We all loved vitamin gummies as kids, and now we can continue that love as adults with gummies with potentially even more benefits — CBD gummies.
Whether you’ve heard of them through a friend, coworker, or advertisement, you’ve probably heard about CBD gummies.
They’re used for everything from relaxation, sleep support, post-workout recovery, and more. Of course, sometimes CBD advertisements go overboard with what CBD can do for you, so we want to take a closer look at the potential of CBD gummies and set realistic expectations for new users.
What Are CBD Gummies?
CBD gummies are a popular form of CBD that offers a discreet, convenient & tasty way to consume this compound. Sweet, chewy candies in cannabinoid form.
Cannabidiol CBD gummies come in various flavors, colors, and formats. This can make them a popular choice among users as there are many options, and their form makes them convenient to take on the go.
What Can You Use CBD Gummies For?
If you’ve heard people rave about CBD gummies before, then you’ve probably heard how people have mentioned how they help for sleep, pain, stress — the list goes on. Sometimes it makes it seem like CBD gummies are a miracle product.
But we want to stress that while there is a slew of positive personal anecdotes and some research supporting the use of CBD for several conditions, CBD is not FDA-approved to treat any condition and should not be seen as a replacement for any treatment plan or advice from a healthcare professional you currently have in place.
CBD gummies are often preferred to other CBD forms because of their long-lasting effects and the convenience of pre-set doses. Let’s go through some of the uses people are using CBD for along with interesting research to support its use in certain scenarios:
Sleep Support
Sleep is often considered the foundation of our health. If we don’t get enough sleep, other aspects of our health often start to go haywire. Many users report that they use CBD gummies to help them achieve better-quality sleep.
Research also supports CBD’s role in achieving higher-quality sleep and supporting particular sleep conditions. However, no CBD product is FDA-approved to treat any sleep disorders [1]. Similar to how a cup of comforting chamomile tea may help you wind down for the night, some people take a CBD gummy an hour before their ideal bedtime to help with relaxation and prime their body for rest.
How does CBD do this?
CBD interacts with the endocannabinoid system (ECS), which regulates several important physiological systems for sleep. One way CBD may promote sleep is by modulating the activity within the ECS and increasing the production of endocannabinoids, which help maintain internal stability. CBD might also influence sleep by increasing adenosine levels in the brain, as adenosine promotes sleep and reduces wakefulness, helping the body relax and recuperate.
Pain
The use of medical cannabis for treating pain has been of interest to the medical community for some time now. While many CBD gummies don’t exactly fall under the medical cannabis umbrella, many users report using CBD products to support their pain relief.
One condition that has been studied quite a bit for the effects CBD may have on it is fibromyalgia.
Fibromyalgia is characterized by its symptoms of chronic pain, fatigue, and depressive episodes [2]. Research has shown that CBD usage may alleviate these symptoms and other symptoms associated with this condition [2].
That being said, no CBD gummy is intended to manage pain. But that still hasn’t stopped people from sharing their positive personal experiences with CBD-infused gummies for pain.
Muscles
Supplement use has been a part of fitness lovers’ routines for a long time, so it should come as no surprise that CBD products are pretty popular for those who exercise. Users praise CBD gummies for their support with sore muscles, enough so that even professional athletes endorse some CBD products.
In a study, the CBD group reported significantly fewer sore muscles than the non-CBD groups [3]. This research shows the interaction between CBD and vanilloid pain perception, which are known to modulate pain perception and inflammation, plays a significant role in how the muscles feel in response to CBD [3].
What Are CBD Gummies Made Of?
The first step in making CBD gummies is extracting cannabidiol (CBD) from the cannabis plant. Once extracted, the cannabidiol goes through a purification system, which is crucial to ensure that the CBD is pure and potent.
To make CBD legal, CBD gummies are typically derived from hemp rather than marijuana. Hemp-derived CBD products mean that the CBD oil extract is hemp-derived, typically complies with the Controlled Substances Act, and contains less than 0.3% THC total content. Some CBD gummies contain no THC at all, particularly those made using broad-spectrum extract, which differentiates them from THC gummies that always contain THC.
What Is In CBD Gummies?
Now, we are on to the fun part — making the gummy. The purified CBD oil extract is combined with other ingredients to make the gummy have a desirable taste and texture. These ingredients are typically gelatin or the vegan alternative — pectin, flavorings, and sweeteners.
The flavorings and sweeteners may be natural, like fruit extracts and cane sugar, or artificial, like high fructose corn syrup. So, you should purchase CBD gummies with ingredients that align with your dietary preferences.
The Takeaway: What Are CBD Gummies For?
CBD products are so popular because they are good for so many things. CBD gummies are especially popular because of their variety, affordability, and convenience. State medical cannabis laws are becoming more progressive, but recreational cannabis laws aren’t quite there yet.
CBD edibles, particularly CBD gummies, are accessible because of their federal legal status. While the higher THC content found in marijuana-derived edibles offers its own potential benefits and enjoyment, the CBD oil extract found in CBD edibles still offers a wide array of potential benefits that can enhance your current wellness routine.
If you’re new to CBD, then we recommend researching safe and effective doses. Starting low and gradually increasing your dosage is a wiser play. It’s also important that if you are considering taking CBD for any health condition, you should discuss this decision with your healthcare provider.
Frequently Asked Questions:
What are CBD Gummies?
CBD Gummies are a sweet, chewy candy in a cannabinoid form. These gummies are a popular form of CBD that offers a discreet, convenient, and tasty way to consume CBD. CBD gummies contain cannabidiol (CBD), a compound found in the cannabis plant.
Are CBD Gummies Edibles?
Yes, CBD gummies are considered edibles. They are typically derived from the hemp plant, a variation of the cannabis plant with less than 0.3% THC by dried weight. While CBD gummies won’t get you high like weed edibles, they are still in the “edibles” category.
Are CBD Gummies Marijuana?
CBD gummies can be made from either hemp or marijuana plants, but whether they are considered “marijuana” depends on the source of the CBD used and the legal context of the area in which you live. Because marijuana-derived CBD products are not as accessible due to the legal status of THC, most CBD gummies you see are hemp-derived and not considered to be marijuana gummies.
What Are CBD Gummies Good For?
As we said earlier, CBD gummies are good for many things. While they are not a treatment for any condition, people continue to use them and praise the benefits they are experiencing from CBD products. At the moment, we have research and personal testimonies that report that CBD may support anxiety, pain, sleep quality, stress, and more [1, 2, 3].
What Are CBD-Infused Gummies?
CBD-infused gummies are edibles infused with cannabidiol. The main distinguishing feature of CBD-infused gummies is their CBD content. CBD is a non-intoxicating compound found in cannabis plants, including hemp and marijuana. The CBD is typically extracted from the plant using methods like CO2 extraction or ethanol extraction and then incorporated into the gummy recipe.
References:
- Babson, K. A., Sottile, J., & Morabito, D. (2017). Cannabis, cannabinoids, and sleep: a review of the literature. Current psychiatry reports, 19(4), 1-12.
- Berger, A. A., Keefe, J., Winnick, A., Gilbert, E., Eskander, J. P., Yazdi, C., ... & Urits, I. (2020). Cannabis and cannabidiol (CBD) for the treatment of fibromyalgia. Best Practice & Research Clinical Anaesthesiology, 34(3), 617-631.
- Hatchett, A., Armstrong, K., Hughes, B., & Parr, B. (2020). The influence cannabidiol on delayed onset of muscle soreness. Int. J. Phys. Educ. Sports Health, 7, 89-94.
