It can be said without question that use of cannabidiol or CBD for medical purposes is becoming more and more prevalent in today’s world. In accordance with this trend, many companies manufacturing and selling CBD products have strived to find new and better ways to consume the supplement. One method that has rode this wave of media attention is that of CBD gummies.
The clue is in the name with this form of medication. This is to say that they are gummy candies that have been dosed with CBD isolate or the full spectrum of CBD compounds. They can come in a number of forms such as gummy bears or gum drops, but more sweets to choose from are becoming available as demand increases. Because of this, now the CBD user can medicate with gummies and enjoy lavished flavours such as mango chilli or sugarplum!
It is possible that this surge of interest in CBD being integrated into food is in part a reaction to the growth of THC containing cannabis edibles that have seen success in places such as California where marijuana is legal for medical and recreational use. However, it must be said that there are qualities of CBD gummies that make them appealing in their own right. With CBD being shown to be effective in treating serious medical conditions such as epilepsy (2018), anxiety and depression, (2014), and most commonly chronic pain and inflammation (2004), there is a widening group of medical CBD users looking for the most effective method of treatment for their needs. With this in mind, this article will detail three of the main benefits of using CBD gummies, hopefully helping long time and prospective users of cannabidiol find the best form of treatment for them.
1. Dosing Advantages of CBD Gummies
CBD gummies, along with other edibles and gel capsules, fall under the category of ingestible methods of medication. Other options for cannabidiol consumption are sublingual, where a concentrate or tincture is held under the tongue to be absorbed into the mucus membrane, topical, creams and lotions that can be applied to the skin for local treatment, and inhalation methods, oils that can be vaped or high CBD strains of cannabis that can be smoked. Gummies as edibles thus posses the inherent advantages of ingestible methods of CBD medication.
Perhaps the most valuable benefits of using CBD gummies or other forms of edibles is the control they grant the users over their dosages. This is because, with all other before mentioned forms of cannabidiol medication, it can be very difficult to dose accurately and effectively. This is the case because, for sublingual methods such as tinctures, the liquid is so concentrated that it can be difficult for the everyday user to measure their CBD with the pinpoint accuracy required to fine tune their dosage. The same can be said for methods that require inhalation because there is no sure-fire way to ensure that the user is inhaling the exact same amount of vapour or smoke every time. Each CBD gummy on the other hand have a set and accurate amount of the chemical that allows the user to keep track of exactly how much cannabidiol they have consumed and as a result find the perfect does their preference or better regulate their daily medication regime.
This advantage of accurate dosing is especially important for those using CBD to treat anxiety and depression. Some argue that edible methods are ineffective in treating such conditions as the time it takes for the body to absorb the CBD does not give the user the immediate relief that those suffering anxiety and depression seek. However, while it is true that it can take some time for CBD to enter the bloodstream when ingested, there are other reasons that edibles may be the preferred way to treat anxiety and depression. This is because it has been shown in a number of studies that for the affect CBD has on the 5-HT serotonin receptors, the mechanism shown to be responsible for the anti-depressant benefits of cannabidiol, to be successful very specific doses of the chemical are needed (2006). This is reflected in a number of studies that focus on the numerous possible medical applications of CBD meaning that for effective treatment dosage accuracy is in many cases necessary. (2018)
2. A Matter of Taste
It may seem obvious but for some the main appeal of using CBD gummies rather than other forms of the medication is simply because they are more appealing to consume. For some, the earthy taste of unflavoured tinctures and concentrates is understandably undesirable and those that are flavoured can contain unwelcome artificial flavourings. The same can be said for some vape oils or the smoking of the raw plant although many choose to steer clear of these methods for fear of the possible negative health implication of inhaling smoke or vapour. For these people, CBD gummies then can offer the perfect solution.
