What Kind of CBD is Good for Energy?

We all have those days when we don't feel like doing anything. If possible, we'd snuggle in bed and binge stream the day away. So, if there are days you wake up not quite in the mood to do much of anything, you are not alone. 

It's a plausible hypothesis that mood and energy are interrelated. When you're in high spirits, your energy levels are off the charts; life is fun, and everything is possible! However, even simple tasks suddenly require a lot of energy when your mood takes an off day. Why is this?

Many factors can affect your energy levels and make you disinterested. Broadly, these fall into the health and psychological categories. Sickness and energy typically don't go together. Other times, low energy levels can be caused by your favorite football team losing a match (hence the foul mood).

Regardless of what saps away your vibrant energy, it's crucial to get back up and proceed with life pronto. Some people make this transition with a flip of an internal switch; others may need a pick-me-up. This is where CBD comes in.

It seems counterintuitive to describe CBD as an energy booster because it's often discussed as a relaxation aid. However, looking at its interaction with the endocannabinoid system (ECS) suggests CBD could help boost energy levels. How? Read on to find out.

Key Takeaways 

• CBD exerts its pharmacological effects via multiple pathways, including the endocannabinoid system.
• Its broad pharmacological profile has yielded effects with exciting implications, notably in sports.
• CBD may give an energy boost, especially at lower doses.

How Does CBD Work for Energy?

How CBD works for energy is largely unclear. Cannabis research is in its early stages, so not much is concrete on how CBD works for energy. However, there are several scientific perspectives worth exploring.  

It is a fact that the interaction between cannabinoids and the ECS generates wide-ranging physiological and behavioral responses. The ECS is involved in various bodily functions such as sleep, mood, pain perception, memory, metabolism, anxiety, learning, immune response, reproduction, etc.

Structurally, it is a vast network of receptors, mainly CB1 and CB2, and their endogenous ligands anandamide (AEA) and 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) and enzymes. The ECS straddles the entire mammalian body and is chiefly involved in maintaining an equilibrium state (homeostasis). 

In this regard, it's easy to see how stimulating the ECS can trigger reactions that balance energy production and expenditure. In effect, when your energy levels are low, the ECS works bidirectionally to restore them to their optimal levels. After all, that's what homeostasis is all about, isn't it?

But in hindsight, how CBD is involved in energy metabolism is more intricate. To explain this, we focus on AEA, 2-AG, and their receptors CB1 and CB2. This doesn't mean the enzymes are any less critical. They are, and we'll touch on their roles later.

AEA and 2-AG are the primary mediators of ECS activity. When the receptors are activated, they stimulate the production of AEA and 2-AG, triggering various physiological processes. 

Interestingly, endocannabinoids and phytocannabinoids (plant cannabinoids) have near-identical chemical structures. This means phytocannabinoids can stimulate the receptors as well. When this happens, the body releases more AEA and 2-AG.

By looking at some of these neurotransmitters' functions, we get an idea of how CBD may boost energy levels. Moreover, AEA and 2-AG are synthesized on demand, unlike other neurotransmitters that are typically stored in vesicles, explaining why their effects are not perpetual.

Remember how we developed a link between mood and energy levels? Well, an intake of CBD has been shown to correspond with an increase in AEA levels. That's because CBD inhibits the activity of FAAH, an enzyme that breaks down AEA. This increases the availability of AEA that can bind to receptors.

AEA stimulates a sense of happiness and mental wellness, explaining why it is commonly referred to as the "bliss molecule." It can, therefore, improve mood when it binds to the CB1 receptor, much in the same way as THC. Naturally, when you're happier, you feel more energetic.

Another way CBD may work for energy is by promoting wakefulness. A 2014 rat study showed that CBD administration increased wakefulness. The exact science behind this phenomenon remains unclear, but the researchers hypothesized that CBD raised dopamine levels in the brain (hypothalamus). 

Like AEA, dopamine is also a "feel-good" hormone known to elevate pleasure, satisfaction, and motivation. 

Beyond the ECS, CBD is also shown to have diverse molecular targets. For example, it can also bind to the serotonin receptor 5-HT1A. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that relays messages between nerve cells. It's involved in regulating mood, sleep, emotion, appetite, sleep-wake cycles, and the internal body clock. 

Impaired sleep-wake cycles can seriously affect your energy reserves. If you've ever slept late one time, you may have noticed how low and groggy you felt the next day. When your sleep-wake cycle is impaired, you are likely to sleep less, meaning you don't get well-rested. In many instances, this leaves you feeling tired and moody.

