Ten Misconceptions About CBD
Whenever any new product takes the market by storm, it is bound to be accompanied by baseless claims and overhyped statements, and this has certainly been true of CBD. The perpetuation of myths and misconceptions about CBD may cause some to be disappointed, and more importantly, it may cause people to miss out on the very real and proven benefits of it.
There is already a substantial body of research pointing to the beneficial and therapeutic aspects of CBD, so don’t let the actual benefits of it get lost amidst wild claims of a miracle cure.
Misleading statements, myths, and outright lies continue to pop up in social media, casting a shadow over the truth – which is that CBD is safe, well-tolerated and applicable to a wide variety of uses. Some of the more persistent myths include:
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It shrinks your testicles!
No, it does not. Unsubstantiated and unproven claims that it can have a negative effect on reproductive organs naturally cause some people to think twice, but there are absolutely no studies anywhere in the world that support this claim.
It has no medical value!
Again, not true. Already, the FDA has approved a CBD-based medication called Epidiolex for use in seizure disorders. The agency has not yet issued guidance for therapeutic use for things like anxiety, chronic pain, or sleep disorders, but that is simply because the FDA tends to move slowly. Plenty of underlying studies point to CBD as a useful therapy for multiple disorders.
It can cure cancer!
No, it cannot. But there is some good news. The National Cancer Institute has said that CBD may be useful in treating the side effects of cancer treatments such as nausea, and many cancer patients have seen significant relief from their chemotherapy-induced nausea by taking CBD.
If I take it, I will test positive for cannabis!
Probably not. Some older drug tests may mistake CBD for THC. Keep in mind that the actual level of THC contained in CBD is very low, and in the case of an isolate, probably nonexistent. The risk of a false positive is low, but if it does happen, you may have options – some people have successfully won lawsuits and have been able to overturn negative decisions made based on an inaccurate test.
A little dab’ll do ya!
No, not really. Although the FDA has not issued guidance on dosage levels, research shows that it is well-tolerated for up to 700 milligrams twice daily. The best approach is to start small with about 175 milligrams twice daily and self-monitor your reaction and tolerance, and gradually go up from there.
I won’t be able to tolerate the side effects.
All studies have indicated that CBD is well tolerated, and any side effects that occur are very minor.
I heard it can cause liver damage!
Again, the side effects are very minor. One flawed study did show that when mice were administered massive doses that no human would ever self-administer resulted in some liver damage. This is true of almost any over-the-counter substance, including acetaminophen. There is no risk of liver damage for normal usage.
It doesn’t matter how I take it.
Actually it does. CBD has a low oral bioavailability, so you will get less of it when you take it in pill form or edibles. Vaporization, or taken as a sublingual tincture, will have a quicker effect on the body.
I can use CBD to get high.
No, sorry. CBD is made from hemp, a distant and non-psychoactive cousin to cannabis. It contains less than 0.3 percent THC, far below the amount required for any psychoactive effect.
All CBD products are the same, so I’ll just get the cheapest one.
Actually there are many different formats of CBD, including tinctures, edibles, and CBD for vaporization. In addition, there is a big difference between full spectrum CBD, which contains more of the cannabinoids from the entire plant, and “isolate,” which is pure CBD.
Because CBD is still relatively new, these and other myths continue to persist. More research and information continues to come out, and the best approach to using CBD is to look for information from a reliable source, purchase it from a reliable retailer and understand the real benefits of CBD and how it can help you.
