What is CBD? How does CBD work? And how is CBD best absorbed by the body? We answer the most important questions about the miracle plant hemp.
Medicinal plant hemp
Crop, medicinal herb, intoxicant – idolized and demonized. The hemp plant's uses are as diverse as its treatment over the centuries and across cultures. The oldest traditions regarding the healing effects of hemp date back to pre-Christian times and originate from Egypt, China, and India. But only modern science is gradually allowing us to understand the effects of hemp and the cannabinoids it contains.
What is CBD?
Cannabinoids are compounds that occur naturally in the hemp plant. One of these cannabinoids is cannabidiol (CBD). Another compound is tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which is responsible for the psychoactive effects of certain hemp varieties. Unlike THC, CBD does not make you "high." Through breeding and crossbreeding, we now have a very broad spectrum of hemp varieties with varying levels of CBD and THC.
How does CBD work?
The human body has an endocannabinoid system, with whose receptors cannabinoids – including CBD – interact. The endocannabinoid system is part of the nervous system. It plays an important role in maintaining internal balance, influencing mood, the immune system, sleep cycles, metabolism, and the cardiovascular system.
Science only discovered the body's own cannabinoid receptors in the 1980s. This is a young field of research, and the specific effects of CBD in the human body have not yet been fully understood. However, various medical and pharmacological studies suggest that CBD supports antispasmodic, anti-inflammatory, anxiolytic, and antipsychotic effects.
A recent study by the World Health Organization (WHO) also points to the positive effects of CBD. The WHO confirms that CBD has no potential for abuse or addiction. In the hemp plant, cannabidiol occurs primarily as an acid (CBDA). To convert CBDA into effective CBD, it must be activated within an optimal temperature range. This can be done beforehand through professional processing of the hemp or directly during use. For example, heating the hemp during smoking converts the CBD carboxylic acid into CBD, making it usable by the body.
CBD intake
How is CBD best absorbed by the body? CBD products are available in various forms. The following overview explains how the different products are absorbed by the body.
Absorption : stomach (digestion)
CBD products : drinks, edibles, capsules
Effect : CBD enters the body through the digestive process. The CBD product undergoes a relatively slow digestion process, so its effects take one to two hours to set in. Due to byproducts produced during digestion, a reduced effect is to be expected.
Intake : mucous membranes (mouth, eyes, nose)
CBD products : eye drops, nasal spray, extract/oil (sublingual), snus
Effect : The CBD enters the bloodstream directly through the mucous membranes, thus avoiding the detour via the digestive tract. The effect begins very quickly, and the CBD can exert its effects with virtually no loss.
Image : Lung
CBD products : Inhaled hemp components (smoked or vaporized)
Effects : Inhaling heated hemp or vaporized CBD oil is the fastest way to experience the positive effects of CBD. The compounds are inhaled and transferred directly from the lungs into the bloodstream.
Absorption : Skin
CBD products : creams, lotions
Effect : With this method, the CBD product is applied to the skin and absorbed by it. CBD-enriched creams and lotions are used for the topical treatment of muscle and joint pain, as well as for the treatment of skin conditions.
Why home?
The Eastern Swiss company Koch & Gsell is a pioneer in the production of CBD products and is tirelessly committed to making them accessible worldwide. The name "Heimat" stands for uncompromising quality. We cultivate the hemp plants under optimal conditions and refine the flowers through gentle drying. The further processing into a diverse range of CBD-containing products is carried out with many years of expertise. This way, consumers benefit from the full healing power of the hemp plant.
