But what is CBD?
CBD is the short hand for cannabidiol. CBD is a cannabinoid and one of the main active ingredients of the cannabis plant. According to various researchers, CBD shows promise for treating various ailments and diseases.
CBD is said to have, among other things a relaxing, anti-inflammatory, antidepressant and pain-relieving effect. In contrast to the more well-known active ingredient of the cannabis plant, THC, it is not addictive and does not lead to a state of intoxication (so you do not get high).
The WHO has confirmed that CBD is not a toxic substance and declared it to be safe.
What are CBD crystals?
The CBD crystals are very fine and look a bit like powdered sugar. CBD crystals should contain at least 98% cannabidiol content and are therefore the purest CBD products that you can buy.
Because of the high purity and the very high CBD content, you could think that taking CBD in its crystal form is the most effective way to consume CBD. However, the way you take CBD also plays an important role.
Even though CBD crystals are the purest form of CBD, other cannabinoids or terpenes are sometimes included. However, CBD crystals should not include THC.
Because of the high purity, CBD crystals are probably better suited for people who have already had a little experience with CBD. For example, some people experiment with creating their own vaping CBD liquid, but you really need to know what you're doing to do this.
Effect of CBD crystals
Essentially, CBD crystals work the same as other CBD products in that they interact with our Endocannabinoid System (ECS).
The ECS is an endogenous (i.e. internal) system that can work together with exogenous (e.g. CBD) and endogenous (e.g. anandamide) cannabinoids. The science behind this is explained in more detail here.
The ECS plays an important role in many different procedures and processes in the body and can, for example, control the release of messenger substances.
Through this interplay between CBD and the ECS, CBD crystals, like other CBD products, are known to have an anti-inflammatory, antidepressant, pain-relieving and calming effect.
In fact, CBD generally has quite a few areas of application. Studies suggest that the cannbinoid could be used, for example, in sleep disorders, depression or anxiety, epilepsy, addictions, migraines and arthritis. But CBD has also been shown to be helpful for various skin diseases and pain generally.
Because CBD is supposed to reduce stress and can also strengthen the immune system, it would also be conceivable to use CBD crystals as prevention. The interaction with the endocannabinoid system can also ensure a balanced homeostasis.
What side effects could I experience?
Even if CBD basically has a good safety profile (this has also been confirmed by the World Health Organisation), side effects can certainly occur when taken. However, these are reported as being minor and significantly less harmless than other drugs or even elements of cannabis (e.g. THC).
What is certain, however, is that CBD is by no means intoxicating or toxic. This makes the cannabinoid stand out from the better-known THC. CBD does not achieve “being high” at the moment.
So far, no real studies on the long-term effects of CBD have been completed, which is why pregnant people and children should perhaps be more careful or even avoid taking it (especially in the case of pregnant people).
It is also known that there may be interactions with drugs such as omeparzole.
How to take CBD crystals
As far as the intake of CBD crystals or CBD isolates is concerned, there are many ways to do this. As always, it's mainly a matter of personal preferences.
One option would be to dissolve the crystals in an oil and then let them dissolve under the tongue. Many different oils are suitable for this: coconut oil, olive oil, linseed oil. But you can also choose CBD oil or hemp oil, which could even increase the effect a little.
It is also possible to ingest only the crystals sublinugally. Put simply, put it under your tongue and keep it there until it melts. The CBD is then brought into the bloodstream very quickly via the oral mucosa, and a quicker onset of action can be guaranteed.
However, it is even easier to simply mix the crystals or the isolate in drinks or food and let them dissolve there. However, you should note that the effect only takes place after a while. This is because the CBD would first have to go through the digestive system. It would be helpful in the case of ingestion through food if the CBD is absorbed together with some fat. And if you don't like any of these methods, there are always other ways in which you can ingest the CBD crystals.
Can you smoke CBD crystals?
Yes, the CBD crystals can also be smoked or vaporized. E-cigarettes or vaporizers such as dabbers and vaporizers are best for this.
The crystals dissolve very well in liquids (e.g. CBD Liquid). You could mix the two substances and shake well.
Then you can vaporize it, but not on too high a temperature.
The advantage of vaping is that it works very quickly. Of course, you need a good vaporizer to vape. But that's only a one-time purchase. It is also practical that you don't need as much equipment as with dabbing.
If you want to take the CBD crystals by dabbing, you need a dab rig, burner, dabber and of course the CBD itself. Dabbing is more for people who really want to consume CBD more often.
CBD crystals dosage
Basically, anyone can decide for themself how much CBD they want to take and a dangerous overdose is not possible with CBD. If you take too much CBD, however, you may feel sick or really tired.
No strict dosing guidelines exist, although different manufacturers may give recommended dosages on their products, which should be taken into consideration. Most importantly though, it is important to allow yourself time to get used to CBD, or if you've used it before, perhaps time to get used to a new way of taking it. Every human body is different and reacts differently.
Nonetheless, if you really need a starting point then a good starting dose is between 5 and 25 mg per day. Beginners should start with a smaller dose of CBD crystals and spread it over two or three times a day.
In general, CBD beginners might want to start with a lower concentration CBD oil, as the crystals are better suited for experienced users due to their higher intensity of action.
Once you have decided on a dosage, you should watch very carefully how you are reacting. After a while, you can consider increasing, reducing, or leaving the dosage at the same level.
Unlike with some other ways of taking CBD (e.g. oils, which are measured in drops, or gummy bears, which are measured in pieces), CBD crystals need to be weighed out in small quantities very accurately.
