FAQs

What is Hemp?

Hemp is a flowering plant in the same family as hops. It’s been cultivated all over the world for thousands of years, largely for its truly extraordinary health benefits. In America hemp was outlawed in the 30s . . . but today hemp and hemp-derived CBD are finally making a comeback.

What is CBD? 

CBD, or cannabidiol, is hemp’s most important “active ingredient.” Hemp produces up to 20% of its own weight in CBD. Why’s CBD so important? Because when it’s taken consistently, it promotes full-body balance like virtually nothing else.

How does CBD work?

CBD’s ability to promote balance is pretty simple. It activates the body’s endocannabinoid system, a special biological system that basically acts as your internal thermostat. When this system is activated all sorts of good things happen: customers report relieved pain, improved mood, deeper sleep, heightened clarity, and much (much!) more.

What is the endocannabinoid system (ECS)?

Chances are good you know all about your cardiovascular system, immune system, et cetera. Or at least you know they exist! 

What you might not have known is that the endocannabinoid system functions higher up in the chain of command than all 11 major organ systems. It actually helps them all communicate with each other, which is how it’s able to promote full-body balance. When it stays healthy, you do too! The endocannabinoid system has three major parts, the most important of which are called endocannabinoids (more on them later). To read more about the ECS, click here.

What are cannabinoids?

As great as CBD is, hemp doesn’t produce just CBD. There’s way more to it than that. 

It’s true. Hemp produces hundreds of active ingredients, many of which fall into the category of cannabinoids. CBD is a cannabinoid, as is THC . . . and while many cannabinoids are less well known than these two, their presence is still very important. 

Cannabinoids are a class of plant compounds found mostly within the cannabis/hemp species—thus the interesting name. Cannabinoids are good for both the plants that produce them and for us. Most cannabinoids bind to the endocannabinoid system’s receptors in some type of way, leading to those sought-after balancing effects.

What about endocannabinoids?

So, hemp produces phytocannabinoids. Guess what? Our bodies produce cannabinoids, too! They’re called endo (a.k.a. inner) cannabinoids. 

These endocannabinoids are critical to the endocannabinoid system’s overall function; they keep the system fueled and keep us happy. Low endocannabinoid levels have been shown to lead to detriments as diverse as chronic migraines and MS. Thankfully, though, it’s relatively easy to restore endocannabinoid levels by taking CBD.

What are terpenes?

Earlier we mentioned how hemp contains much more than CBD alone, and that’s true. But the whole story goes a few steps further. In addition to its cannabinoids, hemp contains other classes of compounds, too!

And the most important of these ‘other classes’ are the terpenes. You can think of terpenes as hemp’s essential oils; they give the plant its distinctive taste and smell. Hemp is pretty distinct in that it contains over a hundred terpenes—terpenes you might otherwise expect to see in other plants.

What is full spectrum CBD?

Full spectrum CBD refers to any CBD product that contains the vast majority of hemp’s cannabinoids and terpenes. We know, we know . . . .it’s a pretty vague definition, especially given some extraction methods harness more of hemp’s goodness than others. Rest assured that our products capture as many of them as possible, including plenty of terpenes and cannabinoids.

What happens after taking CBD?

All sorts of good stuff. Once taken CBD gets absorbed into the bloodstream it’s carried to several molecular targets, including endocannabinoid and serotonin receptors. Over time CBD’s activation of these targets can lead to powerful effects.  Many people experience less inflammation, more hope, and the absence of normal anxieties and fears. As this survey by Quartz reports, Americans are taking CBD as a cure-all for the modern condition . . . and many of them feel like it’s working.

How much CBD should I be taking?

Most people do well taking 10-30 milligrams of CBD per day. Those with health challenges should probably take even more than that; to find out for sure, just slowly raise your dose over time. 

Alternatively, you could try microdosing. This technique allows one to thrive even on the lower end of the dosing spectrum. Many people thrive with a dosing schedule of 4 milligrams 4 times daily. And you can take CBD even more frequently if your schedule allows it. 

Just keep in mind that only premium CBD products work well enough to make microdosing worthwhile. A 2015 study attested that “the therapeutic synergy observed with [whole] plant extracts results in the requirement for a lower amount of active components.” Just one more reason to make sure your product of choice is full spectrum!

Does CBD have side effects?

The short answer is yes. 

CBD’s side effects, however, are incredibly mild. The most common one is drowsiness—but drowsiness also doubles as a healthy hint that you’re taking too much.  Other (very rare) effects include dry mouth and headaches. You’d get worse side effects from overdoing sugar or caffeine or water.

Can I get high from taking CBD?

Nope! CBD is non-psychotropic—so it definitely won’t get you high. That said, CBD can indeed be mind-altering. New users sometimes find its ability to clear away the mental fog pretty dramatic, especially if they’re used to feeling bad. But even the most sensitive CBD user won’t get high, inebriated, or intoxicated.

Why do you guys use nano-enhanced CBD?

As amazing as CBD oil is, it has one drawback that just can’t be ignored: it’s not absorbed very well. 

While the human body really does love CBD, most of the typical CBD oil one ingests gets broken down before it can make much of a difference. Leading scientists have described this chemical breakdown as “extensive” . . . leading studies have called CBD’s oral bioavailability “very low.”

But nano-enhanced CBD is different. It’s:

  • Easy to digest, even for those with digestive problems
  • Absorbed 4-5 times more completely than normal
  • Capable of kicking in up to 10 times faster
  • Able to last much longer

How does nano-enhanced CBD work? 

Nano CBD is a type of CBD that features tiny, specialized nanoparticles. 

Contrary to what you might be thinking, nano CBD does not feature smaller-than-normal CBD molecules. CBD’s molecular mass will always be 314 g/mol, so the difference between conventional CBD and nano-enhanced CBD doesn’t lie there. It lies in how nano CBD is structured. 

Nano CBD’s actual CBD molecules have been evenly dispersed into tiny, water-soluble liposomes which allow them to flow more easily into tight spaces. The liposomes of premium nano CBD may be as small as 25 nanometers (nm) across. Compared to the thousand-nm diameter of conventional liposomes, the difference is dramatic. 

This ultra-small particle size means nano CBD can get absorbed immediately upon ingestion. No more waiting for CBD to be digested or over-metabolized by the liver—nano CBD is a true sublingual that doesn’t rely on those pathways. Indeed, many users feel the effects of nano CBD within seconds. 

While more research still needs to be done on the full range of benefits of nano CBD, science is already familiar with what happens to a compound that’s structured in this sort of way. “Liposomes have been considered as one of the most outstanding, versatile and flexible carrier systems,”  says this research article. What we’ve seen of liposomal CBD so far is probably only the tip of the iceberg!

What else does nano-enhancement do?

Nano-enhancement has practical benefits, too. One of the biggest ones? It’s water-soluble. 

That means it readily dissolves into water—very much unlike conventional CBD oil, which mixes with water no better than any other oil would. Nano CBD’s solubility means it can be mixed into any liquid quickly and easily, whether we’re talking about your favorite drink or your bloodstream. If you thought taking CBD oil had to be boring . . . think again.