How long does CBD stay in your system?

CBD has gained popularity due to its potential health benefits, including pain relief, anxiety reduction, anti-inflammatory effects, sleep improvement, and more.

CBD is now available in supermarkets, health food stores, high street shops – wherever you need it. More and more people are incorporating CBD into their daily routine.

If you already use CBD or want to try it, you may be wondering: How long does CBD stay in my body? And can it show up on drug tests?

That's what we're going to explore today. However, the answer isn't as simple as you might think. It depends on a number of factors.

In this article, we'll take a closer look at CBD and explore factors that affect its presence in your system to help you make informed decisions when incorporating CBD into your wellness routine.

What is CBD? Uses, Benefits, Forms and More

Cannabidiol, popularly known as CBD, is the second most common active ingredient in cannabis (marijuana).

Unlike its counterpart tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), CBD is non-psychoactive, meaning it does not produce the “high” commonly associated with marijuana use.

Instead, CBD interacts with the body’s endocannabinoid system and helps promote balance and homeostasis in the body.

Known benefits of using CBD include pain relief, especially for cancer. It also relieves some symptoms of certain mental disorders such as panic and anxiety disorders.

Although it is often well tolerated, it is not without side effects. CBD side effects include fatigue, diarrhea, dry mouth, drowsiness, irritability, and decreased appetite.

CBD is available in a variety of forms, including CBD oils, tinctures, capsules, edibles, and topical creams.

How long does CBD stay in your system?

The length of time CBD stays in your system varies and depends on a few factors, such as method of consumption, dosage, frequency of use, etc. In general, it is estimated that most people will last between 2 and 5 days.

In addition, since every body is different, there can be significant differences from person to person depending on various factors such as metabolism, body weight, etc.

However, you don’t have to worry because CBD is not psychoactive and therefore will not affect your daily life.

The 8 Factors That Affect How Long CBD Stays in Your System

Let’s look at some of the key factors that determine how long this CBD stays in your system.

By understanding these variables, you can get a clearer picture of what to expect when consuming CBD products and adjust your CBD consumption accordingly.

1. Method of administration

CBD can be consumed in a variety of ways, including smoking or vaporizing, eating or drinking, and applying under the tongue or to the skin.

The method you use to consume CBD can affect how long it stays in your system.

For example, inhaling CBD through vaporization can result in faster absorption and excretion compared to oral ingestion.

2. Dosage

As with most other substances, the higher the dose of CBD you take, the longer it will stay in your system as your body will need more time to break it down.

3. Frequency of use

When you take CBD regularly, it builds up in your body over time, affecting how long it stays in your system.

4. Metabolism

A person’s metabolism largely determines the rate at which CBD is absorbed and excreted.

For example, CBD may leave the body faster in younger people than in older people due to their higher metabolism.

5. Body composition

CBD is fat-soluble, which means it is stored in fatty tissue and slowly released back into the bloodstream.

Factors such as body weight, fat percentage, and general health can affect how long CBD stays in your system.

In general, people with higher body fat percentages can retain CBD longer.

6. What you eat

The food you eat, the amount you eat, and the timing of your meal can affect how long CBD stays in your system.

If you take CBD on an empty stomach, it will be metabolized and excreted faster than if you take it on a full stomach, which would slow down digestion.

In addition, taking CBD with a high-fat meal can increase overall absorption and even shorten the duration of effects.

7. CBD quality

The quality of the CBD product you use can play a role in how long it stays in your system.

High-quality, pure products can be processed more efficiently by the body.

CBD oil with too high a THC content (this is true of some lower quality oils) can also stay in your system longer than desired – long enough to fail a drug test.

8. Fluid balance

Staying hydrated is important for overall health and can also affect how long CBD remains detectable in your system.

Adequate fluid intake can facilitate the excretion of CBD.

How long does it take for the effects of CBD to kick in and last?

How long the effects of CBD last depends on aspects such as the dosage, your body and the method of use.

In general, you should feel the effects of CBD between two and six hours.

The following list gives a rough overview of the individual cannabidiol products in comparison. Please note that these numbers are approximate.

CBD oil: When vaporizing CBD oil, the effects take effect the fastest, after 3-10 minutes. However, they also last the shortest, at 30 minutes to 2 hours.

Users inhale the vapor through the vaporizer's mouthpiece, allowing the active ingredients to enter their lungs and bloodstream, where they are quickly absorbed and produce the desired effects.

Edible: CBD edibles typically take 40-60 minutes to take effect and can last 2-6 hours, depending on many factors.

They are slowly absorbed by the digestive system and released by the liver over longer periods of time.

Tinctures: CBD tinctures held under the tongue for sublingual absorption typically take effect in 15–30 minutes and last for 1–4 hours.

When CBD oil or tinctures are administered sublingually, the CBD is absorbed directly into the bloodstream via the capillaries under the tongue, bypassing the digestive system.

Capsules: It takes 30 minutes to two hours for CBD capsules to be absorbed into your body, and their effects can last for about six to eight hours.

Just like edibles, CBD must pass through the digestive tract and liver to enter the bloodstream once it enters the body.

Suppositories: You will usually feel the effects within 15 minutes. Similar to edibles, the effects of suppositories can last up to 8 hours.

When a CBD suppository is inserted into the body, the compounds it contains are absorbed by the body's inner cell walls and mucous membranes.

Topics: An exception are CBD topicals: they work quickly but are not absorbed systemically (via the bloodstream) at all.

Will CBD show up on a drug test?

Cannabidiol (CBD) shouldn't show up on a drug test, but many CBD products contain a small amount of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), and if there's enough of it, it can show up.

For example, the lack of regulation often results in CBD products containing THC in all sorts of amounts, from trace amounts to levels above the FDA limit of 0.3%.

This means that in rare cases, taking CBD can result in a positive drug test. It all depends on the quality and composition of the product.

CBD products are divided into three main categories: CBD isolate, broad-spectrum CBD, and full-spectrum CBD.

Isolated products contain only CBD, while broad-spectrum products contain other cannabinoids and terpenes. Full-spectrum products contain all the compounds found in the cannabis plant.

As long as it is CBD derived from hemp – and not CBD derived from marijuana, which is illegal – full-spectrum CBD always contains less than 0.3% THC.

However, if you want to be extra cautious, you can opt exclusively for THC-free broad-spectrum CBD products or CBD isolate.

Diploma

The question of how long CBD stays in your system is a crucial one for many people looking to incorporate this cannabinoid into their daily wellness routine.

Although CBD is metabolized differently by each body, research suggests that it typically remains detectable in the body for several days to weeks after ingestion.

Factors that can affect how long CBD stays in your system include method of consumption, dosage, frequency of use, metabolism, and individual body composition.

By understanding these factors and choosing high-quality, low-THC CBD products, you can minimize the risk of detection.

If you have an upcoming drug test and are concerned about it, it is always best to stop taking CBD products immediately until the drug test is passed.