your reasoning for taking CBD. If you’re tracking sleep, write down how many hours you get, your sleepiness level before bed, your number of times waking up and your grogginess the morning after. Maybe you’re tracking your mood, this could include anxiety, depression, stress, or your mood overall. If you’re tracking this, you can do so by writing down just a couple of adjectives of how you felt throughout the day. You can always use a 1-10 scale. Whatever you’re tracking, keep it simple so you can see if it’s working or not from a brief glance. 

In order to track this successfully, try taking one CBD product at a time for a period of a two or three weeks. If you aren’t feeling the effects after that, try adding more dosage to your daily intake, give it another week or so, and continue this method until you do start feeling the benefits. Tracking a single change, one at a time, is the best way to measure the success of your new routines. You can also try different brands this way as well, as long as you are only introducing one thing at a time over the course of a couple weeks. This ensures that you won’t mistake one product’s benefits for another. 

This method also works for other supplements you are using for pain, wellness, etc., such as CBN, CBG, Delta 9, Delta 10, THC-O, HHC, and Delta 8.

You might be wondering if you can build a tolerance to CBD and maybe that's why your product isn't working anymore. Tolerance is actually a tricky thing, but doesn't necessarily pertain to CBD. Read more on tolerance and CBD here.

In conclusion, how do you know if your CBD is working? Make a goal, take the right CBD dosage and product consistently, and measure your progress. This may take some consultation, patience and adjustments, but you will get there!

Still having a hard time adjusting your dosage, finding the benefits you want, or choosing your product? Our team is educated and loves helping people on their CBD journey. Just contact us and we will be happy to help!

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