Following the article regarding my month long test training on CBD, I have written out a comprehensive FAQ section that might be of interest. It answers questions like “is it legal?” or “will I fail a drug test,” as well as outlining in plain English just what Cannabidiol is, and how it affects the body.
Like many, I have been hearing about CBD pretty much non stop over the last couple years.
Everybody from Instagram celebrities to fitness models have touted it as a wonder drug, and since getting into copywriting last year, almost 80% of my pieces have been on companies involved in some aspect of the cannabis industry.
Although I have used marijuana before as a sedative or healthier alternative to painkillers when training or injury had me feeling especially beaten down, as an adult, I don’t really like the “high” it produces, nor the feeling of lethargy that most strains of cannabis come along with for me in a state where I can’t exactly “pick and choose.”
The idea of CBD had me curious enough to try it a few times, with varying results. At a training facility in Arcata, California doing a seminar with Wolf Brigade Gym, I had some in the form of CBD infused water that I could definitely feel. A perceptible decrease in the anxiety and stress levels, and a calm ability to focus on the task at hand, combined with a relaxed but alert body and a drop in the ache and pain level of a long weekend riding motorcycles and lifting weights.
Other times, I would try an oil, or an edible and feel absolutely nothing.
The irregularity of results was frustrating, and I pretty much forgot about using it until my brother started sending me samples from his company’s supplier, a 99% pure isolate powder boasting a 3rd party testing system on every batch.
I decided I would use it every day (except on deliberate “test” days) of the month of January, and during that time, I would train as hard as I ever have on a schedule that would see me lifting almost every day, and doing Brazilian Jiu Jitsu at least 3 days a week. In this way, I would create an environment to really put the CBD to the test and see whether it was something I would add into my daily regimen, or if it was just another snake oil.
In the first week of using the isolate (which I much prefer to vaporizing, smoking, etc. since it is flavorless and tasteless and can be added to anything), the first thing I noticed was how it affected my sleep. I would take between 25-30mg in the morning or before my first training session of the day, and again about 30-45 minutes before I went to bed at night at the same dose.
I have always had trouble sleeping, even following all the usual protocols, no smart phone, cold room, etc. Sometimes I am just too sore to sleep well, and moving around creates all those aches and pains to flare up and keep quality rest from happening. This is of course a vicious cycle, as bad sleep imbalances the hormones, creates stress and inflammation, and does nothing to mitigate these things, often meaning my trips to the gym or the mats are preceded by “talking myself into it” through the stiffness and soreness.
Several nights of decent sleep in a row. What was this dark sorcery?
On the sixth and seventh, I didn’t take CBD, and felt the usual restlessness, especially on the second night.
The second week, a combination of better sleep and the anti-inflammatory nature of CBD had my tendinitis feeling a lot more under control, meaning I could train a little harder on the grappling end of things without grenading my weight training for the week and vice versa.
The anxiety, or stress relief elements I had heard of and felt before were much harder to quantify. I live a pretty high-action lifestyle, meaning a certain amount of stress comes with the territory, and I don’t know if anything outside a heavy dose of benzos could really derail that underlying current. I manage that better with meditation and mindset work. Besides, I was training so hard that I was feeling pretty tired and calm for the month anyways- everything happens in an ecosystem of some kind and is all connected.
During the third week, I ran out of my usual supply of isolate and picked up some edibles from a local supplier. In three days, I was back to my usual difficulty sleeping, and felt zero positive result in muscle soreness or inflammation.
After doing some research, I realized that a great deal of the CBD products available come from overseas, cheap Chinese suppliers- and that their testing requirements and so on are basically nil. After getting back to my usual supply, taken from US grown organic hemp and subjected to a high level third part test, the benefits returned.
This led me to believe that while CBD is definitely not “snake oil,” there are definitely CBD products that are. It also solved the question I had of why I would get results at certain times and then feel absolutely nothing at others- in this game, it would appear that quality is everything.
By the end of the month, I decided to keep CBD in the daily routine, and here’s why:
It definitely seems to increase the amount and the quality of the sleep I get.
More sleep means decreased cortisol, decreased inflammation, better hormone balance, lower stress and anxiety levels, etc.
So even if it just helps me sleep, good sleep helps all these other aspects anyways.
I definitely could feel a difference in soreness and muscle ache on the 2 test days a week during which I would deliberately not take CBD, so I would say there is certainly something to that as well.
There is a solid body of research toward the effects CBD has on inflammation, and it is currently being used by high profile medical companies to create new innovations in the heart disease field- if award winning medical professionals believe that they can use CBD to decrease inflammation enough to treat heart failure, I’d say there’s a good chance it can help me out in the gym.
I will keep putting this product to the test and recording my experiences with it, and I hope you’ll consider giving it a shot of your own.
Operation Werewolf now carries the exact same CBD isolate that I used during this 30 day experiment, which can be purchased from our webstore starting Wednesday, 3.6.19, and comes with a 30 day money back guarantee.
If, after trying it out, you don’t think it’s right for you, simply hit the CONTACT tab, and receive a hassle free refund on your purchase, and keep the CBD as a gift.
Check out the FAQ below if you’re interested in just what CBD is, how it works, legality, and so on.
What is Cannabidiol (CBD)?
Cannabidiol is one of several “cannabinoids,” chemical substances found in cannabis plants.
Although there are several cannabinoids, CBD and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) are the two that are most widely known.
THC is found in large quantities in marijuana plants – it’s the cannabinoid that’s responsible for most of the psychoactive effects that cause marijuana users to get “high.”
Cannabidiol also is found in marijuana plants but only at low levels. The primary source of CBD in nature is the hemp plant, a botanical cousin to marijuana.
How does CBD work?
