CBD is popping up all over the place, and there’s a wide range of products that feature it. The marijuana extract—which won’t get you high—has shown up in everything from creams to tinctures.
CBD (which is short for cannabidiol) is a non-psychoactive ingredient found in the cannabis plant. While many people feel perfectly comfortable rubbing CBD into their skin, it’s understandable that you might be a little more conscious when it comes to something that you ingest. Still, just like using lotions and creams, taking CBD orally seems to be just fine for your health, Jamie Alan, PhD, an assistant professor of pharmacology and toxicology at Michigan State University, tells Yahoo Lifestyle. “All the data seem to imply that it’s safe,” she says.
In general, you’re usually going to get a higher dose of CBD if you take it orally vs. rubbing it into your skin, Alan says, and this is generally how the compound has been studied.
There’s a lot that’s still being researched when it comes to CBD’s uses, even though many people claim that it can help with a slew of illnesses. The U.S. National Library of Medicine says that there is “insufficient evidence” to back up a lot of CBD claims, although there are some promising findings when it comes to CBD’s impact on anxiety and insomnia. Anecdotally, a lot of people also rave about CBD’s ability to help with pain control.
If you’re interested in trying out a CBD tincture, just be aware that some formulations are made with alcohol, Alan says. It’s also a good idea to check in with your doctor to make sure you don’t have any health issues or medications that CBD might negatively impact. And, per the U.S. National Library of Medicine, it’s best to avoid CBD in any form if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding, since it hasn’t been studied in those populations.
Other than that, you should be good to go when it comes to trying out CBD tinctures.
