Beginners Guide To Hemp CBD
Our Mission
The Cats Meow CBD’s mission is to provide our customers with the highest quality organic, full spectrum, broad spectrum and THC free Hemp CBD products. We back up all of our products with labwork, welcome questions and aim to educate our customers on the value of CBD, proper dosage, and why quality matters.
It is our hope that you find our Beginner’s Guide to Hemp CBD informative and helpful. Please let us know if you have any questions.
What is CBD?
Even though CBD is infiltrating pretty much every corner of the wellness world, many people still find it a little confusing. Most people don’t know how to use CBD or even know if they are getting a quality product. Actually, most people don’t realize they even need a quality product or what a quality product is. Unfortunately, many CBD products on the market have little to no CBD and contain contaminants, impurities, heavy metals, artificial colors and flavors etc.
Cannabidiol or “CBD” is the largest phytochemical compound in the cannabis/hemp plant. It’s a naturally occurring substance that’s used in products like oils and edibles to impart a feeling of relaxation and calm. Why are cannabinoids so important for our health? Because they interact with the endocannabinoid system (ECS), a complex network of cannabinoid receptors and neurotransmitters located in the brain, central nervous system, peripheral nervous system, and immune system. The ECS controls a wide range of biological functions, such as memory, cognitive performance, pain perception, stress management, mood regulation, and immune response etc.
Unlike its cousin tetrahydrocannabinol or THC, Hemp CBD does not have a psychoactive effect. In fact, it’s quite the opposite! Studies show that CBD will actually counteract the psychoactive effects of THC! You’ve probably heard the terms cannabis, marijuana, and hemp all tossed around in relation to CBD. The plant Cannabis Sativa has two primary species, hemp and marijuana. Both contain CBD, but there’s a much higher percentage in hemp, which also has very low (less than 0.3%) levels of THC compared to marijuana.
What is the Difference Between Broad Spectrum and Full Spectrum or Isolate?
When searching for CBD you’ve probably found that there are different spectrums or options to choose from. So what is each option, how do they differ and why does that matter?
You will find that CBD products fall into three different categories:
- Full Spectrum
- Broad Spectrum
- CBD Isolate
Full Spectrum contains all the phytochemicals, cannabinoids, terpenes and essential oils naturally found in the plant. Full spectrum extracts have some THC (less than 0.3% – non psychoactive) and has the potential of a false positive drug test. All of the compounds work together to increase the health benefits. This is referred to as the entourage effect.
Broad Spectrum contains all the phytochemicals, cannabinoids, terpenes and essential oils naturally found in the plant without the small amount of THC. Because all of the other compounds still exist in the extraction, you still get the entourage effect, but without any THC. This is helpful for those concerned with drug testing.
CBD Isolate contains only the CBD compound which allows it to be used in its most pure, concentrated form. CBD isolate has 0% THC and no potential of a false positive drug test. You won’t get the entourage effect but you do get a very high concentration of CBD per serving.
These terms are often used interchangeably by the media and CBD companies and can therefore be confusing for the consumer. In an age where the CBD market is evolving rapidly and new technology allows us to make better products, the crossover and overlap in these terms and manufacturing processes can be difficult to understand. Currently, at The Cats Meow CBD, we make and carry all three of the above and indicate in our product descriptions.
So Which Spectrum Should I Choose?
There are certainly benefits to each of the extracts listed above and what an individual chooses will vary based on needs. One spectrum is not better than the other.
Full Spectrum allows the user to benefit from the entourage effect, is the least processed and contains all of the other parts of the plant (terpenes, fatty acids, vitamins and minerals, flavonoids etc.) It may, however, show up on a drug test and can be quite hempy tasting.
Broad Spectrum allows the user to benefit from the entourage effect without any THC. The user can benefit from all of the other parts of the plant (terpens, fatty acids, vitamins and minerals, flavonoids etc.) and there is no risk of a false positive drug test. Broad spectrum extracts can still be a bit hempy tasting but are typically not as strong as Full Spectrum.
CBD Isolate is the most concentrated form of CBD. The user will not benefit from the entourage effect but it can be great for those recommended to take very high doses of CBD. Isolate products are tasteless and do not have any risk of a false positive drug test.