The variety of flavours CBD gummies can come in essentially have no limits. From the classic gummy bear sweetness to apple, mango and watermelon a few minutes browsing the web can reveal an abundance of different flavours from the familiar to the exotic. While some brands of gummies do have some medicinal flavour lurking in their aftertaste, many go out of their way to taste just like normal candy. Furthermore, many CBD edible manufactures commit to using all-natural ingredients meaning no nasty artificial colours or flavourings. This added element of enjoyment means that by using CBD gummies, some will find it much easier to adhere properly to their treatment plan without the unpleasant flavours that come with cannabis-based medicines.
3. The Convenience of CBD Gummies
One of the selling points of CBD based medication is its minimal side effects and crucially its lack of psychoactivity. This has made CBD medication a great alternative for treating depression, anxiety and chronic pain as many of the conventional pharmaceuticals used to treat such afflictions have dangerous side effects and elements of intoxication, making it difficult to lead a normal life while medicated. Cannabidiol has been shown to have no such affects and as a result is a very versatile and unobtrusive form of treatment. One GQ journalist even called CBD “the drug you can do at work”.
The versatility of CBD however, is in many ways undermined by the sometimes-cumbersome methods by which user can consume it. Tinctures and concentrates are messy and can be difficult to measure, especially while one the move and a chronic pain sufferer unfortunately is not always in the right scenario to apply topical CBD moisturisers or creams. The same can be said for the use of cannabidiol in vaporizers as many offices and public places do not permit their use. Once again, CBD gummies enter to offer a solution.
Often in resealable containers or some even individually wrapped, the CBD user can take their gummies with them on the go. No fiddling with measurements, oils or creams, gummies are easy to consumer and self-contained. Furthermore, those who medicate with cannabidiol need not broadcast it to the world as of course CBD gummies are extremely discrete.
To Finish
It must be said that there is ongoing debate of the value of CBD in the form of gummies or any edibles for that matter. This is because it is argued by some that this method does not utilize the present cannabidiol as efficiently as other options. While this may be true, this by no means meaningfully diminishes the possible benefits of CBD gummies.
For one, the unrivalled power over dosage that gummies and other forms of ingestible medications grant means that new user can experiment accurately and find their ideal medication regime, and long time CBD users can ensure they consume exactly how much they want. On top of this, the unparallel versatility of gummies make them invaluable for the everyday user who needs to be free to medicate whenever and wherever. In plain sight of course, there is also the appeal of being able to combine the wide spectrum medical benefits of natural CBD with something as simply pleasurable as a sweet treat in a variety of flavours to suit every taste. But before one decides to use gummies or any other form of CBD for that matter, they should do their own research and consult their doctor.
References
Chloe Hall, (Jul 2018), CBD Gummies Put an Insomniac Like me to Sleep, Elle Magazine
Sep 2018, Cannabis Retail Sales are Expected to Increase as the Edibles Market Grows, FinancialBuzz.com
Khan, A. A., Shekh-Ahmad, T., Khalil, A., Walker, M. C., & Ali, A. B. (2018). Cannabidiol exerts antiepileptic effects by restoring hippocampal interneuron functions in a temporal lobe epilepsy model. British journal of pharmacology, 175(11), 2097-2115
Alexandre R. de Mello Schier, Natalia P. de Oliveira Ribeiro, Danielle S. Coutinho, Sergio Machado, Oscar Arias-Carrion, Jose A. Crippa, Antonio W. Zuardi, Antonio E. Nardi and Adriana C. Silva, (2014) “Antidepressant-Like and Anxiolytic-Like Effects of Cannabidiol: A Chemical Compound of Cannabis sativa”, CNS & Neurological Disorders – Drug Targets 13: 953. https://doi.org/10.2174/1871527313666140612114838
Costa, B., Giagnoni, G., Franke, C., Trovato, A. E., & Colleoni, M. (2001). Vanilloid TRPV1 receptor mediates the antihyperalgesic effect of the nonpsychoactive cannabinoid, cannabidiol, in a rat model of acute inflammation. British journal of pharmacology, 143(2), 247-50
Moreira FA, Aguiar DC, Guimarães FS. (2006), Anxiolytic-like effect of cannabidiol in the rat Vogel conflict test, Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry