03 Dec CBD Oil Experiences: What Our Customers Say About CBD
As CBD continues to rise in popularity, it’s becoming increasingly important for brands to understand why their customers use it and how it affects their lives.
For this reason, Naturecan recently asked over 420 customers to complete a survey on their experiences with CBD. Although the sample size was small, the results have given us valuable insight into our customer’s needs, concerns and experiences. This insight will in turn enable us to better understand, inform and serve our customers.
The survey consisted of the following questions:
- Do you use CBD?
- What concerns do you have about using CBD?
- How long have you been using CBD?
- How often do you use CBD?
- How much CBD do you use daily?
- Has CBD helped you?
- How has CBD helped you?
- How much has CBD helped you?
To get a deeper understanding of our customers’ experiences with CBD, especially with regard to whom CBD helps the most and the least, we’ve also cross-referenced some of our results with the final question: “How much CBD has helped you?”
Summary of findings:
- 95% of customers report that CBD has helped them
- CBD has been of most help to people with pain and sleep issues
- The longer customers use CBD, the better their results
- Finding the right dosage and product is key to maximising benefits
Table of Contents
Results Analysis
The results from our first question indicate that 95% of our customers use CBD. The remaining 5% are most likely customers of Naturecan’s range of CBD-free vitamins and supplements.
Among the 5% who do not use CBD, the main concerns are regarding potential interactions with other medications and feeling tired after taking CBD. To a lesser extent, this group is also sceptical about CBD’s effectiveness, and concerned about potential intoxication, health damage and memory loss.
We’d like to point out here that CBD is completely safe for consumption, provided that you only use quality products with non-detectable THC, and do not exceed the FSA’s recommended maximum daily dosage of 70mg. In 2018, the World Health Organisation (WHO) stated that CBD is “generally well tolerated with a good safety profile.”
The concern about interactions with other medications is valid as CBD may enhance or decrease the effectiveness of other medications. If you are on prescribed medication, it is therefore important that you consult your doctor before taking CBD to discuss potential interactions. CBD should not be consumed by pregnant or breastfeeding women as not enough studies have been carried out for this group.
CBD is also 100% non-intoxicating, which means that, unlike THC, it does not make the user high or cause addiction. While there are potential side-effects of CBD use, these are rare and usually mild (such as a dry mouth or reduced appetite), and often the result of taking too much CBD.
CBD has not been shown to cause memory loss. In fact, CBD use has been shown to correlate with improved memory in people with Alzheimer’s disease. Moreover, it is cannabis products with high concentrations of THC and low or negligible concentrations of CBD that have been linked to memory impairment.
While CBD may contribute to improved sleep, it does not induce feelings of tiredness; on the contrary, it simply supports the body’s endocannabinoid system in regulating sleep, among many other vital processes.
CBD is legal in the UK, the EU and many other countries throughout the world. However, laws about THC content vary. In the UK, any product derived from cannabis containing less than 0.3% THC is regarded as safe and legal for consumption.
The results from our third question show that most of our customers (65%) have been using CBD for between one and 12 months. This group is most likely to benefit from CBD, as it can take at least 4 weeks of regular use for CBD to take full effect. Moreover, people who use CBD for several months typically see better results than those who use it for less than one month. On average, the longer you use CBD on a consistent basis, the more benefits you will experience.
This chart clearly shows that the longer people use CBD, the more positive effects they feel. Moreover, people who have been taking CBD for 4 months or more report the most benefits. This could in part be because they have had time to figure out which dosage and products work best for them.
The figures also demonstrate that people who take CBD for less than a month do not experience as many benefits as people who have taken it for a longer time period. This may be because they have not yet found their optimal CBD dosage, or due to the fact that it can take some time for the body to feel CBD’s full effects. Indeed, some people have reported feeling the effects of CBD almost instantly, while others have taken longer to benefit from CBD. We therefore suggest that you be patient and if you don’t feel the effects of CBD after a few weeks, then increase the dosage by around 10mg of CBD per day.
About 80% of customers take CBD at least once daily, with 50% taking it once per day and 30% taking it several times per day. By contrast, 20% do not take CBD on a daily basis, with about 15% of customers taking it between one and five times per week. To maximise the potential benefits of CBD, it’s advisable to take it consistently on a regular basis, using a dosage that is appropriate for your needs.