More information can be found at www.leafly.com
At The Cats Meow CBD we have found that our customers have their own preferences. If you are new to CBD, we are happy to help you choose a formula.
You can read more about our formulas on our FAQ page.
What are the Health Benefits of CBD?
CBD has been used for anxiety, pain relief, depression, cancer treatment, reducing acne, reducing inflammation, sleep, improving heart health, weight loss and much more. In addition, CBD has been shown to have antipsychotic effects, anti-tumor effects and has been used for diabetes prevention. Similarly, CBD has also been shown to have neuroprotective properties. The list of potential uses is actually quite varied, diverse and exciting!
What is CBG?
CBG is the mother of all cannabinoids. CBD, CBC and THC all start in the plant as CBG and enzymes within the plant convert the CBG to the other three cannabinoid lines. Because of this, CBG shows powerful anti inflammatory properties and also much more potential for cancer research than CBD alone. For more information on CBG visit https://www.leafly.com/news/cannabis-101/what-is-cbg-cannabinoid
So How Does CBD Work?
We all have an Endocannabinoid System that is in charge of maintaining homeostasis and balance in the body. The ECS can be found in all vertebrate species and, like the immune system, has very specific duties. By definition, the Endocannabinoid System is a biological system composed of endocannabinoids, which are endogenous lipid-based retrograde neurotransmitters that bind to cannabinoid receptors, and cannabinoid receptor proteins that are expressed throughout the vertebrate central nervous system and peripheral nervous system. As a result, the ECS regulates things like mood, memory, motor control, pain perception, appetite, sleep and much much more.
Unfortunately, like everything else in the body, the ECS wears out as we age and has trouble maintaining balance. Injury and disease can influence the ECS, throwing our bodies even further out of balance. As we age, we run low on cannabinoids and can even become cannabinoid deficient. Therefore, we need to replenish what we’ve lost. Much like taking vitamins, CBD naturally stimulates your ECS by giving it reinforcements so that your body can re-balance. When your body can achieve homeostasis, you can achieve better health. You can read more about the ECS here https://www.leafly.com/news/
How Much CBD Should I Take?
Think of taking CBD like drinking herbal tea or eating fruits and vegetables. For example, some people can eat a lot of spinach and some people will end up in the bathroom for the entire afternoon if they ate that same amount. How much we each need for optimal health varies right? Unfortunately, there is not a one size fits all approach for everyBODY.
The same holds true for CBD. Problems can arise when we aren’t getting enough CBD to balance our ECS, but we all must find out what our optimal dosage is. And that comes via experimentation and listening to our bodies. If you are giving CBD to your pet that means watching and charting their progress closely.
Below you will find a chart to help as a starting point in figuring out your optimal CBD dosage. Keep in mind these are suggested guidelines. Find your weight (or your pets) on the horizontal chart, then the severity of the condition you have on the vertical chart. Please see below for further instruction on finding the mg/drop in a CBD product.
| Condition | Weight 2-25lbs | Weight 26-45lbs | Weight 46-85lbs | Weight 86-150lbs | Weight 151-240lbs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medium Range | 6mg | 9mg | 12mg | 15mg | 22.5mg |
| Mid Range | 4.5mg | 6mg | 9mg | 12mg | 18mg |
| Severe Range | 9mg | 12mg | 15mg | 18mg | 27mg |
| Weight 2-25lbs | Weight 26-45lbs | Weight 46-85lbs | Weight 86-150lbs | Weight 151-240lbs | Weight 241+lbs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6mg | 9mg | 12mg | 15mg | 22.5mg | 30mg |
| 4.5mg | 6mg | 9mg | 12mg | 18mg | 22.5mg |
| 9mg | 12mg | 15mg | 18mg | 27mg | 45mg |
This is a good starting point. You may increase or decrease the amount based on how you feel. There is no exact way to dose Hemp CBD for every person, nor are we legally allowed to give exact dosing. As a result, dosing remains experimental and subjective. Some people need multiple dosing per day and that will vary per person. One dose at night before bed may help an individual with sleep issues whereas an individual with chronic pain may take five doses a day whenever the pain arises. It is a natural plant and everyone processes things differently. This is simply a good place to start in experimenting. Listen to your body!
Note: Our nano emulsified CBD + CBG tinctures are very bio-available, therefore you may find that you don’t need as much. Experimenting with YOUR proper dosage is a must!
