How Long Does CBD Stay in Your System?

CBD is a compound from the cannabis plant that is getting increasingly more popular every day as people find out about its potential health benefits, ranging from reducing anxiety to alleviating chronic pain. As it gets integrated into people’s daily wellness routine, a common question arises: how long does CBD stay in your system? Understanding the product and its effects before taking it is extremely important for everyone. This article explores the factors that influence how long the CBD stays in your system, as well as the types of CBD products and their effects on drug testing.

Different types of CBD

CBD is a non-psychoactive compound found in hemp plants. CBD is one of hundreds of different chemical cannabinoids and may have potential health benefits, including reducing anxiety and improving sleep. CBD can come in different forms from CBD oil for sleep to CBD gummies and different products have different effects.

Full spectrum CBD:

Full-spectrum CBD products contain all components from the hemp plant, from cannabidiol to trace amounts of THC. Even a trace amount of THC in full-spectrum CBD might accumulate in your body if you take more than a recommended dose, so frequent overconsumption could lead to a positive drug test.

Broad spectrum CBD:

Broad-spectrum CBD oil contains multiple hemp plant extracts and other compounds from the hemp plant but has THC removed. Using broad-spectrum CBD oil minimises the risk of a positive result in a drug test.

CBD Isolate:

CBD isolate is the purest form of cannabidiol, containing 99% pure, THC-free cannabidiol. CBD isolate is the best option for people who want to feel the health benefits of CBD but regularly have to drug test at work or want to avoid using THC altogether.

Factors Influencing CBD Retention

Metabolism and what you eat

Metabolism has a big impact on how long CBD stays in your system. The faster your metabolism is, the quicker CBD products will leave your system. If you take cannabidiol with food, it will take longer for your body to digest it. And if you take CBD products on an empty stomach, it will digest them faster and will leave your body much quicker.

Method of use

There are different ways to take CBD products. The way you choose to take CBD will have different effects and will affect how long cannabidiol will stay in your body. Some of the most common CBD products are:

CBD oils
CBD gummies
CBD flowers

Frequency and dosage

The frequency of usage has a lot of impact on how long CBD products stay in your body. This is because CBD can build up in fat tissue if you are using CBD every day. As with most substances, the more you consume, the stronger effects it will have and it will take longer to leave your system.

CBD and Drug Testing

Many people who take CBD products are concerned that it will show up on a drug test. Most drug tests are designed to measure the level of THC in the system. They pick up on an enzyme THC-COOH, which metabolises THC and remains in your body for several weeks after consuming a CBD product.

CBD products are not a target of a drug test and usually, most drug tests focus on THC. If you are using THC-free CBD isolate, it will not show up on a drug test. However, if you are using full-spectrum CBD oil, there may be traces of the psychoactive ingredient THC and it may lead to a positive drug test. The most common drug test types are urine tests, but there are others like blood, saliva and hair drug tests that may be used.

CBD in a urine drug test can be detectable for 2-7 days after using CBD products.
In blood drug tests, CBD can show up for up to 5 days.

How is CBD processed in your body?

How CBD is processed depends on how you take CBD products.

If you use CBD products orally, they will go to the digestive system, and then to your liver where they will be metabolised before entering the bloodstream. It can take up to a couple of hours to feel the effects.
If you take full-spectrum CBD oil and use it under your tongue, it will get absorbed into the bloodstream through the tissue and blood vessels under your tongue.
If you smoke CBD (which we don’t recommend) it will enter the lungs first, and cannabidiol will enter the bloodstream through there. You should feel the effects in 15 minutes.