How is CBD oil made?

CBD is extremely popular. More and more suppliers are appearing online. These are often resellers, but there are also more recreational users who sell or make it themselves.

CBD is quite expensive, but why? And is it possible to make CBD yourself? In the next blog article, we will look at how CBD is made.

What is CBD?

To understand how CBD is made, it helps to know what CBD is. CBD, which stands for cannabidiol, is one of the many substances from the cannabis plant.

Besides CBD, there are other cannabinoids and terpenes in the cannabis plant. Think of CBG, CBC, CBN, but also THC. When people hear THC, most think of cannabis.

THC is the substance that causes a high and can be addictive. To get high, you need to consume a lot of it. The plants grown to make CBD contain only a small amount of THC.

In the Netherlands, it is not allowed to make or sell CBD products with more than 0.05% THC. This is a negligible amount and you cannot get a high from it.

Certified products know exactly how to make, for example, CBD oil. Once made, it is often tested in a laboratory to see if it contains enough CBD and no more than 0.05% THC.

It is therefore very important to check whether the party you buy your CBD products from has a test report. At Prohemp every batch is tested and all products come with a test report.

The difference between CBD oil and cannabis oil

CBD oil and cannabis oil are like two brothers. They are often compared, and many people still think CBD oil and cannabis oil are the same. Although they are like brothers, there is a big difference.

Cannabis oil contains a lot of THC and CBD oil contains none or a maximum of 0.05% THC. To make cannabis oil, the cannabis plant is cultivated. This is a different plant than the cannabis plant used for CBD oil.

For CBD products, a special cannabis plant is cultivated. It is not possible to make cannabis oil from this because the plant contains too little THC.

Confusion between the oils.

Cannabis oil, CBD oil, hemp oil, cannabis oil, medical cannabis oil, THC oil, hash oil… Still with us? The different names cause confusion. Before we go deeper into how CBD oil is made, it’s important to know all the names given to these oils.

You may be familiar with an oil, but didn’t know whether it was a CBD oil or a cannabis oil.

Cannabis oil is also known as:

• THC oil
• Hash oil
• Medical cannabis oil
• Rick Simpson oil
• RSO
• BHO
• AHO

An incorrect name for cannabis oil is CBD oil or hemp oil

CBD oil is also known as:

• Cannabis oil
• Hemp oil

Cannabis oil is often used recreationally and homemade. To make this, the cannabis plant is needed.

With cannabis oil, it is possible to get an overdose or take too much. With just a few drops, you can already feel a high. Cannabis oil is also absolutely not good for children or animals.

CBD oil and traffic

With CBD oil, it is not possible to get an overdose. The low THC content is undetectable. We do not know of any cases where someone took a drug test and the result was positive after using CBD oil.

Because CBD oil and cannabis oil are often delivered with a dropper, it is very difficult to get the right number of drops. You quickly take too many drops, which can cause an overdose with cannabis oil.

CBD oil is very expensive. It is therefore important that you do not take more than necessary. If you have used CBD oil, you are allowed to participate in traffic.

How is CBD oil made?

Of all CBD products, CBD oil is the best known. But how is CBD oil actually made? What is needed and why is it so expensive? Let’s start at the beginning.

It starts with growing the plants. In most cases, it begins with the cannabis hemp plant. These plants are often grown on a large scale. You can compare this to growing vegetables.

With every plant, growing the cannabis plant starts with a small seed. When the plant takes root, it grows into a mature plant.

When the cannabis plant is fully grown, it is ready for production. The CBD is in the buds of the cannabis plant. The buds are harvested. Once the buds are removed, the next process can begin.

CBD is extracted from the plant using an extraction method. There are three different extraction methods.

The first and best-known is CO2 extraction. There is also oil extraction and alcohol extraction. The extraction method is chosen depending on the final product. All methods have advantages and disadvantages.

CO2 extraction

CO2 extraction is the best-known and most commonly used extraction method. This method is widely used because it is the most efficient way to extract CBD from the plant. This method is often used to produce a Full Spectrum CBD oil to make.

In addition to CBD, the other cannabinoids remain in the oil as well. Think of CBG, CBN, and CBC. During this process, carbon dioxide is used. Carbon dioxide is naturally a gas, but when making CBD, the pressure is increased so much that the carbon dioxide transforms and behaves like a liquid.

The liquid carbon dioxide is then used to extract the CBD from the plant. This method often uses the entire plant.

A big advantage of this extraction method is that the cannabis plant is not heated. Heating can cause certain substances in the plant to be lost, which is not ideal for making a Full Spectrum oil.