Finally, CBD can raise your energy levels by inhibiting the reuptake of adenosine. Although this ability is more pronounced when combined with THC, CBD, nonetheless, plays a role. CBD (and THC) increases adenosine levels in the blood by activating the adenosine receptors. 

Here's where it gets interesting. Adenosine is involved in the formation of energy transfer molecules like adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and adenosine diphosphate (ADP). It also stimulates CNS cells to consume energy. In the brain, high adenosine concentrations reduce neuronal activity and induce sleep. 

In principle, the core importance of sleep is to enable us to regulate energy consumption. If done correctly, the net balance between energy production and expenditure remains positive. This allows us to have sufficient energy reserves to keep us going.

All these pathways point to CBD's indirect involvement in boosting energy levels. But as we have seen with cannabinoids, most of their beneficial effects are indirect.

CBD for Athletic Performance

CBD's entry into the world of sports has been nothing short of astounding. Many athletes, both at the elite and amateur level, use it to manage the known perils of a physically demanding lifestyle. Here, we look at areas where CBD use may benefit athletes.

Its potential pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory properties have made CBD products a key component of many gym bags. The damages an intense workout session can do are well known. From torn muscle tissue to inflammation and unbearable pain, it certainly takes a strong will to continue working out. 

However, CBD may alleviate these symptoms and help you recover quickly. 

We know how essential sleep is for athletes (and everybody else). Restorative and healing processes take place when the body is at rest. So, sleep is critical for athlete performance and recovery.

CBD may help super-active people sleep better by reducing stress and anxiety. An experiment investigating the effects of CBD on insomnia showed that it reduced the symptoms and led to better sleep quality. 

Insomnia is essentially a condition occasioned by an overactive stress response mechanism. It happens when the mechanism self-activates even when you're not consciously processing the trauma. As a result, stress and anxiety spill into your rest times. 

Fortunately, CBD can suppress a dysregulated stress response system and stabilize sleep and wake cycles by regulating the responsible hormones.

CBD may also improve sleep quantity and quality by ensuring the circadian rhythm (CR) functions smoothly. The CR regulates the body's internal clock, telling you when to sleep or wake up. CBD improves CR functioning by enabling you to go through all the sleep stages without interruptions. 

CBD's anti-inflammatory effect is undoubtedly helpful for athletes seeking to recover quickly from their injuries. But the revelation that it may also contribute to stronger bones is certainly welcome news for athletes. 

Recently, Tel Aviv University researchers discovered that CBD had significant effects on healing bone fractures. Through complex processes that influenced the organic bone matrix, toughness, and flexibility, the scientists concluded that CBD-assisted fracture healing resulted in stronger and tougher bones.

Also, since cannabinoid receptors are expressed in the skeletal system, it explains why CBD's involvement in bone growth and development seems plausible. It is thought to promote osteoblast formation, thus making bones stronger.

For a long time, athletes have used NSAIDs to get relief from pain. In extreme cases, they even used opioids. However, with reports showing that these medications are unsafe, CBD is a better alternative. Its safety profile is vouched for by the World Health Organization and multiple studies. 

Moreover, CBD is non-addictive (unlike opioids) and may even help against opioid addiction. With such findings, there is little doubt that CBD holds much promise in sports. However, more clinical studies are needed.

What CBD is Good for Energy?

When it comes to CBD, not all are the same. There is a view among users that some CBD types are more effective than others. Why is this so? Well, CBD comes in three main types – full-spectrum, broad-spectrum, and isolate.

Each type has unique properties that either work for or against its efficacy. So, if you are looking for CBD for energy, here is what you need to know.

Broad spectrum CBD 

Broad-spectrum CBD is hemp extract in which the dominant cannabinoid is CBD. In addition, it also contains all the naturally occurring compounds in cannabis, such as terpenes, flavonoids, vitamins, and fatty acids. However, this type of CBD doesn't contain ∆9-THC. 

Full spectrum CBD 

This hemp extract contains CBD as the primary ingredient, plus all other naturally occurring compounds in cannabis, including ∆9-THC. 

However, the ∆9-THC concentration typically never exceeds 0.3% by dry weight. This is due to the regulations of the 2018 Farm Bill, which legalized hemp. 

Going by anecdotal reports and the "entourage effect" theory, full-spectrum CBD is ideal for energy. The entourage effect supposes that cannabis compounds are more effective together. So, a "richer" cannabis product would be more effective, and full-spectrum CBD is as "rich" as it gets.

