How Long Does CBD Stay In Your System?

One of the most effective ways to enjoy CBD oil is through a CBD tincture. But as far as CBD products go, how long does CBD stay in your system when consumed this way?

Maybe this question has been floating around in your mind due to a drug test coming up. Or maybe you're just curious to see how long CBD decides to stick around.

Either way, we're here to answer those questions for you and more. Keep reading to learn how CBD oil interacts with your system and answer the question once and for all, "So how long does CBD stay in your system?"

See Related: How Much THC Is In CBD Oil?

What affects how long CBD stays in your system?

As a general rule, CBD tends to stay in your system for about 2 to 5 days. But this range doesn't necessarily apply to everyone.

How long CBD stays in your system depends on quite a few factors. So the answer is necessarily as straightforward as you may like.

The amount of CBD consumption

As with other substances, the more CBD you consume, the longer it stays in your system. And this also depends on the CBD concentration too.

Usually, you can expect CBD to be flushed out of your system within a day. But if your CBD products contain high CBD levels, then your body will need more time to get rid of it.

After all, you can't rush your body as it tries to flush out CBD. So before you take CBD, just know how much you're about to consume and how high a concentration you're consuming.

Whether you use CBD frequently

Another factor that makes CBD oil stay longer in your system is if you use CBD regularly. Over time, CBD can accumulate within the body.

This is good news for those CBD users who are looking to compound the effects of CBD in their system. But this also means that it will take longer for all of the CBD to leave their bodies.

Your body mass index

CBD oil is fat soluble which means that it gets stored in your body's fat cells. With everyone's unique body chemistry, CBD tends to sit quite differently with people.

And this mainly pertains to their diet, lifestyle habits, and metabolism. Overall, the more body fat your body contains, the longer it will take for your body to metabolize CBD.

On the other hand, some people metabolize CBD rather quickly and flush it out of their systems within a day. Furthermore, your age and water content may also affect just how long CBD stays in your system.

Whether you took CBD on an empty stomach

Taking CBD on an empty stomach can not only produce faster effects. But it can also metabolize the CBD oil and eliminate it faster than if other nutrients were involved.

When taking CBD with a meal, you are essentially slowing down your own digestion process because your digestive system has more to break down. That being said, certain existing CBD studies found that taking CBD oil with food may increase the bioavailability of CBD.

Your consumption method

While we may be focusing primarily on CBD oils, there are plenty of ways to consume CBD. Different forms of CBD products include CBD gummies with delta 9, CBD capsules, a CBD vape pen, or even CBD topicals.

Obviously a topical CBD rub will not be something you consume. But tinctures, pills, and edibles all have a different CBD journey through the human body.

So, what are the different ways that your body not only absorbs, but eliminates CBD from its system? Keep reading to find out.

Different ways to consuming CBD

You might think that any CBD products you literally consume have the same kind of journey through the body. But there are a couple of different ways the body likes to process CBD.

Sublingual consumption

CBD products that you take sublingually can include CBD oil tinctures, lozenges, candies, and even pet CBD oil too. Basically anything that absorbs CBD through the mucus membranes and tiny capillaries under your tongue.

This is perhaps the most effective way to take CBD since this allows the compound to directly enter your bloodstream. And it doesn't pose nearly as many health risks as smoking or vaping CBD does.

Typically when you consume CBD sublingually, you can start to feel the effects within 15-20 minutes after ingestion. The effects may last anywhere between 4 to 6 hours.

But as far as the question, "How long does CBD stay in your system?" goes, it will depend on those other factors listed above. Typically though, due to its rapid onset period, CBD can leave the system within 1 to 7 days after consumption.

Oral consumption

CBD infused products like gummies, baked goods, capsules, or pills are all consumed orally. But unlike sublingual CBD products, they have to travel through the digestive system.

Because of this longer journey through the body, you may not start to feel the effects of CBD until 30 minutes to a few hours after consumption. And any swallowed CBD ends up being stored in your fat cells until it gets metabolized.

When it comes to how long CBD stays in your system when you consume CBD orally, you can expect ingested CBD to leave within 1 to 2 weeks. But for some, it can take as long as 30 days to leave their system.

Between these two consumption methods, sublingual administration will certainly yield you less time with CBD in your system. So if you have any drug tests in the future that you don't want to test positive for, consider using sublingual products, or none at all.