With this method, all substances are used. By using this method, all cannabinoids, terpenes, phenols, and flavonoids remain.

There is also a disadvantage to the CO2 extraction method. This method is time-consuming and very expensive. The taste of the oil can also be somewhat more bitter or spicier.

Alcohol extraction

In alcohol extraction, often only the tops of the plant are used. In contrast to CO2 extraction, where the entire plant is used.

Alcohol extraction is an affordable way to make CBD. It is less time-consuming and makes the CBD cheaper.

After harvesting the tops of the plant, they are soaked in alcohol. After a while, the CBD dissolves in the alcohol. Then CBD and alcohol remain. The alcohol is then evaporated, leaving the CBD behind. It is a sticky paste that is later converted into CBD oil.

The disadvantage is that many active ingredients are lost, which can reduce the potency of the CBD oil.

Oil extraction

The last method is oil extraction. In CO2 extraction, no heat was used; this does happen in oil extraction. Just like with alcohol extraction, only the tops of the cannabis plant are used in this case.

The reason for this is that there is more CBD in the tops of the plant than in the rest of the cannabis plant. Heating causes all ingredients of the plant to be lost.

Only CBD remains. This extraction method is used to Pure CBD to make.

A big advantage of the oil extraction is the taste of the oil. The taste is slightly less spicy, which is often experienced as pleasant.

A disadvantage of this method is the price. Simply because only the tops are used and not as much CBD can be extracted as with the CO2 extraction method.

There are many different methods to make CBD. Often, a method is chosen based on the final product.

If you want to make a Full Spectrum oil, you choose the CO2 extraction method. For a pure CBD oil, you choose an oil extraction method.

Can I make CBD oil myself?

It is also possible to make CBD yourself. You are allowed to grow the plants at home, and after they have grown, the easiest way to make CBD oil is the alcohol extraction method.

After you have harvested the tops of the cannabis plant, you soak the CBD out of the plant using alcohol. After a while, you evaporate the alcohol, leaving behind a paste-like substance.

This paste-like substance contains 100% CBD. You can mix this substance with, for example, hemp oil or even olive oil. The more oil you add, the less potent the CBD oil becomes.

It is not possible to make a CBD oil with more than 40% CBD. The CBD then does not turn into oil. It remains a sticky and tacky substance.

It is also possible to mix the paste or add a small portion to your cake or cookies. This creates a kind of CBD edible. However, the CBD will be absorbed less quickly in your body than with the oil.

What are the advantages of CBD?

CBD is becoming increasingly popular and more users are experiencing the power of CBD. Many positive stories about CBD circulate on the internet. CBD can help with mild complaints as well as chronic complaints.

Some CBD users use it for epilepsy or chronic back pain. CBD is also often used for sleep problems or stress.

CBD can have many benefits when it comes to physical complaints. But are there also disadvantages?

What are the disadvantages of CBD?

Once you start with CBD, you naturally hope your problems will quickly disappear. Unfortunately, this is not the case, and this brings us to the first disadvantage. CBD requires a long buildup phase.

When you start with CBD, it is possible that you do not feel any difference in the first few weeks. Your body is absorbing the CBD and your endocannabinoid system is slowly coming back into balance.

Some CBD users stop in the beginning and feel as if CBD does nothing to their body. This is of course a shame, because once you stop, you have to start the buildup phase again.

Another disadvantage is that CBD is expensive. It is therefore very important that once you start with CBD, you continue with it. It is very time-consuming to produce even a small amount of CBD.

The entire process to produce CBD can sometimes take days. Fortunately, ProHemp produces it in bulk, which helps keep costs down.

The taste can also be a downside. The taste is very spicy and not everyone likes it. When you take CBD oil, you drop it under your tongue and hold the CBD oil there for 90 to 120 seconds. Then you rinse the CBD oil away with water.

The following side effects may occur but are rare:

• Dizziness
• Fatigue
• Very active
• Irritability
• Reduced appetite
• Looser stools
• Insomnia
• Nervousness
• Headache

These side effects can occur when using CBD oil, but they do not have to. Most people will not notice anything at first.

There are stories where people initially have trouble sleeping or experience some headaches. Our advice is therefore to drink plenty of water when using CBD oil.

What complaints can CBD oil help with

CBD can help or support many complaints. Depending on your complaint, you can choose a CBD product. As described above, the most well-known CBD product is CBD oil.