What are the advantages of the CBD crystals?
The crystals are the purest CBD products available. THC is actually never contained in the CBD crystals.
Other herbal active ingredients are often not included, which means that you really only consume CBD. However, a disadvantage is that the valuable entourage effect is lost.
The high purity also ensures effective body absorption. The CBD crystals are also ideal for supplementing other products such as CBD oil or CBD liquids.
These can then be taken sublinugally (i.e. under the tongue) or vaporized. As you already know, there are really many different ways to ingest the CBD crystals.
Many users do not want to consume CBD oil because they do not particularly like the intense, earthy hemp taste. That taste can be negated by using CBD crystals.
What are the disadvantages of the crystals?
Despite the advantages, there are also some disadvantages. Unfortunately, it is very difficult to buy proper CBD crystals. Most of the time you have to switch to a CBD isolate (we'll explain the difference shortly).
In addition, crystals and isolates are very difficult to dose. As we said before, a good scale is definitely required.
And then of course there is the high price. If you only want to spend a little money, you should buy a CBD oil or a can of CBD capsules.
Who are CBD crystals suitable for?
First and foremost, only people who have had some experience with CBD should really look at using CBD crystals.
Beginners prefer to start with a CBD oil that has a concentration of 5% or 10%. And then it's really just a matter of seeing how oyu feel and then potentially scaling up (or down) the CBD intake.
We have already introduced you to the various advantages and disadvantages of crystals. So you should weigh these up against each other.
- Are you ready to spend that much money on CBD crystals?
- Do you value a high CBD content in the product?
- Would you like to be very flexible when taking it (sometimes vaping, sometimes ingesting with food, sometimes sublingually)?
- Do you really need to avoid the hemp taste?
If the answer to these questions is 'yes', then CBD crystals could be for you!
Will CBD show up in a drugs test?
It's generally not really the CBD you need to worry about in drugs test (unless you are being submitted to specific professional tests). It's the THC content and other controlled substances.
Therefore, if you are following UK law and consuming CBD products with no THC content then you should be fine. If you want to be doubly sure, then CBD crystals or CBD isolates may be for you. These CBD products do not contain THC (whereas oils and other products may still contain trace amounts even if claiming to be THC free).
Either way, the key is to check the label for ingredients and also be sure you won't be subjected to any drugs tests that may detect CBD as flag it as a problem substance.
How are CBD crystals made?
CBD crystals are plant-based solids. In contrast to products such as oils or capsules, the crystals do not have to be processed further after extraction.
On the other hand, a cream requires an ointment base and in the production of CBD oil a hemp oil serves as a base, to which the active ingredient CBD is added later.
Only certified hemp plants may be used to manufacture CBD products. These usually contain a very small amount of THC right from the start. And the CBD is then extracted from these hemp plants.
This mostly happens in the context of the gentle CO2 extraction process. For this, the relevant parts of the hemp plant are first heated so that during the decarboxylation process, the CBDa (this is explained more on our sciency pages like this one), which is an acid, can be converted into the actual CBD.
The substance is then put under pressure with carbon dioxide in order to finally be able to dissolve the ingredients in a separator. What remains are the CBD crystals, which have almost 100% CBD.
This extraction process has the advantage that it is very precise and can also contain other valuable ingredients of the cannabis plants, such as terpenes or flavonoids.
In this way, you can produce full-spectrum products that are often recommended because of their entourage effect.
One disadvantage, however, is that the production of CBD crystals is also very expensive because of this process. For this reason, a CBD isolate is often used.
CBD isolate compared to CBD crystals
So finally, to explain what CBD isolate actually means. The difference to an isolate and a crystal is that the CBD (as the name suggests) has been isolated from the other substances.
Unlike a full-spectrum extract, they contain other ingredients. So of course a little bit of quality (i.e. CBD purity) is lost.
While a full spectrum crystal can also contain other cannbinoids or other herbal substances, this is usually not the case with the isolate.
So you can not benefit from the other modes of action or the interactions between the various substances.
The isolates go through some purification processes after extraction. In this way, unwanted substances can be easily removed.
The result is the CBD isolate is much more powdery than CBD crystals. The isolates could also be produced synthetically.
Are there any other CBD products?
Basically, yeah. There are loads! In addition to "classics" such as CBD oil, CBD liquids or CBD capsules, you will also find cosmetic products and creams.
A CBD cream could be very useful. It could be used, for example, for skin diseases, arthritis or other joint pain. If you don't like that, you can also fall back on trendy foods containing CBD.
Gummy bears and chocolate are particularly popular among hemp foods . But there are also drinks like hemp tea to buy.
We find it remarkable that even big brands from the food industry such as Coca-Cola or Ben & Jerry's are now interested in branded CBD products.
What to note when buying CBD crystals / isolates
So that you get a really good product that ahieves the desired effect, you should definitely pay attention to the quality when buying. If possible, even read the reviews of the manufacturer and look for their certificates.
Because of the high purity of CBD crystals, it would also be good if the manufacturer provides you with an analysis certificate or somewhere on their website. This way you can check how much CBD is in the crystals.
Crystals or isolates are not exactly cheap. It is therefore advisable to think carefully about what amount you will need.
Of course, you shouldn't overdo it right away. Especially if you haven't had any experience with the product or manufacturer.
Before you really decide on a crystal or a CBD isolate, do a little research. Maybe there are others who have already had experience with this product. You can easily incorporate this into your purchase decision.