Many cells in the body have what are called cannabinoid receptors, protein molecules on a cell’s surface that react when they come in contact with certain chemical substances.
Different receptors react with different substances to cause different reactions – for instance, the release of a hormone or other chemical.
The cells that react with cannabinoids comprise what’s known as the endocannabinoid system. When these receptors are activated, they exert an effect on mood, pain sensation, appetite and other biologic responses.
CBD does not interact with your Endocannabinoid System (ECS) the same way as THC. It does not produce any psychoactive effects whatsoever. It can provide major relief and medical benefits without the “high” (MUCH more on those benefits later).
Your ECS regulates and is closely tied to your immune system, your central nervous system and interacts with your body to deal with inflammation, stress, anxiety, injuries and can regulate your body’s sleep pattern.
When you see how much your ECS works to deal with these problems – you start to realize why so many people are using it for so many different reasons. Your body produces cannabinoids naturally to help your ECS perform at a high level – introducing cannabinoids from outside your body, can help when your ECS is called to do more, like when you are breaking down your muscles through strength training.
It should be noted, introducing exogenous cannabinoids does NOT shut down your body’s ability to produce them. Cannabinoids are not hormones, so unlike when you take exogenous testosterone and your body stops producing it on its own, your body will still produce cannabinoids if you are taking CBD.
What Are the Benefits of Taking CBD?
The various uses of CBD are myriad, and new research is coming out all the time showing its wide applications:
Reduced risk of diabetes and obesity, better cholesterol profiles and lowered risk of cardiovascular disease, reduced risk of cancer, helps maintain brain health and increases resistance to mental trauma, protects against broken bones, protects and heals the skin, acts as an excellent and safe anti-inflammatory, reduces anxiety and stress, combats depression, aids in pain relief, and promotes healthy sleep
– this laundry list of benefits are just a few of those that have been backed by research.
Personally, I have used it mainly as an anti-inflammatory and to promote better sleep, and have found it to be invaluable as an aid in my training recovery program.
What’s the difference between CBD from hemp and CBD from marijuana?
First of all, hemp contains naturally high levels of CBD and low levels of THC while marijuana produces low levels of CBD and high levels of THC.
To get CBD isolate from marijuana, special strains must be developed and hybridized, which means the isolate is not being derived from a source that occurs in nature.
Second, CBD isolate from hemp is legal while CBD from marijuana is only legal in specific states and for the treatment of specific disorders – mostly those involving seizures.
That means that in those states where its use is legal, you must have at least one prescription to obtain it.
Third, because hemp contains much higher levels of CBD compared to marijuana, extracting it is much simpler – and much less costly. Therefore, it’s available at a much lower cost.
Finally, while CBD from hemp suffers from some image problems, thanks to its link with marijuana, its use as a supplement is still far more socially acceptable and less controversial than CBD from its cousin.
Can you get high from CBD?
No. THC is the psychoactive cannabinoid that makes you high; CBD does not have any psychoactive properties.
While many CBD products contain trace amounts of THC, it is not enough to make you “high.”
Is It Legal?
The FDA has made no determination or assertion that CBD products are illegal or in any way run afoul of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). As was established by the Ninth Circuit in 2004, the sale, production and distribution of CBD oils/products derived from imported raw material industrial hemp, such as those produced and sold are not in violation of the CSA.
Will I Fail a Drug Test?
The simple answer is no, however, consuming extremely high amounts of CBD (more than 1,000 to 2,000g a day) could result in a hot urine test based on the fact that hemp plants may legally contain up to .3% THC.
In short, drug tests screen for THC, not CBD- and unless you are taking Herculean amounts of CBD every day, you should be completely in the clear.
However, there are many disreputable companies out there who do not provide third party test results on each batch of their CBD- meaning you could potentially fail a drug test from one of these companies.
Our CBD comes along with third part test results to ensure that you are getting the highest quality product, with the peace of mind that comes with knowing every batch is tested to the same standard.
How Much Should I Be Taking?
This is an oft-debated topic in the industry – and it comes down to the individual.
While you can’t take “too much” CBD, there is some research that shows a point of diminishing returns.
Since good CBD products are not cheap, the last thing you want to be doing is using 150mg of CBD, when 50mg would work just as well.
Size does play a role, but each person should play around with how much they ingest daily. Start with about 40mg per day to gauge the benefits.
If you don’t see an increase in the quality of sleep, a decrease in muscle soreness, fatigue, stress, anxiety etc – try taking between 50-60mg. You will find the sweet spot over the course of your first few weeks of use.
When do I Take It?
Because improved sleep quality is one of the most immediate benefits people see from taking CBD, many new users prefer to take it at night.
However, CBD interacts with your ECS to provide you with what your body needs at any given time. If you take CBD in the morning, you will not notice drowsiness, because your body is getting active and starting the day and your ECS recognizes that you need to be alert, so it uses the exogenous cannabinoids to get you going, because that’s what you need.
When you take it before bed, you’ll notice you will have an easier time “shutting down” so to speak, because that’s what your ECS realizes you need. You truly can take CBD at any time of the day.
Why Get Your CBD From Operation Werewolf?
Our CBD isolate is made from organically grown hemp, and this therapeutic-grade isolate is 99% pure.
Completely tasteless and odorless, our pure CBD isolate is perfect for adding CBD to any of your favorite foods, drinks, or topical applications.
This isolate is separated by molecular weight under laboratory conditions, ensuring the purest possible product.
CBD isolate is the purest form of CBD available, and our isolate comes from USDA certified organic hemp. Our supplier, Pure Spectrum CBD, third-party tests all of our isolate to ensure this and results can be found on our supplier’s Test Results page.
On top of this, we throw in an unprecedented 30 day money back guarantee on our product- you can purchase from our webstore here starting on Wednesday, 3.6.19.