There are a lot of factors that affect how your cannabis edibles affect you. If you are bummed because your cannabis edibles have no effect – let’s take a look at some of the factors. The more you know, right? Besides, it may not mean that the edibles have no effect but that they affect you differently than you expected.
Topics of Discussion
- Some edibles have no effect because they are poor quality.
- What’s in your cannabis or CBD edibles?
- Types of cannabis consumption, desired effect, and how you feel the effects.
- Your metabolic rate and how cannabis products pass through the liver – both play a role.
- To eat or not to eat? Cannabis edibles and what you eat before consumption.
Cannabis Edibles – What Are They?
Cannabis edibles are small treats, gummies, biscuits, brownies, etc that contain some type of cannabis derivative in them. This includes marijuana edibles but is not the topic of this conversation. Here, we discuss CBD and cannabis edibles for health and wellness purposes. Because the effects of edibles of these types are much less conspicuous, it can sometimes be harder to know when they are taking effect or delivering benefits:
- You won’t feel high from cannabis edibles unless you’ve gotten some that contain THC.
- You may notice feeling more calm, better sleep, or a sense of wellness, but again, since these feelings are so much less noticeable than a psychoactive feeling you’d get from weed edibles, some people think their cannabis or CBD edibles are not working, when they just work differently.
Types of Cannabis Consumption (Why Edibles?)
There are a variety of ways to get cannabis derivatives into your body and each has its own unique experience – from the nostalgic weed brownie recipe passed down to you from Uncle Rick to smoking or vaping to the rise in cannabis derivatives in gummy form. With this variety comes also a variety of laws, restrictions, and safety concerns. Because of this, you need to be in the know on anything cannabis that goes into your body.
One reason we like cannabis edibles is that they are quick, they’re kinda fun, and they give a boost whenever we want to use them. Even long-term marijuana users are gravitating toward this more gentle and legal method of feeling more calm.
Note: You need to research your state’s laws so you know the legalities of whatever cannabis edibles it is you want to take. Please note the distinction between marijuana edibles and edibles made with cannabinoids from hemp.
It’s Possible You Just Got Crappy Cannabis Edibles
If the effects of edibles are lacking for you, it may be that you aren’t getting quality products.
Take a look at several things that may explain why the edibles have no effect on you:
- Check that they come from a reputable source – a company that does product testing and stands by their products.
- Make sure that what you are buying will provide or has the ability to provide for your end goal. Some products are not designed to make you high, so if this is what you are expecting from a CBD gummy, you might just be misinformed as to what to expect.
- Is there an expiration date on the product? Is it fresh?
- Are you taking the right amount for your body size?
- What is in the cannabis edibles you are using? What type of phytocannabinoids, other botanicals, chemicals, preservatives, or other ingredients?
What’s in Those Cannabis Edibles Anyway?
First, know what you are using. Perhaps you are getting cannabis edibles thinking they are the same thing as marijuana edibles – and they are not. There are lots of edibles that include components of the cannabis plants for health and wellness benefits, and these are not to be confused with pot edibles, weed brownies, or other marijuana edibles which are often used for recreational purposes.
Cannabis or CBD edible gummies are different. Remember the THC levels are remarkably low in them. You may be expecting results your products aren’t made for when you come to the conclusion that the edibles have no effect on you – it may mean that the effect you are looking for isn’t what those particular products are designed to do.
You also need to know exactly what is in those tasty cannabis edibles. This is true for consuming an edible of any type, really. Quality can play a role – how the hemp is sourced and what type of production process the company uses – but also what ingredients are in the particular edible you want to use. Look for things like product ingredient lists, pages on the website where you can read more about the product you are using, and open transparency about product testing.
If you plan to take cannabis edibles, especially on a regular basis, you’ll want to make sure you are not also feeding yourself a bunch of unnecessary chemicals you don’t want in your body. Some products are vegan, cruelty-free, or organic and you can also screen for those to ensure you are getting a product you enjoy using while feeling more confident in using them.
Your Body’s Unique Physiology and Cannabis
Cannabis phytochemicals work in a very unique way, and so does your body. While a multitude of cannabis components – like CBD, THC, Delta 9 THC, CBG, CBN, terpenes, and others – are available and may be in your cannabis edibles, know that each of these components work a little differently with the human body.
In fact, the more of the parts of the Cannabis sativa plant are present in your product, the more likely they are to produce a wellness boost we call the entourage effect.
How a mixture of phytoactives work with your system may differ from person to person. We all have what is called an endocannabinoid system in our bodies. This system produces natural endocannabinoids like anandamide (AEA) and 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG). These endocannabinoids (produced by the body) work within the complex endocannabinoid system, using various receptors throughout the body, organs, and skin, to help provide balance and homeostasis within the body.
For some people, there may be insufficiencies in how the system absorbs its own endocannabinoids, or there may be insufficient endocannabinoid production – it’s all quite mysterious, really. Phytocannabinoids (which are like your own endocannabinoids but are produced by plants, like what we get from Cannabis sativa) work because they mimic our own body’s endocannabinoids and operate with the same CB1 and CB2 receptors.
Here’s the tricky part – it can vary from person to person what is needed, how much is needed, and how it all interacts. This produces variable effects of edibles from person to person for not one cannabinoid, but all of them.
Therefore, note this: If your cannabis edibles have no effect on you, it may mean that you haven’t found the right combination of cannabinoids to positively affect your unique physiology.
Cannabis and Your Metabolism
Another reason you may think your cannabis or CBD edibles have no effect on you is because, like our endocannabinoid systems, our metabolisms also vary from person to person.
For example, do you have a really high metabolism? A high metabolic rate could mean your body may be breaking it down so fast you don’t feel the effects. Inversely, a slower metabolic rate may mean you feel the effects over a slower and more drawn out experience.
To Eat or Not to Eat?
Whatever is in your cannabis edibles must get through first pass metabolism, in which some ingredients are destroyed as they pass through the liver and move through your system. The percentage of the cannabis that gets to your bloodstream is called its bioavailability, and it does tend to be lower in edibles than in inhaled or tincture forms of cannabis. So even if your edible has as many milligrams of cannabis in it as, say, a vape, you might not feel it as strongly.
The ingestion of edibles will also impact your mood and physical body more or less effectively based on how much and when you eat. If you consume them on an empty stomach, for example, you may have a more noticeable response, but that it dissipates more quickly.
If you want the effects of your cannabis or CBD edibles to be more consistent, then take it about an hour to an hour and a half after a meal so you don’t have an empty stomach. This is helpful, especially, if you prefer to take your cannabis edibles in the evening after dinner yet before bedtime so that your CBD/cannabis edibles can help you feel more calm and sleep more restfully.
Stay Tuned
Stay tuned to our blog for more information on topics that matter to you like why your cannabis edibles have no effect, too much effect, or an unwanted effect, how to choose cannabis derivatives that may work best for you, and how CBD can be a game-changer for your wellness.