What are CBD concentrates and how to consume them?
What are CBD concentrates?
CBD concentrates offer very high levels of the cannabinoid of the same name and are available in a variety of consistencies and forms. CBD concentrates have a total CBD content higher than almost any other product on the market. Depending on how the concentrate is made, the CBD may be stripped of all other (as is the case with CBD isolate), or the concentrate may contain terpenes that were originally naturally present in the plant. Full-spectrum concentrates contain all the major and minor cannabinoids present in the source plant, whereas broad-spectrum concentrates are stripped of only certain compounds.
There are also concentrates that contain very high levels of terpenes, such as so-called weed sauce and full-spectrum extract with a high terpene content. Concentrates are simple products in terms of ingredients as they usually contain cannabinoids and terpenes and few other substances. When experts carefully extract and refine them, they strip them of unwanted plant materials, waxes and lipids, leaving a pure end product.
Summary: CBD concentrates are highly potent and condensed forms of cannabis.
How will I feel after taking CBD concentrate?
Unlike concentrates used for recreational purposes, CBD concentrates do not have the same effects on the body and mind that accompany the use of THC. One of the inaccuracies surrounding CBD is that it is not psychoactive. Psychoactive means that it affects the mind, and because there are so many cannabinoid receptors in the brain, CBD definitely affects the mind. So although both THC and CBD are psychoactive, CBD does not produce as strong a euphoria or 'high' as THC.
People seek CBD to help manage pain and anxiety or to induce better sleep, and you can benefit from the same benefits of CBD concentrates. This means that when you consume a high potency product like CBD concentrates, the physical experience can be more noticeable than when you take lower doses in the form of gummies or CBD tinctures. For example, high amounts of CBD can cause a feeling of drowsiness or tingling in the body.
Summary: As always, the experience of using CBD can vary greatly from person to person. In general, however, CBD concentrates are unlikely to produce a strong psychoactive effect.
Who should take CBD concentrates?
The concentrates are safe (albeit potent) and can be consumed by anyone who needs to take a high dose of CBD in a jiffy. Vaporization and smoking are the most common ways of consuming concentrates. Inhalation allows CBD to be absorbed into the bloodstream much more quickly than ingestion or ingestion of a tincture under the tongue. When inhaling, your body also has access to a much larger amount of CBD contained in the concentrate. When CBD is consumed as an ingestible, the substance passes through the digestive tract and some of the potency is lost in the digestive process. That's bioavailability in a nutshell. This means that concentrates are a great option for anyone using CBD for treatment as they can provide a rapid onset of action and high doses. They can be especially useful for unexpected flare-ups of symptoms that require immediate relief. Because managing illness, disease or other serious ailments often requires large amounts of cannabinoids such as CBD, concentrates are also a cost-effective and efficient means of obtaining the high doses needed.
Outside of medicinal use, concentrates are one of the most popular uses of cannabis among enthusiasts today. Because many concentrates have robust terpene profiles, they can deliver a very unique and enjoyable taste and aroma experience. Because concentrates inherently deliver high levels of CBD, they may not be suitable for people who have not consumed cannabinoids before or for people who know they are particularly sensitive to the effects of CBD.
Summary: High bioavailability and potency make CBD concentrates an excellent choice for medicinal purposes and for experienced cannabis users. Still, CBD can interact with prescription medications, so consult your doctor before taking CBD.
How to use CBD concentrates
The potency of concentrates can range from 40-99%, meaning they are full of CBD. Concentrates are roughly three to five times more potent than the average equivalent of a CBD-rich flower. If you do the quick math, one gram of concentrate, which contains 80% CBD, will contain 800 mg of the active ingredient. Since one gram is a relatively small amount, you know that you should only take a small portion to start with. If in doubt, you can always use an electronic scale to weigh out the exact dose you want.
You can take concentrates in different ways. While inhalation is the most common way to consume them, you can also dissolve the concentrates and use them to infuse into your own homemade oils, creams or balms. Another approach can be to combine concentrates with other products, such as gummies or externally applied products, to add variety to your CBD use.
Here is an overview of the main ways to consume and apply CBD concentrates:
Dabbing
Dabbing is the process of inhaling vaporized concentrates using specialized equipment such as a dab rig. Some people refer to the concentrates themselves as dabbing. And while the original method of dabbing was the traditional glass dab rigs, there are many electronic devices (like e-rigs) and portable products on the market today. Dabbing is done by heating a surface, usually nail, to a high temperature. By applying the concentrate to the hot surface, it evaporates.
If you are starting out with cannabis or cannabinoids, the old wise advice goes double for concentrates: start slowly and with a small dose. A CBD dab can hit hard and fast, so you'd better hold back because too much (even the good stuff) can be unpleasant.
Vaporization
You can also use a handheld electronic vaporizer to use the concentrate. There are plenty of models that vaporize both concentrates and flowers, which makes these fun technical pieces doubly useful. Handheld vaporizers also allow you to set a range of temperatures that can be precisely controlled. Vaporizers are usually used at lower temperatures than dab and e-rigs, which can preserve some of the other cannabinoids and terpenes that break down at high temperatures. They are also more discreet than portable rigs.
Smoking
Concentrates can also be added to the flower you smoke or vaporize. Crumble, for example, can be easily crushed and poured into a joint or added to a pipe thanks to its fine texture. Others, such as budder, shatter or crystals, can be more easily consumed by dabbing or vaping.
Infusion using concentrates
You can dissolve the concentrates in carrier oil or butter and then use the prepared material to make your own tinctures, edibles, creams or balms.
Summary: Different ways of eating have their own unique advantages. The best way to find what works for you is through thoughtful trial and error.
How long do the effects last after taking the concentrate?
If you inhale the concentrate by dabbing or vaporizing, you can expect the effects to last two to four hours. If you have used the concentrate to infuse butter or oil to create edibles, the effects can last eight to twelve hours. Administering the oil under the tongue allows the membrane in the mouth to absorb the CBD, and these effects last up to four hours. Concentrate that has been added to a cream or balm does not enter the bloodstream and its effects can last for several hours.
Summary: The duration of the effects depends entirely on the type of product you use.
How to buy CBD concentrates
When you are buying concentrate, you will see at the top of this text that they are categorized by what they look like and what consistency they have. Names like shatter, budder, crumble, sugar, sauce and crystal will give you a good idea of the appearance, texture and consistency of each. Each type has its advantages and disadvantages in handling and eating, and you may need to experiment a bit to find which one suits you best.
Note also that because of their potency, concentrates are sold in small quantities, usually in one-gram packages. Don't be scared off by double-digit prices for these small quantities. The price usually reflects the strength of the product. When buying concentrates, focus on quality and safety. Plant material must go through a complex and multi-step process before it reaches the final concentrate, and how well this process is carried out can affect the quality and safety of the final product, as well as the quality of the plants used and how they are grown.
The best way to determine the quality and safety of any concentrate is to check the Certificate of Analysis (COA). These independent, third-party tests will show you whether the concentrate contains, for example, residues of solvents used in extraction, pesticides that may have been used in growing the plants, or heavy metals that may have been in the soil in which the plants were grown.
Summary: If a retailer or brand cannot provide independent lab test results for a product you are interested in, walk away and continue your search elsewhere.
Photo: Shutterstock
„All information contained on this website, as well as information provided through this website, is for educational purposes only. None of the information contained herein is intended as a substitute for medical diagnosis and such information is not to be considered medical advice or recommended treatment. This website does not promote, endorse or advocate the legal or illegal use of narcotic drugs or psychotropic substances or the commission of any other illegal activity. Please see our Disclaimer for further information.