CBD Isolate

An isolate is an extract that contains only a single ingredient. In this case, the only ingredient in a CBD isolate is CBD. 

To make it usable, manufacturers carry CBD in a base compound like oil or alcohol. The most common base oils are MCT and olive. 

One advantage of CBD isolate is you can tell that CBD is responsible for an effect. The same doesn't apply to the other types considering the variety of ingredients they contain.

What to Know Before Buying CBD for Energy

As mentioned earlier, cannabis research is still young, and most of what is available is based on animal studies. There are calls for more clinical trials prior to any recommendations for CBD use. So, until then, we urge caution and diligence when using CBD or any other cannabis product.

Be that as it may, noteworthy discoveries highlight CBD's potential pharmacological significance. Consequently, it's now a major ingredient in developing drugs for certain neurodegenerative conditions like Dravet syndrome and Lewis-Gastaut syndrome.

When combined with THC, it's an effective medicine for neuropathic pain, overactive bladder, spasticity, and other multiple sclerosis symptoms. 

In a word, CBD does have valuable properties that can help achieve desired health goals, like an energy boost. But there are things to consider.

As we said earlier, not all CBD is equal. It goes without saying that high-quality CBD will likely give you the desired results. So, choose your CBD product wisely. Check the packaging to see if it specifies that the product contains CBD. Watch out for words like "hempseed oil." Many users think hempseed oil contains CBD, but it doesn't! 

Also, ensure the product is lab-tested. These tests should be conducted by third parties who then issue a certificate of analysis (CoA). CoAs are usually accessed through company websites. Check that the CoA is recent (dated within the past year).

It certainly helps to consider additional ingredients in the CBD product. For example, MCT oil is a high-quality carrier base that adds potency and absorbability to CBD. It also has unique health benefits.

Does CBD Oil Give You More Energy?

While nothing is concrete at the moment, CBD oil may boost your energy levels. CBD exerts its effects via diverse molecular pathways, as evidenced by its wide range of pharmacological effects. Some of these effects are of significant therapeutic interest.

Does CBD Keep You Awake?

CBD's effects are dose-dependent. In other words, it appears to be relaxing and sedating in higher doses but energizing in lower doses. 

The good news is that clinical trials show that it can be safely tolerated up to doses of 1500mg per day. So, your chances of experiencing adverse effects are pretty low. 

Ultimately, CBD dosing depends on your condition and its severity. Serious health conditions like insomnia, chronic pain, anxiety, etc., typically require large doses. However, low doses work best for people who seek better health aspects like better physical and/or mental performance.

Best Time to Take CBD for Energy

CBD for energy is best taken in the morning or early in the day. This allows its energizing effects to carry you through the day and help you accomplish your goals.

Where to Buy the Best CBD Products for Energy Online 

Dragon Hemp is a leading manufacturer of top-quality and highly effective CBD products. Its specialty is harnessing the healing powers of hemp-derived CBD and Chinese herbs, so this should be your go-to supplier for well-crafted and custom-tailored CBD products.

If you're looking to improve your sleep quality, knowing how important sleep is to your energy reserves, try this Rest tincture. This sleep-supporting formulation gives you 50mg of full-spectrum CBD and CBN enriched with Schisandra fruit, linden flower, lavender, passionflower, and other Chinese herbs. It's designed to calm the mind, drive away racing thoughts, making you fall and stay asleep longer. As a result, you wake up refreshed and rejuvenated!

But just in case you need a boost getting out of bed, powering through an assignment, or jumpstarting your gym sessions, go for these Reach capsules. They contain premium CBD isolate blended with American ginseng, yerba mate, native botanicals, and Chinese herbs to elevate mood, enhance blood circulation, and stimulate the brain. The sum effect of these ingredients is unsurpassed focus and mental clarity.

Are pain and inflammation stopping you from realizing your goals? Worry not; our Relief tincture is formulated to reduce these symptoms. With 1,200 mg of full-spectrum CBD and a blend of potent botanicals like turmeric, myrrh, frankincense, corydalis, and Chinese herbs, this is the perfect solution for pain and inflammation. It works by promoting blood flow and dispersing blood stasis, hence reducing inflammation and pain. 

You can also try these Relief capsules for a similar effect. They contain 750 mg of premium CBD isolate combined with turmeric, corydalis, myrrh, frankincense, and Chinese herbs to help alleviate pain and inflammation.