how to use a cbd tincture

You’ve picked up a bottle of a CBD tincture for the first time, now what? How exactly are you supposed to take it? Don’t fret, it’s not hard, and we’re here to help.

how much to take

Before we get too deep into the different ways you can take CBD tinctures, we should spend a little bit of time discussing how much you should take.

Figuring out CBD dosing takes patience and experimentation. We recommend starting with a single dropper of your CBD tincture and working your way up from there. It’s a good idea to keep track of how much CBD you take each day and how it affects you — start a journal! Once you reach the point where taking a higher dose of CBD no longer offers a measurable difference in the effects, you know you’ve reached your ideal dose.

Don’t worry about overdoing it either, CBD isn’t addictive, and it’s safe to consume even in large doses. In fact, as the CBD-levels in your body build up over time, you will start to experience more consistent, longer-lasting effects. Because of this, it’s a good idea to make CBD part of your daily wellness routine, regardless of whether you’re trying to treat an immediate concern or not.

ingestion

The most obvious way to take your CBD tincture is by ingesting it. All you have to do is place a drop of your CBD tincture in your mouth and swallow. Simple as that. However, this isn't necessarily the best way to take your CBD.

When you swallow CBD, it has to travel through your digestive system before it reaches your bloodstream. This can take quite a long time, meaning you might not feel the effects of your CBD for several hours. Not only that, but ingestion offers relatively low bioavailability as well. Bioavailability describes how much of a substance gets absorbed into the bloodstream, and how quickly it happens. Because CBD has low bioavailability when ingested, it both takes a long time to kick in and produces weaker effects than other methods of consumption.

CBD’s great relationship with fat is exactly the reason why we make all of our CBD tinctures with high-quality MCT oil at Pachamama. We derive our MCT oil from coconuts, and it’s packed with healthy fats, which are particularly easy for your body to break down, making it an ideal pairing for CBD extracts.

sublingual

The absolute most effective way to take a CBD tincture is via sublingual consumption. Sublingual is a fancy Latin word meaning “under the tongue,” and is most often used to refer to the way you take a substance. Taking advantage of sublingual CBD consumption is easy, too. All you need to do is hold the CBD tincture under your tongue for 30–60 seconds.

The reason why sublingual consumption is so effective is that it offers a much more direct line to your bloodstream than ingestion does. Instead of being routed to the digestive system, the CBD is absorbed directly into the capillaries under the tongue. CBD tinctures taken sublingually will yield stronger effects and a faster onset than CBD tinctures you ingest.

topical

CBD tinctures can be applied directly to the skin, as well. Doing so will provide you with relief exactly where needed. Just rub some on the area you want and, boom, the CBD will help maintain overall joint and muscle health.

Picking up a CBD topical that has been designed specifically for use on the skin is going to serve you better. Products like our Athletic Rub contain ingredients that help your skin absorb the CBD more quickly and efficiently, while also providing nourishment and hydration.

Get started with CBD tinctures here.