How to Find the Milligrams Per Drop of Any CBD Product
In order to figure out how many drops we need to get the total milligrams from the chart above, we must first figure out the milligrams per drop of the Hemp CBD product. First, start with these two questions:
- Firstly, how many milliliters (ml) is the bottle? It is printed on most labels.
- Secondly, how many total milligrams (mg) of CBD are the bottle? It should be printed on the label.
NOTE:
- 1ml = 20 droplets of liquid
- A full dropper of most bottles is equal to 1 ml.
- Stop now and go get yourself a calculator.
EXAMPLE:
Let’s say you have a 30 ml bottle with 1250 mg of CBD in it.
You first need to know how much CBD there is per milliliter (ml) in order to dose properly.Step 1: 1250 mg of CBD divided by 30 ml
1250 / 30 = 41.64. There are roughly 41mg of CBD per milliliter or one dropper full.
Now we need to figure out how many milligrams there are per drop. Remember, 1ml = 20 droplets of liquid. There are 41 mg of CBD per ml in this example.
Step 2: 41 mg divided by 20 drops = 2.05
There are 2.05 mg of CBD in one single drop of this product.
You’ll need to go back to the chart to figure out how many drops you’ll need.
Step 3:
- Let’s say you have a severe case of anxiety and you weigh 150 pounds. The chart says to try 18 mg of CBD per day. You know one drop contains 2.05 mg of CBD.
- 18 mg divided by 2.05 mg = 8.78, so let’s round up to 9.
- You need 9 drops of your product to achieve 18 mg! We typically recommend taking this in divided doses.
You only need to do this once with the product you have. Now you know how many drops you need to hit your place on the chart. You may need a bit less or a bit more like we stated earlier, but it’s a good place to start.
Beware of Low Milligram CBD in Big Bottles
Beware of big bottles of with low milligrams of CBD. Smaller bottles with high milligrams of Hemp CBD are the best. It means more potency per drop. For example, a 200 mg CBD product in a 30ml bottle would require a lot of product to achieve the desired 18 mg.
For instance, using the same math as above:
- 200 mg / 30 ml = 6.6 mg of CBD per ml
- 6.6 mg / 20 = 0.33 mg of CBD per drop
- 18 mg / 0.33 mg = 54 drops
54 drops are needed to achieve just 18 mg. That’s a lot of drops to take and would equal almost three full droppers! Most people would not take that much at once and the bottle would run out fast. Therefore, this is not a great value for your money! The product in this example has very little CBD compared to whatever other ingredients are in it. We also must be aware of “other” ingredients and artificial flavorings etc. Frequently we hear a lot of our customers say that another brand of CBD didn’t work for them. Most times this is because they were using an low quality product with a very low milligram strength per bottle. Hemp CBD that is diluted down this much is not a quality product. The Cats Meow CBD doesn’t carry such low strengths.
Now let’s say you find that same 200 mg of CBD offered in a 10 ml bottle. Using the same math as above:
- 200 mg / 10 ml = 20 mg of CBD per ml
- 20 mg / 20 = 1 mg of CBD per drop
- 18 mg / 1 mg = 18 drops
18 drop are needed to achieve 18 mg! That is less than one dropper full and appears to be a better quality product.
Conclusion
Before you buy Hemp CBD make sure you check the amount of CBD vs. the size of the bottle. Firstly, watch out for diluted down products. Secondly, do the math! Thirdly, look for lab work! You never know what is in your bottle unless it is documented on batch numbered lab results from a verifiable lab. Always ask for lab results before purchasing CBD products. The Cats Meow CBD always backs up our products with lab work. Quality CBD companies have nothing to hide and have their lab work ready to share. If it’s not there readily available for you to see, be very careful. Lab work is not that expensive and there is no excuse for a company not to have it. Be sure to check out our lab work on the site and our FAQ page for further information.
This information is for personal reference only and it’s validity is left to the reader’s discretion. The Cats Meow CBD are not doctors and these statements are not endorsed by the FDA. Use CBD at your own risk as the FDA has not approved of it’s use at this time. These statements are not intended to replace any advice from a medical professional and are not intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any disease. This is a mathematical opinion on how to calculate milligrams and our opinion on how CBD works in the body is based on our research. Do your own research to learn more about CBD.