Following extraction, CBD is diluted in hemp seed oil.

Ordinarily, hemp seed oil contains very little CBD (0.0025%). CBD is mostly found in the flowers of Cannabis sativa and, to a lesser degree, the leaves, but not in the seeds. CBD Oil 10% therefore contains hemp seed oil to which CBD extracted from hemp flowers has been added.

When cannabis grows, it produces THC-A and CBD-A, not THC or CBD. It is only when the two molecules are heated that they are decarboxylated into their active forms (27). The conversion of CBD-A into CBD can also be achieved more slowly by exposing the molecule to light, to heat (the temperature of gastric fluids is 37°C) or overtime (28). CBD Oil 10% contains CBD and not CBD-A, as well as small amounts of a number of other phytocannabinoids. There is currently no product on the market offering greater CBD oil benefits.

The following protocol is usually recommended for a course of PEA:

• 3 capsules a day, one with each main meal, for the first two months.
• 2 capsules a day for the following two months.
• 1 capsule a day thereafter until the end of the supplementation period.

If necessary, however, PEA can be taken on a continuing basis.

It’s advisable, throughout the supplementation period, to try to follow the measures below:

• Regular exercise whenever possible.
• Acupuncture.
• Massage therapy.
• Relaxation techniques such as meditation or visualisation.

The hemp used in this product contains no THC. It therefore has no narcotic effect and has an excellent safety profile in humans.

Once ingested, CBD is quickly distributed around the body. Its lipophilic nature means it rapidly crosses the blood-brain barrier to reach tissues in the brain. It does not alter the heart rate and affects neither blood pressure nor body temperature. The half-life of CBD is 9 hours, after which it is eliminated vie urine in a metabolised form.

To date, there have been no public health problems reported with the use of a THC-free hemp oil standardised in CBD.

Following ingestion, PEA is rapidly distributed throughout the body. One study even showed that some of the palmitoylethanolamide molecules reach the brain (3), with a relatively diverse distribution (the cerebral cortex, hypothalamus and white matter are the areas in which most PEA is found).

Are there any contraindications associated with taking PEA?

Over the course of twelve clinical studies conducted since 1972, researchers have not found PEA supplementation to produce any particular side-effects (4) - hardly surprising given that palmitoylethanolamide is produced naturally by the body’s cells.

Nor have any drug interactions been identified to date. However, anyone suffering from kidney or liver problems is advised to start with 400mg daily (1 capsule) and gradually increase the dose over subsequent weeks.

These safety indications only apply to supplements made from pharmaceutical grade palmitoylethanolamide such as our product, PEA. Avoid palmitoylethanolamide of unknown origin to prevent any nasty surprises.

CBD Oil 10% can be combined with other supplements available to buy at Supersmart such as InflaRelief Formula, an enhanced formulation for relief of inflammation problems, with Natural Pain Relief, a natural, universal painkiller, and with Posinol 50 mg, an extract of Apocynum venetum which promotes mental relaxation.

Cannabidiol (CBD) is a phytocannabinoid molecule found in hemp (Cannabis sativa), just like the well-known psychotropic substance, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). However, unlike THC, CBD has no narcotic properties.

THC was the first psychoactive ingredient to be discovered in marijuana (1-3), but it was only in the 1990s that scientists identified the endogenous signalling system now known as the endocannabinoid system. This is a collection of endogenous messengers (endocannabinoids) and specific receptors located on external cell membranes (CB1 and CB2 receptors).

It works on a simple principle: when the body deems it necessary, endocannabinoid messengers are produced which bind to their corresponding receptors, triggering various cellular responses such as stimulation of appetite, limitation of synaptic transmission, anti-nociceptive effects (pain relief), hypothermia or reduction of spontaneous locomotion (4).

We know, for example, that endocannabinoids are effective at inhibiting the transmission of small-diameter nociceptive fibres (which are involved in the pain process) and at reducing the release of neurotransmitters such as substance P, which are responsible for the transmission of pain. What’s less straightforward is how this system influences several complex mechanisms such as neuroplasticity, apoptosis, neuroinflammation and traumatic memory.

It so happens that plants produce molecules that have a strong resemblance to endocannabinoids, so much so that they are able to bind to the same receptors (with varying degrees of affinity). Some of them, including THC, produce cellular responses which are very similar to – or even greater than - those triggered by endocannabinoids.

Cannabis contains more than 200 types of molecule that mimic endocannabinoids, including cannabidiol (CBD) which may account for up to 40% of the plant’s dry extract.

This product’s capsules are made of pullulan, a natural polysaccharide obtained by fermenting tapioca or corn. Pullulan contains no animal ingredients and provides an excellent barrier to oxygen, helping to preserve the integrity of the capsule’s ingredients. It is also an eco-friendly alternative to synthetic materials.