CBD oil comes in several strengths. The lightest form is CBD oil 5% and the strongest is CBD oil 30%. You can use CBD oil for the following complaints:

CBD oil 5% can be used for children or for very mild complaints such as:

• Restlessness
• Stress
• Insomnia
• Concentration problems
• ADD / ADHD (children)
• Autism

CBD oil 5% can be used by adults for mild complaints such as:

• Restlessness
• Stress
• Insomnia
• Concentration problems
• Mild mental complaints
• Anxiety disorders
• Recovery from sports injuries
• Muscle recovery
• Preventive use
• Epilepsy

CBD oil 10% can be used for mild to severe complaints such as:

• Pain complaints
• Severe headaches or migraine
• COPD / Asthma
• Rheumatism (mild form)
• More severe mental complaints
• ADD / ADHD (adults)
• Depression
• Anxiety disorders
• Severe menstrual complaints
• Diabetes
• Parkinson’s
• Osteoporosis
• Anorexia / bulimia
• Stomach and intestinal complaints

CBD oil 20% can be used for severe complaints such as:

• Chronic pain complaints
• Chronic back pain
• Osteoarthritis
• Rheumatism (severe form)
• Severe lung complaints
• (Severe) depression
• Severe anxiety disorder
• Alzheimer’s

CBD oil 30%

• We never advise this at the beginning. This is used by customers or users who are familiar with CBD. In this case, you have already used CBD oil for a while and use a high dosage of 20% CBD. You can then choose to go for 30% CBD oil. You then use fewer drops.

Besides CBD oil, we also have special CBD supplements. We have supplements that you can use if you exercise.

Do you have trouble sleeping? Then you can use a CBD with melatonin. If you have anxiety, a CBD with ashwagandha is good. Both are available at ProHemp.

Proven benefits of CBD

A lot of research is being done on CBD. Because where does the power of CBD really come from and does it really help with various conditions? The answer to this question is yes. More and more studies are emerging that prove the power of CBD.

Charlotte Figi, who unfortunately recently passed away, was an American girl who became world-famous for using CBD. She had hundreds of epileptic seizures per day.

By using CBD, this was reduced to almost 0 seizures per day. The girl was closely followed and a documentary was made about her. As a result, CBD gained recognition in America.

More and more research was being conducted. This included whether CBD can help against or with epilepsy. In 2014, the research team from Stanford started working on this. A specific group was monitored.

The parents had a child with epilepsy. The children were given placebo CBD (a fake CBD) and another group received real CBD. The group with real CBD had significantly fewer epileptic seizures.

Other benefits also emerged. Think of alertness, better mood, improved sleep patterns, and better sleep. (source).

Besides this research, many other studies have been conducted on CBD and certain conditions. Think of: anxiety and stress, nausea, cancer, relief from pain and inflammation, and diabetes (source).

What is (chronic) pain

When we look at the reasons why people use CBD oil or CBD products, it is mostly for chronic pain. Many people suffer from chronic pain and want to relieve it. But what exactly is pain and why do we have pain?

Pain is a warning from the body. Your body sends a signal that something is wrong. This signal releases a substance that tells your brain that something is wrong.

Acute pain is felt immediately. This can be due to heat, cold, or an injury to the body. Think of a broken bone or a bruise.

This pain usually goes away after a while. When we talk about chronic pain or chronic pain complaints, we mean pain that lasts longer.

With chronic pain, you often experience multiple complaints. It can keep you awake at night and make you feel exhausted. You want to get rid of this pain as soon as possible.

Did you know there are different types of pain? Medical science distinguishes between different types of pain:

• Pain caused by tumors (think of cancer)
• Pain in the nerves (think of a hernia)
• Pain in the tissue (think of a sprained ankle)
• Pain from inflammation in the organs (think of appendicitis)
• Pain caused by vascular disease (think of vascular constriction)

Often it is a combination of different pains. You may experience pain in various parts of the body, and because you have (chronic) pain in one area, you may start feeling pain elsewhere as well.

Long-lasting pain can lead to anxiety and depression. You want to break this vicious cycle as soon as possible.

How can CBD help with (chronic) pain?

A 2012 study (source) shows that CBD significantly reduces chronic inflammation and neuropathic pain in rodents. The researchers of this study believe that CBD may help with or against chronic pain.

In an earlier study from 2007 (source) a combination of CBD and THC remained effective against the muscle disease multiple sclerosis (MS). In the Netherlands alone, 17,000 people suffer from MS. Worldwide, this is 2.5 million (source).

MS is an inflammatory disease of the brain in which the fatty substance that surrounds an axon (myelin) disappears. It damages the nervous system, and signals are sent in the brain causing a kind of ‘short circuit.’

