You can have as much background information on CBD as possible—and we will absolutely provide that in this article—but you still won't know how CBD affects you until you try it. To give you an idea, we’d like to kick things off with some of our most powerful testimonials:
"I always run a little high strung, so it helps take the pressure off the day and see everything from a bit of a more relaxed perspective.”—Andres, 42
“I feel a sense of balance in my decision making and my ability to listen and retain information from people. It’s like a cloudy day in the back of my brain has been cleared up.”—Natalie, 36
“CBD helps me slow down my thoughts at the end of the day, especially after being ‘on’ for hours, working in finance, parenting, juggling a million different things. It’s a lot. And CBD takes the edge of my feelings of anxiety.”—Hannah, 36
Fewer feelings of stress and anxiety, enhanced relaxation, a lifting of the fogginess that often clouds our thinking—you get the idea. Now the question is: What exactly is CBD and how does it work its magic?
CBD 101
CBD stands for cannabidiol and is the second most abundant cannabinoid found in the cannabis plant. A cannabinoid is a kind of chemical compound; CBD is one of the 100 plus found in cannabis.
CBD is closely associated with the most well-known cannabinoid of cannabis, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). THC is the active cannabinoid that creates psychoactive effects in the brain, conversely known as a “high.”
Many hesitate to give CBD a go out of fear of experiencing THC’s high, but CBD doesn’t contain THC. Although often mentioned in tandem, THC and CBD aren’t exactly alike. The two compounds share some attributes, but CBD doesn’t get you high.
CBD isn’t anything to fear and might even be one of the many supporting characters in your story.
The Spectrums of CBD
Because cannabis is a plant like any other, there are many extracts and derivatives made with different parts of the plant. Compare cannabis to an orange; you can make oils or zest with the peel, orange juice with or without pulp, or purely extract vitamin C to create supplements. The ways you can use cannabis are similar.
The purest form of CBD is CBD isolate. CBD isolate is made when hemp (a kind of cannabis plant) goes through several purifying processes that strip away other cannabinoids (like THC), flavonoids, and terpenes, leaving behind only CBD oil.
Aside from pure CBD, there’s full-spectrum CBD and broad-spectrum CBD.
Full-spectrum CBD
Full-spectrum CBD products contain small amounts of other cannabinoids (like THC), along with flavonoids and terpenes. Depending on which components remain, you’ll experience different effects given their attributes. Although full-spectrum CBD products can contain amounts of THC, the federally legal full-spectrum products will always have less than 0.3% THC, which is not enough to make you high.
Broad-spectrum CBD
Broad-spectrum CBD products are the same as full-spectrum, with one key difference: they don’t include THC. Because full-spectrum and broad-spectrum products contain other compounds, they aren’t classified as “pure,” but this doesn’t mean they’re negatively altered.
If your hesitation in adding CBD products to your regimen is based on THC’s properties, feel at ease knowing that science lets us experience the two cannabinoids separately.
Not all canna-based products have the same effects on your brain and body. Cannabis can be strategically broken down and manipulated. We can extract the components that benefit us in the ways we want and leave behind those that don’t.
What Does CBD Do
If we’re talking about CBD, we have to discuss the endocannabinoid system (ECS). The endocannabinoid system is a biological system that deals with cell signaling. Whether you use cannabinoids or not, this system is still active in your body.
The ECS isn’t fully understood, but we know it plays a role in regulating a range of functions and processes vital for success, including:
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Sleep
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Mood
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Appetite
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Reproduction and fertility
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Memory
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Metabolism
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Inflammation and immune system response
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Motor control
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Cardiovascular system function
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Digestion
A part of your ECS are endocannabinoid receptors; there are two main ones, CB1 and CB2 receptors. CB1 receptors are mostly found in the central nervous system, and CB2 receptors are mostly found in your peripheral nervous system. Cannabinoids and endocannabinoids (cannabinoids produced naturally by your body) can bind to either receptor. The effects of this binding depend on where the receptor is located.
The interesting thing about CBD is that it doesn’t directly bind to either receptor. When someone uses CBD, the compound goes into the endocannabinoid system (ECS) but doesn’t bind directly to your cannabinoid receptors. Scientists believe CBD’s benefits are created via indirect action.
What Do We Know For Sure About CBD’s Effects?
CBD is an elusive cannabinoid that is being heavily studied because of its wide-ranging reported effects. Although research has been vast, concrete studies are lacking.
Keep in mind that the ECS was only discovered in 1988, meaning interactions with it are much less studied than those with our other systems. Not only is the ECS system less studied, but CBD’s lack of affinity for either receptor also makes CBD’s impacts harder to pinpoint.
There are a few overarching categories in which we consistently see CBD interact with your brain and body:
Anxiety
CBD has shown therapeutic efficacy in various animals and several small clinical and laboratory trials conducted with humans. CBD successfully reduced both behavioral and physiological (e.g., heart rate) measures of stress and anxiety.
Pain Relief and Anti-Inflammatory Effects
There have been some promising results in studying CBD’s effects on several kinds of chronic pain.
Multiple clinical trials have demonstrated CBD’s efficacy in pain caused by nerve damage. In animal studies, CBD has been shown to have neuroprotective (protective of the nervous system) properties in cell cultures as well as several neurodegenerative diseases.
Nerve damage can cause pain, sensitivity, numbness, problems with positional awareness, and many other hindrances to your physical performance.
Although still under study, the positive effects of CBD are promising, and we have confidence in their ability to enhance DOTE wellness products.
How Does CBD Oil Make You Feel?
DOTE wellness products are made with CBD and other natural ingredients to help you feel your best. To calm your mind, heal your body, and support you in conquering life.
Relieve muscle cream is designed to bring you instant relief from aches, pains, and strains. Relieve formula is enhanced with a whole-plant hemp extract to help fight pains and inflammation, helping you feel not only capable but confident.
Calm puts CBD’s correlation to reduced stress and anxiety to work. Designed to help you unwind your mind and body, Calm offers proper CBD dosages to help you feel relaxed.
Dream works on par with Calm. Achieve the quality rest that is central to your overall well-belling with thoughtfully formulated Dream capsules. Dream lets you feel replenished.
Focus is designed to support you on a cellular level. With less stress and anxiety, you can concentrate on every task you set out to accomplish, making you feel clear-minded and present.
Power supplements promote an enhanced concentration and a well-rested body. As CBD is linked to pain relief, minimized inflammation, and reduced anxiety, you can give your mind and body the strength it needs to conquer more. With Power in your regimen, you can go about life feeling entirely capable.
Organic broad-spectrum hemp extract (CBD) is added to every DOTE blend. No one ingredient makes DOTE wellness products what they are, but every ingredient in combination supports us in our mission to provide whole-body support for an active lifestyle.
Dote Distinction
Relaxed does not equate to being absent-minded. Calm does not mean unmotivated. Less stressed is not the same as less concerned. DOTE blends are designed to support you in everything that you do.
When relaxed, you can handle problems with more focus and fewer jitters. When you’re calm, you can let your mind get the rest it needs to come back with more strength and stamina. When you’re stress-free, you can feel capable and ready to take on challenges without a restless mind.
Our CBD is sourced from USDA Organic family-owned hemp farms in California and Colorado because their growing and harvesting processes live up to our standards. Our pure potent oils make DOTE Wellness products truly effective in creating whole body support.
At DOTE, we use CBD in our products to uphold our promises. When our wellness products live up to your expectations, you can live up to yours.