For help finding your optimal dosage, try out our CBD dosage calculator. Alternatively, for people new to CBD, we recommend starting with a low daily dose and increasing this gradually until you find your sweet spot (staying below a total of 70mg per day). For more information on CBD dosage, check out our article: How much CBD should I take?
In the chart above, we can see that there’s very little variation in the effectiveness of CBD with regards to frequency of use. We understand that some of our customers only take CBD when needed (for example, when they have migraines, PMS or a lot of stress), while others take it more regularly. There is no right and wrong here, and everyone can adapt their CBD intake to their needs. So, while it is not essential to take CBD every day, the key is to use it consistently if you want to experience the full effects.
The data from question 5 indicates that about 50% of customers take small daily doses of up to 29mg CBD, while 30% use more than this, and 19% don’t know how much they take. This last group may be partly composed of customers who use topical or edible CBD products, which are harder to measure dosage for than CBD capsules or CBD oils, and also customers who have not yet calculated the right dosage for their needs.
Here, we can see that the customers who don’t know how much CBD they take per day find that it helps them the least. This is not surprising. As previously mentioned, to get the most out of CBD it’s important to find the right dosage for your needs and ensure you take this on a regular basis.
CBD capsules and cannabidiol gummies offer an easy way to track your dosage, as each serving contains the same fixed concentration of CBD of either 10mg or 25mg of CBD per capsule or gummy. However, other products such as CBD balms and oils are trickier to dose, as it’s up to you to calculate how much CBD is contained in each application.
For CBD balms, one way of doing this is to record the number of applications it takes you to use a container, and divide the container’s total CBD concentration by this number. For example, if you have a 100ml tub of CBD Arnica Cream containing 1000mg CBD, and you get 200 equal-sized applications from it, you can divide 1000 by 200 and estimate that each application contains approximately 5mg CBD.
For CBD oils, the table below shows how much CBD is contained per drop for each strength:
As you can see, it is not the percentage of CBD that counts ultimately, but the concentration of CBD (in mg), as with two drops of 5% CBD oil you get the same dosage as with one drop of 10% CBD oil. Equally, one 10mg CBD gummy contains approximately as much CBD as five drops of the 5% CBD oil. Therefore, when it comes to deciding which CBD product to try first, it all depends on your personal preference and budget.
The biggest difference is that the higher strength CBD oil bottles last longer as you have to take fewer drops to reach the same dosage; they also offer a better price value and have a slightly higher bioavailability (how much CBD gets into your bloodstream) than CBD edibles or capsules, for example.
CBD has helped 95 % of our customers, with only 5% reporting no noticeable health benefits. While it is true that CBD affects everyone differently, depending on each individual’s physiological makeup, there are other factors which may also influence CBD’s effectiveness. As explained above, you can maximise your chances of benefitting from CBD by using it regularly for at least one month and finding the right dosage and product for your needs.
With so many products to choose from, it can be difficult to find the one that’s best for you. Here’s a brief look at the main ways of taking CBD:
1. CBD capsules
CBD capsules are a good place to start for people new to CBD, as they are easy to take and offer a simple way to manage your dosage. Naturecan’s CBD softgel capsules come in two dosages: 10mg and 25mg. CBD capsules usually take 1-2 hours to work, and the effects can last for 2-8 hours. Simply swallow CBD capsules with some water.
2. CBD oil drops
CBD oil drops have higher bioavailability than most other means of administration, which means that they increase the amount of CBD that enters the bloodstream. To take CBD oil, simply place a few drops under your tongue and hold them there for around a minute before swallowing. This will allow the CBD oil to be absorbed directly into the bloodstream via the oral mucosa, so that the effects may be felt more quickly than other means of taking CBD. CBD oil starts working within 15-30 mins, and its effects can last for 2-8 hours. Naturecan offers CBD oils in six different strengths, so you can select the perfect concentration for your needs.
3. CBD balms
While CBD oils and CBD capsules work systemically to affect the whole body, CBD balms and CBD skincare products allow the user to target problem areas, such as sore joints or dry skin, and keep CBD benefits localised to the point where they are most needed.
4. CBD edibles
CBD snacks, CBD gummies and other edible products are a delicious way to get your daily dose of CBD. Popular CBD edibles include cookies, brownies, nut butters, gummies and chocolates. As CBD snacks have to pass through the digestive system before entering the bloodstream, they can take 1-2 hours to take effect; however, these effects can last for up to 8 hours.
