What Are CBD Capsules and Pills?

CBD is a very popular phenomenon, with at least a third of American adults having used it at least once. Naturally, with such a high demand for this compound, it was only a matter of time before the markets responded.

The days when CBD was offered only in the form of oil are long gone. As of now, there are dozens of types of CBD products that you can get online – from tasty edibles to relaxing bath bombs. Here we will focus on telling you everything you need to know about CBD capsules and CBD pills.

Contrary to what you may think, CBD capsules and pills are not boring or worse than other forms of CBD products. In fact, in many cases, they are a better choice for administering CBD than other methods. Read on and see for yourself why CBD pills and capsules are so great.

What Exactly Is CBD?

Before we start delving more into the capsules and pills, you should understand the main ingredient used in these products.

CBD, short for cannabidiol, is one of over 100 compounds naturally occurring in cannabis plants. It is often used to promote general health and improve your mood by inducing a feeling of calm and relaxation. CBD doesn’t have an intoxicating effect unlike its cousins, the Delta-9 THC, and the less potent Delta-8 THC.

Although cannabidiol is widely used, the FDA has not still approved nonprescription CBD products.

How Are CBD Capsules And Pills Made?

Generally speaking, capsules and pills are made somewhat differently. CBD pills are created from a heavily compressed crystal CBD extract that is formed into solid tablets. On the other hand, CBD capsules require a raw CBD powder to be encased in a two-piece dissoluble container that can be easily swallowed or bitten through. There is also a third type, CBD softgels, that have the cannabidiol oil in a soft, gelatin container – they’re essentially CBD oil capsules.

However, both products use CBD that was similarly sourced. The CBD needed in the manufacturing process of these goods is taken from industrial hemp. The plants can’t contain more than trace amounts of THC – instead, they are cultivated with high CBD levels in mind.

There are many different methods of extracting CBD from hemp plants. The most popular one is CO2 extraction, where carbon dioxide is used to isolate valuable cannabinoids from cannabis. This method is widely used due to its precision and being environmentally friendly. Other methods include steam distillation, olive oil extraction, and using a solvent to get CBD.

What Are The Types Of CBD Capsules And Pills?

Although both solutions contain CBD, there are different forms of CBD pills and capsules. We can distinguish three general types here.

Full-Spectrum Capsules and Pills

Full-spectrum CBD is the unaltered version of the extract taken from the hemp plants. It contains all of the essential compounds naturally found in cannabis, such as terpenes, phytocannabinoids, and flavonoids. This form of extract also contains trace amounts of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), usually up to 0.3% (the federally imposed limit).

Full-spectrum CBD products, including CBD softgels, capsules, and pills, are often chosen due to the belief in the entourage effect. CBD extracts supposedly work better when no compounds are removed.

Broad-Spectrum Capsules and Pills

Although the federal limit of 0.3% THC in hemp-derived CBD products is already limiting, in some cases you don’t want your CBD capsules or pills to have any THC at all.

Broad-spectrum CBD products have almost no Delta-9 THC, but still contain many other useful compounds, such as cannabinol (CBN), limonene, myrcene or cannabichromene (CBC).

Isolate Capsules and Pills

CBD isolate products don’t contain any other compound or substance besides the CBD itself. As such, this form of CBD is a good choice for those that want to be sure they won’t ingest any THC at all.

On the other hand, the lack of any ingredients besides CBD means that CBD isolates may be somewhat less effective than both broad-spectrum and full-spectrum capsules and pills.

How Do CBD Capsules Compare With The CBD Oils?

A CBD capsule is a much newer invention than the traditional method of administering CBD – oil. As such, it’s natural that you want to know how both of them compare and which one is better for your needs.

Dosage

CBD oil offers you a very flexible way to determine how much CBD you want to take. You simply need to squeeze the dropper and count the number of drops that fall from it. On the other hand, CBD softgels and capsules are more precise. Every single capsule contains the same amount of the extract (usually specified on the label). That also makes them more convenient, as there is less risk of accidentally making the dose too big when taking CBD.

In both cases, it’s best to start from low and increase your CBD dosage until you get the desired effects. How much you need to take is affected by a number of factors such as your body weight or the conditions you have. In general, 20mg to 40mg per day should be enough for a starting dose.

Consumption

CBD oils are known for their unique, earthy taste and smell similar to that of cannabis. However, this might not be perfect for everyone. If you dislike the flavor of CBD oil but still want to experience the benefits of this substance, CBD capsules are a better choice here. Such capsules are completely odorless and don’t have any discernible taste.

On the other hand, cannabidiol oils can be easily added to a wide variety of foods or beverages. There’s nothing stopping you from putting a few drops in your ice tea or morning cereal.

Other Factors

One significant issue with oils is that they can be messy. If your hand is shaking during the dosing process, it’s easy to spill a few drops on your clothes or rugs and get oily stains. With capsules it’s much harder to do that – you’d need to physically crush them for contents to spill. Even then, the CBD extract is powdered, meaning that you can simply sweep it up with a broom.

Capsules are also very a good choice when discretion is your priority. With CBD oil, you have to unscrew the lid and use the dropper to get the right dosage. Also, you have to hold the oil under your tongue for a short time.

Capsules and pills aren’t as noticeable – you can just turn away, pop one in your mouth, and swallow it. Others likely won’t recognize that you’re taking CBD.

What CBD Capsules Are Used For?

As mentioned above, capsules are a very convenient method of administering CBD. That makes them perfect when you are on the go, for example traveling or in the middle of a workout. If your employer allows you to use CBD but prefers that you do it in a discrete way, capsules might be the best solution for you.

How To Choose Quality CBD Products?

As FDA doesn’t regulate CBD products, always get your products from reliable and proven CBD manufacturers. Low-quality CBD is likely to have much less noticeable effects or might even not work at all. Always read the product descriptions – trusted producers include a lot of valuable information about the products they’re offering.

Also, make sure that your CBD products are specified to have less than 0.3% THC, as that is the federal limit.

Will CBD Capsules And Pills Make Me High?

Cannabidiol is a non-intoxicating substance, meaning you won’t get “high” from consuming it. Even full-spectrum CBD usually contains less than 0.3% THC, which is not enough to make you high.

However, as full-spectrum CBD products contain minimal amounts of THC, there is a slight risk of it being detected by some THC drug tests. If your workplace is known for instituting regular testing, it might be better to stick to pure CBD (also known as CBD isolate) or broad-spectrum CBD capsules, as they don’t include any THC.

Sources:

1. https://cbd.market/cbdblog/defining-the-differences-cbd-capsules-softgels-tablets-and-pills#what-are-the-differences-between-cbd-capsules-softgels-tablets-and-pills-a66fff42-5889-4bb5-bf49-7a8b05557beb
2. https://www.healthline.com/health/full-spectrum-vs-broad-spectrum-cbd#A-quick-look-at-the-best-full-spectrum-and-broad-spectrum-CBD-products
3. https://realtestedcbd.com/cbd-extraction-101-popular-methods-explained/
4. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/how-to-shop-for-cbd
5. https://fusioncbdproducts.com/pages/cbd-oils-vs-cbd-capsules
6. https://www.fda.gov/news-events/public-health-focus/fda-regulation-cannabis-and-cannabis-derived-products-including-cannabidiol-cbd