As cannabidiol (CBD) rises in popularity and notoriety, so do questions around the products made with it. People search all the time for information regarding “CBD pills.” However, people should not be wondering about CBD pills, they should be asking about CBD soft gels.
You may be thinking that there is not really a difference between the two. That is not actually true. In this article we will go into the differences between them and what benefits they may have.
Starting simple: what is CBD?
There is much to cover for this article, so it is probably best to start at the beginning, defining CBD.
Hemp, marijuana, and other Cannabis plants have chemical compounds in them known as cannabinoids. There are many different cannabinoids in Cannabis, in fact there are over 113 of them. CBD is one of these cannabinoids. While it exists in both marijuana and hemp, it is more likely to be extracted from hemp as there is more CBD in hemp than there is in marijuana.
One cannabinoid that you have likely heard of is tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). The reason you have likely heard of THC is that it is psychoactive. That means that it is the compound in Cannabis plants that creates the high so commonly associated with the plants. CBD does not have a psychoactive effect like that. It may help you relax, but it will not intoxicate you.
CBD is found in hemp and marijuana. However, most CBD manufacturers use hemp plants when extracting the compound. This is for a few reasons. The main one is that hemp has more CBD and less THC in it. This makes the extraction much easier. The other reason is that industrial hemp is legal in the United States. Marijuana, on the other hand, is legal in some states, but not all and not always for recreational use. That makes it so most CBD manufacturers need to use hemp to ensure that their product can be sold in more than just a couple of states. The use of hemp also means that the levels of THC that are in the CBD product are either very low (around 0.3%) or nonexistent. Learn more here about the FDA’s stance on CBD.
CBD products can be made with three different forms of CBD. The differences between them have to do with what other compounds and cannabinoids are in the extract. When CBD is extracted from hemp, other compounds like cannabinoids and terpenes come with it. Some kinds of CBD leave them in, and others take some or all of them out. The three main kinds are full-spectrum, broad-spectrum, and CBD isolate.
Full-spectrum has all of the other cannabinoids and compounds that come out of the plant with the CBD. It even has THC in it, though it is normally less than 0.3%, which is not enough to get anyone high. Broad-spectrum is similar. The main difference is that broad-spectrum does not have any THC in it. It does, however, have the other compounds and cannabinoids. CBD isolate has nothing except for the CBD. The appeal of full-spectrum and broad-spectrum is that they may be strong than CBD isolate. But CBD isolate may have a purer effect, without the other cannabinoids.
This is a lot of information about CBD. It does not answer a very important question, why do people even use CBD? Let’s answer that.
What does CBD do?
Research on CBD is booming. There is much that researchers want to know about it. In the course of this research, they have found a lot of interesting things about the cannabinoid. Let’s talk about some of those things.
Inflammation
This is a condition that can make life hard. It can make even basic movements difficult; it is also a condition that underlies many different diseases and conditions. Many of the studies about CBD have focused on its effect on inflammation. For example, this study found that CBD could help reduce inflammation associated with lung injuries. Another study found that CBD could help reduce inflammation associated with bowel diseases.
Epilepsy
Epilepsy is a very serious condition that many have to live with. It can cause dangerous seizures. There are several studies looking at how CBD may be able to calm these seizures. Take this study for example, the researchers found that CBD calmed epileptic seizures in rats. There is even an epilepsy medication that has CBD as the main ingredient. Its main goal is to calm the frequency and intensity of seizure activity.
Neurodegeneration
This is a symptom and/or cause for many different diseases. It can be rather scary to face. Researchers have been studying neurodegenerative disease such as Parkinson’s Disease and Alzheimer’s Disease for a long time. Recently some of the research has turned to CBD as a potential aid. Two of these studies, this one and this one, found that CBD seemed to have a neuroprotective effect.
Stress
It is well-known that CBD has a calming effect on most people. So, it is not surprising that there have been a multitude of studies on how CBD can affect someone’s state of mind. This study found that CBD was able to help relax mice with chronic stress. There is another study that found that CBD helped control symptoms of Generalized Social Anxiety Disorder.
These are just a few examples of what CBD may be able to do for people. There is a lot of research happening on the cannabinoid. As there is always something new to know, it is worth keeping an eye out for any new research on CBD.
What is the difference between pills and soft gels?
There are a lot of CBD products out there, ranging from oils to lotions. Many people prefer a version of CBD that feels very familiar, CBD pills, tablets and/or soft gels. However, there are very real differences between these products. The question is, which is better?