Bonus: How Do Edibles Work?

Will CBD oil show up on a drug test?

Typically, hemp derived CBD products will not show on most drug tests. But this depends on the type of CBD you're using.

What makes CBD detectable in a drug screening is the presence of THC. And not every CBD product contains this psychoactive compound.

But we're talking circles around ourselves. Let us break it down for you once and for all:

Full spectrum CBD

Full spectrum CBD oil contains all cannabinoids found in the cannabis plant. And this includes both CBD and THC.

But the THC present in full spectrum CBD will only be in trace amounts as CBD is only federally legal with 0.3% THC. That being said, drug tests screen for THC so with full spectrum products, they may be able to detect THC metabolites in your system.

If you're at all worried about testing positive on a drug test, it's best to use hemp derived CBD as opposed to marijuana derived CBD. Hemp derived CBD is legally required to contain less than 0.3% THC.

So this can at least give you some peace of mind before you go into your drug testing session. But, there are other CBD options available for those who want no THC in their system whatsoever.

Broad spectrum CBD

Broad spectrum CBD is similar to full spectrum in that it contains additional cannabinoids found in the hemp plant. But it contains no traces of THC whatsoever.

In fact, it goes through a very specific process to eliminate any THC found. So for those looking to experience the entourage effect without showing up positive on a test to detect drugs, broad spectrum CBD is definitely for you.

For those interested, the entourage effect essentially states that the effects of CBD get further reinforced by the additional cannabinoids found by its side. So it's not that CBD on its own isn't powerful enough.

But it gets an added boost in the company of surrounding cannabinoids. Then again, everyone finds a type of CBD that works best for them so some users may prefer CBD isolate over broad spectrum despite the presence of other cannabinoids.

CBD isolate

CBD isolate is the third and final type of CBD that you can find. And CBD isolate products contain only CBD.

No additional cannabinoids and no THC either. CBD isolates are a perfect option for those with upcoming drug tests.

Because with CBD isolate, you won't need to worry about even a false positive. As far as CBD goes on a drug test, CBD isolate is definitely your safest option.

Types of drug tests

Earlier, we gave general estimations as to how long does CBD stay in your system. But depending on the drug test you're being administered, CBD may still show up.

Blood tests

Blood tests are not very common when it comes to drug testing. But when screening for CBD and cannabinoids, they can certainly detect THC metabolites.

That being said, THC can quickly eliminate your bloodstream. So it is only really detectable in your plasma for about five hours after you take said CBD.

THC metabolites, on the other hand, can be present for up to a week. So if you have an upcoming blood test, consider not using any type of CBD for a few weeks beforehand.

Urine tests

A urine test is the most commonly administered drug test. And as far as the detection window for THC goes, urine tests tend to vary widely.

Mostly, how much CBD you take and how frequently you use CBD determines what will show up on the drug screening. THC metabolites can show up in your urine anywhere between 3 days to 2 weeks after consumption.

But again, how long CBD remains in your system can vary due to the variety of factors.

Hair tests

Hair tests are notorious for being able to detect drugs for an extended period of time. These types of drug tests can detect THC and CBD for as many as three months after consumption.

That being said, hair tests are not nearly as common than urine tests when it comes to drug screening. So this really shouldn't be something you have to worry about.

Saliva tests

Like hair tests, saliva tests are fairly uncommon when it comes to screening for CBD and THC. But it's interesting to note that these tests can only detect CBD and THC in your system up to 36 hours after consumption.

So as far as these tests go, saliva tests have the least amount of range to detect CBD or THC in your system. That being said, urine tests are the most popular form of testing nowadays, so it's best to stick with those guidelines instead.

The bottom line

CBD isn't one to just get up and leave. But with the newfound knowledge of how long CBD sticks around, we hope you can feel a little more reassured just knowing.

Ultimately, the variety of factors that come together to determine how long CBD stays in your system really do all add up. So it can be difficult to give a straightforward answer to the main question in mind.

But if you have an upcoming drug test that you're at all worried about, it's always best to stop using CBD immediately until after the drug test has passed. Some tests may only be looking for THC, not CBD, but it's always better to be safe than sorry.

Keep Reading: How To Use CBD Cream

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