8 Solid CBD Options Bc We Know You’re Anxious

It really depends on your personal preference and how long you're trying to chill out for. "Tinctures are generally the fastest-acting products, but the effects wear off quickly, while gummies and other edible products take longer to start working and have a longer effect," explains Lucas Buffaloe, MD, a University of Missouri Health Care family medicine physician who specializes in addiction medicine and pain management.

This is yet again a friendly reminder that what works well for one person may work completely different for someone else, so check in with your doctor before you start any type of regular CBD routine.

There's no one singular dosage we could recommend, because it depends on the person and whether you're taking a gumdrop, an oil, or a supplement. "Regardless of how you choose to consume CBD, start low and gradually work your way up," says Rebecca Siegel, MD, a clinical psychiatrist and author of The Brain on Cannabis: What You Should Know about Recreational and Medical Marijuana. "If it’s your first time using CBD, you won't know how your body will react until it’s ingested, so it's always best to err on the side of caution."

As a reference point, Dr. Siegel's standard starting dose for gummies is usually about 5 to 10 mg of CBD per gummy, and 1 to 5 milligrams per drop of oil. The concentration in certain products could be a bit higher, so follow the directions on the packaging for a safe dose (you always have the option of cutting a gummy in half). And don't continue to take more if you don't feel the effects right away, Dr. Siegel cautions. There's a chance it could interact with other medications you're taking, like immune suppressant drugs or antidepressants. The lesson: Always touch base with a doctor who knows your medical history before you start popping additional gummies.

Well, tbh, we don’t know that it’ll necessarily relieve your anxiety. That's mostly because it's still unregulated by the FDA, so it's still uncharted territory out there.

In terms of CBD side effects, the good news is that they're not really common (unless you start off with a high dosage, Dr. Buffaloe says). Out of an abundance of caution, he advises avoiding CBD if you're pregnant or might be pregnant. There's not enough research to confirm that it's safe to use in any capacity during pregnancy.

Be aware of the THC content.

Since most CBD products are coming from hemp, they'll likely only contain CBD and tiny, trace amounts of THC. But there are more than 100 other chemical compounds in hemp. "We don’t know about the effects of most of them, and product labels usually don’t disclose them," Dr. Buffaloe says. People who want to avoid potential side effects from those other compounds should look for products that contain only CBD, sometimes called isolates.

Your best bet, if you don't explicitly wanna get high, is to dodge anything that advertises having THC in it on the label. Also, if you have a drug test coming up for a job or any other reason, Dr. Vandrey warns that some of these products could contain enough THC to result in a positive test. In that case, reach for a CBD isolate just to be safe.

Look for a Certificate of Analysis.

If you want a CBD product that's the real deal and is tested specifically for safety and efficacy, poke around for what's called a Certificate of Analysis, or COA. "Products with a COA mean that they've been third-party tested by an outside lab that doesn’t have a stake in the product," Dr. Siegel says. (All the products in this article have verified COAs, btw.) You can check it out for yourself by scanning the QR code on the product, or by doing what you do best (internet stalking, of course).

• Lucas Buffaloe, MD is a family medicine physician at University of Missouri Health Care. He specializes in chronic conditions, pain management, and addiction medicine.
• Rebecca Siegel, MD is a licensed psychiatrist, cannabis medical advisor, and author of The Brain on Cannabis: What You Should Know about Recreational and Medical Marijuana, a comprehensive and myth-busting guide on marijuana use and its effects on the brain.
• Ryan Vandrey, PhD is a professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Johns Hopkins Medicine whose research interests include the human behavioral pharmacology of cannabis and nicotine and tobacco.