Here at Panacea Life Sciences’ we have chosen to manufacture soft gels. There are many reasons for this. One of them is that since CBD extract is a liquid, soft gels are the ideal form for a liquid ingredient. Soft gels help keep the CBD liquid, meaning that you do not lose anything in the dehydrating that would be required to make a pill or tablet.
Soft gels are a better choice especially for those individuals who might have a hard time swallowing pills. Soft gels are more flexible than pills and tablets. The flexibility makes them much easier to swallow. This way, you do not have to deal with the rigidity that makes swallowing pills and tablets so difficult.
One of the biggest differences between regular pills and soft gels is how long it takes for them to absorb. Soft gels dissolve much more quickly. This means that they enter the system and start working faster. Pills and tablets tend to take much longer. The one exception is dissolvable tablets. These you put under your tongue to dissolve. The skin under the tongue is thin and as a result the CBD can enter the system quickly. However, you may not have time to wait for a tablet to dissolve. If that is the case, then soft gels are likely a better option for you.
As you can see, there are many reasons to choose soft gels over pills. If you do the next question to answer is, how do you find a good CBD soft gel?
How to find quality CBD soft gels
Looking for a good CBD product like a soft gel can be a little intimidating as there are so many options out there. So, it is a good idea to know how to find high quality CBD. But how do you do that?
One of the best ways to be sure that you are getting good CBD is by researching the CBD manufacturer. A quality CBD manufacturer should be transparent about their process for extracting the cannabinoid. This way you know that there is not anything iffy going on. They should also use a third party to test the quality of their products. This way there is no bias in the testing.
Another good way to be positive that a CBD product is worth it is by reading reviews. Read the reviews of not just the product you are interested, but others as well. That way you have an idea of what the company does well, and what products to steer clear of. Reading reviews of the company overall is also a good way to gauge the manufacturer’s worth. The review you read should not just be on the company’s website, but also on some third-party sites, to ensure there is not any bias in the reviewing.
Price is not always an indication of a good CBD product. Most CBD products tend to be more expensive than their non-CBD counterparts. There are some CBD products that are more expensive than others. That does not mean that they are better than other products. Some manufacturers feel that they can get away with overcharging their customers. If a CBD product’s price seems too good to be true, it probably is. A CBD product that is way too cheap may be of poor quality. The best thing to do is to find a CBD product that is somewhere in the middle.
Once you have bought the CBD soft gels, you are likely wondering, how much should I take?
How to decide how much to take
This is always an interesting question to answer. This is because there is no one set answer. Everyone reacts to CBD a little bit differently. The amount that would sit well with you, may not sit well with others.
The first thing to cover about this, is to talk about the side effects that CBD may have on people. These side effects are not anything serious. They are normally along the lines of nausea and fatigue. It is normally connected with taking too much CBD. So, if you want to avoid these unpleasant side effects, you will need to make sure that you are taking the right amount of CBD.
The best way to figure out how much CBD to take is to experiment a little. You should start by taking as little as possible and see how it sits with you. If you react to it okay, then you can increase how much you take if you do not experience any side effects. There is no need to take it until you have side effects. If you get to the point where you are getting the effect you are going for, then you can keep on taking that amount.
It may take some time to figure out how much CBD you need. Be patient and be careful, because it is better to safe than sorry.
It is also a good idea to talk to a healthcare professional before you start on CBD. This is because there are some medications that do not sit well with CBD. They may change the intended effect of the medication. So, if you take medication and are thinking of starting to take CBD, it is good to talk to the medical professional that prescribed them, to know how the medication and the CBD will interact.
When choosing between CBD pills and soft gels, it is best to understand what exactly pills and soft gels are. Once you do, it is easy to see why so many people prefer the soft gels over the pills and tablets. If you are interested in CBD, soft gels are definitely worth trying.
CBD is a recently re-established industry. While even some of the founding fathers grew hemp, most people know very little about it. That can make it a little intimidating. If you want to know more, but do not know where to start, you can try starting here on Panacea Life Sciences’ website. On here we have several blogs covering all kinds of topics in the CBD industry. You can also check out some of our great CBD products, like our CBD soft gels. Our team is also available for questions on our site, or you can email us at [email protected]. Check out our CBD oil capsules in our shop!
Sources:
https://sunrisehouse.com/prescription-drug-addiction-recovery/capsules-tablets/
https://aor.us/softgels-vs-capsules-vs-tablets-which-is-right-for-you/
https://coopercomplete.com/blog/supplement-forms-is-one-form-better/