Parts of the body can become disabled. This can lead to loss of vision, lack of speech ability, or a muscle you can no longer move.

For some, the complaints are more severe than for others. CBD can help reduce the symptoms of MS.

Many people experience pain daily due to aging, past accidents, surgeries, or illnesses and ailments. Unfortunately, there is still little medical research on the soothing effect of cannabis on pain. 

CBD oil contains substances with healing properties. We distinguish the cannabinoids and the terpenes. These substances work closely together and enhance each other. You experience this effect with a Full Spectrum oil.

For which (chronic) complaints can you use CBD oil

There are many customers online who have positive experiences with CBD oil. More and more research is being done on CBD, and CBD is becoming increasingly popular. CBD is increasingly used for (chronic) complaints. Think of the following diseases:

• Cancer
• Diabetes
• MS
• ALS
• Osteoarthritis
• Rheumatism
• Parkinson’s
• Huntington’s
• Cystic fibrosis

CBD is also increasingly used for general conditions. Think of:

• Headache
• Nerve pain
• Back pain
• Aging
• Muscle pain
• Inflammation
• Stress/anxiety
• Autism
• Anorexia

Does CBD help with anxiety or stress?

We are closing a remarkable year (2020). The figures are not yet known, but many specialists believe that the number of people with stress or anxiety has increased enormously.

This is mainly due to the extraordinary year centered around the coronavirus. At the beginning of 2020, it hit like a bomb, and many people became uncertain about their jobs, private situations, and whether they could still cover all fixed expenses. This was accompanied by many sleepless nights.

You probably recognize it yourself; if you have a sleepless night, you feel lethargic and energyless the next day.

You often catch up on sleep during the weekend and feel better again. But what if you sleep poorly for more than one night, and it continues? You sleep poorly for weeks or even months?

These sleepless nights can cause you to underperform at work, call in sick more often, or have no energy at all. This can lead to arguments at home, and you may no longer be pleasant for your partner or children.

You want to get rid of this as soon as possible. Often, the first effect of CBD, which can occur after a few weeks, is inner calm and better nights. That is why CBD is often used for insomnia or stress.

Studies using anxious animals show that CBD can have an anxiety-reducing effect (source).

CBD can reduce anxiety and stress in patients with social anxiety, and the researchers also believe this can help with post-traumatic stress disorder, panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and anxiety disorder.

In 2011, research was conducted on patients with social anxiety disorder. (source) 24 people with social anxiety who had never had CBD before were given CBD or a placebo 1.5 hours before the test.

The researchers discovered that patients who received real CBD had less anxiety disorders. The placebo group showed more anxiety and discomfort.

If you experience anxiety or stress, you can choose the CBD + Ashwaganda capsules.

What are sleep problems

Insomnia, which literally means no sleep, is a major problem in the Netherlands. But what exactly are sleep problems? If you suffer from sleep problems, you do not sleep well or at all for an extended period. Often, this makes you tired and irritable during the day.

Sleep problems are often caused by psychological issues or anxiety. If you are anxious or very restless, you have more difficulty falling asleep. If you sleep poorly for a long time in a row, this can lead to depression.

Sleep problems can have multiple causes. These can be physical causes as well as causes you can quickly address. You may sleep poorly due to alcohol use, a lot of coffee, tension, stress, or medication.

If you know the cause, you can also do something about it. Sleep problems can also have other causes. Think of traveling (jet lag), breathing problems (apnea), or problems with the daily rhythm caused by work.

Sleep problems are characterized by the following:

• Insomnia: difficulty falling asleep or waking up frequently
• Restless legs syndrome: a persistent tingling or itching in the legs
• Side effects of medication
• Experiencing daytime sleepiness
• Sleepwalking and nightmares
• Physical causes: breathing problems. Short periods of breathing cessation (apnea).
• Problems with the daily rhythm, for example due to shift work or jet lag

As described earlier in this blog article, CBD can support a good night's sleep.

Does CBD help with insomnia?

CBD can give you inner peace. CBD can calm your mind, helping you fall asleep faster. For some, CBD works like a sedative. The voices in your head can literally slow down, allowing you to fall asleep more easily.

Once you have fallen asleep, you can enter different phases. The most important phase is REM sleep. During this sleep, you rest the most. In REM sleep, you do not move, but your eyes dart from left to right. REM sleep occurs about five times during a good night's rest. Using CBD can help you have better and longer nights of rest. You wake up with more energy if you have had a good night's sleep. (source)

CBD and the endocannabinoid system

The endocannabinoid system is a natural system in the body. This system is partly responsible for sending (pain) signals to the body. These pain signals can be justified or unjustified, which can cause you to experience more pain. This happens because the endocannabinoid system is often out of balance.

