With new studies being done daily on different cannabinoids, the once easy to understand CBD has broadened into different categories. There is now CBDV, CBA, and more commonly CBN. But between all the different “CB’s”, are they even any different when it comes to the body?
Here is everything you need to know about the difference between CBD and CBN.
What Is CBD?
CBD, otherwise known as cannabidiol, is a cannabinoid that you can find in either the cannabis plant or the hemp plant. The biggest difference between hemp and cannabis is the ability to filter out THC. Hemp can filter out almost all of it, which is why you can now have CBD, thanks to the Farm Bill 2018.
CBD has shown promise when it comes to helping with a multitude of different ailments. The most popular reasons that people take CBD is for mood, anxiety, sleep, and inflammation. Though, because CBD was only recently legalized to a certain extent, there still hasn’t been much testing done.
What Is CBN?
CBN, or scientifically referred to as cannabinol, is the byproduct of aged THC. THC is the psychoactive cannabinoid that most people associate with being “high”. Cannabis plants have much higher amounts of THC than hemp, making them more likely to have higher amounts of both THC and CBN.
CBN occurs when THC has been aged, as THC converts into CBN when exposed to oxygen for long periods of time. This dampens the high effects, making CBN a milder high than what you might find with THC. Just like with CBD, there are few scientific studies currently on CBN, as CBN is still considered unsafe for use on a federal level.
How Do You Take CBD?
CBD has a very broad market, where you can decide to take it in a plethora of different ways. For ingesting, you can use the oil, pill, gummies, chocolates, yogurt toppings, vaping, and even “flowers” for smoking. For topical use, there are balms, lotions, shampoos, soaps, lip balms, and even face masks.
The best way to take CBD is through the oil. This is thanks to the fact that oils can be held underneath the tongue for the best absorption. When you ingest CBD into the stomach, you run the risk of losing the CBD to the enzymes that your body creates.
For those that are focusing on muscle soreness and inflammation, topical balms and creams are going to be the best option. These provide temporary relief to the troubling area. This works best for muscles rather than joints, as the joints have a harder time getting CBD through the skin and into the bloodstream.
CBD comes in three different varieties, full-spectrum, broad-spectrum, and CBD isolate. Full-spectrum means that most of the THC within a CBD product has been filtered out to meet the Farm Bill standards, which means 0.3% of THC per serving.
Broad-spectrum filters out more THC, leaving as little as possible but keeps the other cannabinoids found within cannabis or hemp in the product. CBD isolate filters out all other cannabinoids.
For those looking for broad spectrum CBD, be sure to check out the link.
How Do You Take CBN?
CBN currently either comes from smoking cannabis or in oils. This is because there are still things to learn about CBN, making it less appealing compared to just straight THC or CBD. CBN is also a guessing game when it comes to the legality of it.
Because of that, if it is legal in your area and you feel comfortable with wanting to try it, you can pick up oil. Though this oil does typically come with CBD included in it.
Following the same steps as above, you would hold the oil underneath your tongue for optimal results. Your body absorbs supplements the fastest, as the skin in this area is very easygoing with letting nutrients in.
Can You Take Them Together?
Yes, you can take CBD and CBN together, in fact, it is recommended. You can thank the thought process known as the entourage effect for that. The entourage effect is the idea that when cannabinoids are paired with other cannabinoids, our body has an easier time activating our endocannabinoid system compared to cannabinoids that have been isolated.
The endocannabinoid system is a relatively new system, only being discovered in the 1990s. The system helps with the regulation of different cycles in the body, including but not limited to, mood, sleep, and inflammation. This is why people tend to favor full-spectrum or broad-spectrum when picking up a CBD product.
What Is the Difference Between CBD And CBN?
CBD in itself has no psychoactive properties, meaning there is little chance to get you high. It focuses on helping your body activate the endocannabinoid system, rather than feeding the receptors that will cause that euphoric and relaxed feeling.
CBN, because it is a byproduct of THC, will have a mild psychoactive effect. The true punch is still hard to say, as you never know how much THC in a flower has been converted, meaning that some people think it is the CBN, but in reality, is the THC.
CBD also has more studies to back up the claims that it currently says, but there is still more research required before they are considered scientifically proven. CBN on the other hand still needs research in general before people can even start making claims on it.
Together or Separate, These Are Both Great Options
The main difference between CBD and CBN is the fact that CBD is not psychoactive, while CBN is. There are much more studies on CBD than CBN, but they both need more studies to fully flesh out what they can do for people. Be on the lookout to see what the future holds for these cannabinoids.
Enjoy the article? Be sure to check out the rest of our blog to learn more about the ways to keep yourself healthy. If you know someone interested in CBD or CBN, be sure to share this article with them.
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