Do CBD Patches even work?

Do CBD patches really work?

CBD patches are pretty new on the scene, so scientific studies demonstrating how well they perform is in early stages. However, transdermal administration of drugs is not new, and we do know that this method tends to be comparable to oral dosing. If not more effective, as going through the skin bypasses ‘first pass metabolism’ – a process where the concentration of a drug is greatly reduced before circulating in the body. Also, it’s worth considering that the patches are made with CBD isolate and are not full spectrum. So you will get the usual benefits of CBD, but not the full range of cannabinoids and terpenes as you would with our full spectrum products. 

Preclinical studies have shown transdermal application of low dose CBD (only 6.2mg per day) reduced knee-joint swelling in arthritic mice. This was observed to provide better absorption than oral administration in the same model. Better still, transdermal patches are thought to prolong the effects of many pharmacological drugs while avoiding fluctuations of drug levels, and there’s no reason to think the same wouldn’t apply to a CBD patch.

How do I use a CBD patch?

The key to getting the most out of CBD is to be consistent, taking it every day, ideally two or three times a day, to keep a steady level of cannabinoids accumulating in your body. However, lots of people struggle to keep this up, and as a result find that CBD oil isn’t helping as they hoped it would.

Using CBD patches changes all this, as there’s nothing to remember other than to slap one on every couple of days! Plenty of CBD fans around the world love using CBD patches to hone in on a particular aching muscle or painful joint, or on the abdomen for menstrual relief, but as the CBD that gets in does wind up circulating throughout your body, using CBD patches also produces the overall balancing effects associated with taking oral drops or capsules, but without having to remember to take it.

Here’s how to use your CBD patches:

• The best time to apply your patch is after a bath or shower, on clean, dry skin. If you’re using any sort of body lotion or oil, make sure this is completely absorbed before sticking your patch on for the best adhesion possible.
• Once your patch is on, you can leave it there for up to 36 hours and ideally no less than 24 hours. 
• As with any other administration of CBD, every body will absorb and utilise the product in it’s own unique way. So, pay attention to how you’re feeling, notice how quickly niggles disappear and when they return. If you need to apply a new patch 24 hours in, that’s fine. If you’re feeling great, wear it longer! 
• Remember, CBD from the patch goes right into your body, so you’ll have CBD circulating in your bloodstream the whole time you’re wearing it. Bear this in mind if you want to keep ‘topping up’ throughout the day with CBD oil, CBD edibles or CBD tea as this all adds up! Providing you don’t drink a 3000mg bottle in one go, there’s no risk of overdoing it in any meaningfully harmful way (even then, you’d probably just feel a bit heart-racy and need to sit on the toilet for a while!), but you may find if you take more than you’re used to you might feel sleepy…or you might feel great! As ever, start low, go slow and find your own dose. Everyone is different.