CBD oil is often used to restore balance to the endocannabinoid system. CBD can help bring the endocannabinoid system back into balance.

CBD is often seen as a miracle cure and people expect it to work immediately. Unfortunately, the reality is different. There is no switch in the endocannabinoid system that you can flip to get rid of all your symptoms. It often takes 8 to 12 weeks for the endocannabinoid system to properly absorb the CBD and for your body to get used to it.

When you start taking CBD, you need to consider the buildup phase. Based on your symptoms, you choose the percentage of CBD. For example, if you have chronic pain, you choose a higher percentage. If you have never taken CBD before, start with a lighter variant than your ultimate goal. This also applies to people who make their own CBD oil.

At Prohemp, you can choose from different percentages. If you have more severe symptoms but have never used CBD before, you start with a CBD oil 10%. In the first week, take three drops three times a day. Drop the CBD oil under your tongue and hold it there for 90–120 seconds. After 120 seconds, rinse the CBD oil away with water. Repeat this three times a day. It is best to take the CBD oil 30 minutes before or after a meal.

After a week, increase the dosage by 1 drop per dose. You will then be taking four drops three times a day. Increase this dosage every three days until you reach six drops three times a day of 10% CBD oil.

Your body and the endocannabinoid system have time to properly absorb the CBD and get used to it. Often, you feel the first effects of the CBD after these 2 weeks. You feel calmer and less stressed or tense. This often goes hand in hand with better sleep.

When your body is used to the 10% CBD oil, you switch to a CBD oil 20%. The 20% oil is twice as strong as the 10%. To achieve the same effect, you need half as many drops. If you are taking six drops per dose, you reduce to three drops per dose with the higher concentration.

You also gradually build up the dosage of the 20% CBD oil with 1 drop every three days. You do this until you reach nine drops per dose.

By now, you are eight to twelve weeks in and you may start to feel improvement in your symptoms. Your symptoms may lessen or sometimes disappear completely. The endocannabinoid system is then back in balance. Now the challenge is to find the right dosage. CBD oil is quite expensive, and you don’t want to take too much. Therefore, you reduce the dosage. It may be that with a lower dosage, you start to feel more symptoms again. That is a sign that you need more drops. You can always choose a higher concentration so you need fewer drops.

It is important that you do not stop taking the CBD. Feeling good is often a reason for people to stop immediately. This can cause the endocannabinoid system to become unbalanced again. After a few weeks, you will have to start over and go through the buildup phase again.

If you feel better, start reducing the number of drops. It would be a shame if you have to wait another 8 weeks for good results after a few weeks.

Follow the correct process when making CBD oil

If you want to make CBD oil yourself, it is important to follow the right steps. The process of making CBD oil is very time-consuming. You spend months growing the cannabis plants to eventually extract a small amount of CBD.

Often the quality of homemade CBD oil is not good and contains too little CBD or too many other substances. Therefore, always order your CBD oil from a specialized seller. Check if there is a test report included and see if the website looks trustworthy and has reviews.

If you still want to make it yourself, study the process well. You do not need to purchase laboratory equipment, a simple pot is enough.

Cannabis plants do require good care. Do not make the mistake of buying weed plants instead of cannabis plants specially grown for making CBD products. Weed plants contain a lot of THC and it is forbidden to cultivate these on a large scale in the Netherlands.

Be careful with trading CBD oil. There are strict rules involved. For example, your oil may never contain more than 0.05% THC. It is very difficult to measure this without proper equipment. If you have made CBD oil yourself, use it yourself and do not sell it online. Besides the fines you can get, you also do not know exactly what is in it and it may be dangerous for certain people.

If you want to start with CBD oil, you can get your CBD oil from ProHemp. You can easily and quickly order CBD oil via the webshop in a safe environment. All products are in stock and delivered the next day. If you have questions or doubts, you can always ask for personal advice. You will be helped professionally and well.

Do you have complaints, use medication, and want to start using CBD oil? Always consult your (family) doctor. CBD can enhance the effect of certain medications, meaning you may need less and could quickly use too much. Your doctor can advise you on this.

We only provide advice and will never give you medical advice. We leave that to the professionals.

The use of CBD can therefore be very beneficial for everyone. Are you curious about what it can mean for you? Then request a free consultation etc.

References:

Report of a parent survey of cannabidiol-enriched cannabis use in pediatric treatment-resistant epilepsy

8 proven benefits of CBD (blog)