5. CBD vapes
CBD vapes are an effective way to absorb CBD into the body. The bioavailability is higher than other routes of administration such as oil drops and balms, which means that CBD can enter into the bloodstream faster and its effects can be felt sooner. While vape products are seen as a reduced risk alternative for smokers, we would not encourage non-smokers to take up vaping.
To learn more, check out our other article: How to take CBD.
The data from this question offer insights into the main reasons why people use CBD. Most of our customers report that CBD has helped them with pain (55%), while about half find it has helped with sleep issues (49%) and about 41% report that it contributes to relaxation.
From the chart above, it is clear that CBD offers multiple potential benefits, and that many customers find it helpful for more than one type of health complaint. Having said this, it may be reasonable to deduce that CBD is most popular among people suffering from pain, sleep issues, stress and inflammation.
In this chart, we can see that CBD helps people in many different ways. There is little variation in these results, which suggests that CBD can be equally effective for people with a variety of needs.
But how does CBD actually produce these benefits? Well, the short answer is that CBD works by influencing the body’s endocannabinoid system (ECS), a complex cell-signaling network found throughout the body. The ECS regulates many vital functions, including sleep, mood, appetite and pain, and keeps the body in a state of balance.
The ECS consists of three key components: endocannabinoids, cannabinoid receptors and enzymes.
1. Endocannabinoids
Endocannabinoids are molecules produced by the body that regulate many neuronal functions by binding to cannabinoid receptors and signalling to the ECS when it needs to take action (for example, to relieve pain or inflammation).
2. Cannabinoid receptors
The two main cannabinoid receptors are known as CB1 and CB2. CB1 receptors are located primarily in the brain and central nervous system, while CB2 receptors are mainly found in the immune system and peripheral organs.
3. Enzymes
Enzymes break down endocannabinoids once they have carried out their function.
While cannabinoids such as CBN imitate endocannabinoids by binding directly to CB receptors, CBD is thought to bind weakly to these receptors and affect the body indirectly.
For example, CBD prevents certain enzymes from breaking down endocannabinoids, thereby increasing endocannabinoid concentrations and enabling them to have a greater effect on the body. In this way, CBD indirectly supports the ECS in keeping the body balanced and healthy.
To find out more about how CBD works, check out our blog article on the endocannabinoid system.
On average, our customers rated CBD’s effectiveness at 3.7 out of 5, with over half claiming that CBD has been of significant help with their health issues (61%). These figures indicate that, while it does not work wonders for everyone, CBD is a very effective substance with few side-effects.
CBD Reviews
Here are some reviews from our happy customers:
“I have been using Naturecan’s CBD oil for nearly a year now and it’s helped with so many things, including anxiety, muscle pain and the biggest benefit I’ve noticed is period pain. I rarely ever take medication but at the beginning of the year I was taking up to 5 painkillers a day during my period, taking the CBD oil has really helped to reduce the pain!”
– Megan
“I had trouble falling asleep after a night of work for a long time. I heard about CBD through my brother-in-law and thought I would give it a try. It took me a while to notice the difference, but after using it for several evenings I fell asleep faster. Now I know that when I come home in the evening, I can take a few drops and fall asleep without waiting an hour or more to get tired. In addition, it has already helped a lot against cramps during my period, headaches and stress. It is so nice to know that you have something at home that is natural and reduces discomfort. I am especially a fan of the CBD capsules and the drops, but very satisfied with the gummies, the cookies and the hand cream!”
– Sanne
“I had struggled with migraines and headaches, and I used to take medicines 4 times per week in order to deal with those headaches. I’m really happy I found Naturecan. I can’t even remember when was the last time I had a migraine and I’ve been headache free ever since. Also, my cramps and mood changes before my period have been getting better. I’m forever grateful Naturecan.”
– Amal
Takeaway
Here’s a summary of our key findings from this survey:
- CBD has helped 95% of our customers
- It has been particularly helpful for people with pain, sleep issues, stress, and inflammation
- The longer customers use CBD, the more benefits they experience
- Customers are likely to experience the full effects of CBD after 4 months of regular use
- Finding your optimal dosage and choosing the right product are key to maximising CBD’s effectiveness
As we mentioned at the beginning of this article, the data collected from this small survey has helped us to better understand our customer’s needs, concerns and experiences with CBD. This understanding will in turn empower us to better serve and inform our customers. We’ll be conducting more surveys in the future, and hope that we’ll be able to help many more people around the world.
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