Are CBD Softgels Right For You?

CBD softgel capsules may not be the most popular way of consuming your daily CBD, but their convenience, consistent dosing, and ease of use make them popular among certain crowds.

By the end of this post, you’ll know exactly what CBD softgels are, some of the pros and cons of softgels, and how they might benefit your daily routine.

What Are CBD Softgels?

CBD Softgel capsules are sealed gel capsules filled with CBD-rich hemp extract. Said hemp extract will usually be either full-spectrum hemp extract or broad-spectrum CBD. Rarely will you find CBD softgels filled with CBD isolate oil.

Full- and broad-spectrum CBD will contain more cannabinoids than just CBD. The difference between the two is the presence of THC. Full-spectrum CBD Softgels will contain trace amounts of THC. Broad-spectrum should contain no trace amounts of THC.

You can figure out which are which by looking at third-party certificates of analysis. If your softgels contain THC, they are full-spectrum.

What Are The Capsules Made Out Of?

Softgel capsules are usually made with a few different ingredients. Non-vegan shells contain gelatin, water, an opacifier, and a plasticiser like glycerin.

You may also find vegan-friendly softgel shells made of tapioca starch in place of gelatin. Sunset Lake’s full-spectrum CBD Softgels are vegan-friendly!

What Do CBD Softgels Do?

CBD softgels offer a convenient way to consume your daily CBD. They don’t change the way that your body processes the CBD. Effectively, softgels will have the same effect on you that other CBD ingestion methods do.

As of right now, there are studies that suggest CBD can help with:

Relaxation & Stress Relief
Inflammation
Pain Relief
Sooth Muscles and Aggravated Joints
Promoting sleep

How Do You Take CBD Softgels?

You take CBD softgels the same way that you would say an acetaminophen capsule or your daily vitamins. Put the softgel in your mouth and swallow it with a gulp of water or another cool beverage.

We would recommend taking your softgels after eating, too. Taking CBD on an empty stomach can lead to an upset stomach, queasy feelings, and some heartburn.

Potential Side Effects

As with any form of consumable CBD, softgel capsules present a risk of unwanted side effects. These can include, but aren’t limited to, dry mouth, dizziness, drowsiness, nausea, and interaction with certain medications.

If you’re on any statin or blood thinning medications, know that there is a known drug interaction between these classes of medication and CBD products.

What Are The Pros And Cons of CBD Softgels?

As we wrote in the introduction, CBD softgels aren’t going to be everyone’s favorite method of ingestion. However, they are a perfect fit for a good number of people, and they may be for you, too.

Let’s review some of the pros and cons of CBD softgel capsules to give you a better sense of how they might fit into your day-to-day.

Pros:

Convenience factor – Softgels are easy to swallow, easy to bring on the go, and easily stored away. If you’re an on-the-move person who values ease of use, softgels might be a perfect option for you.
Precise Dosing – CBD softgels, like CBD edibles, offer carefully pre-measured amounts of CBD in every capsule. Unlike hemp flower or dose-yourself oils, you can be sure that if a CBD softgel is advertised as 25mg, each one will contain 25mg of CBD.
Flavorless – If you find that CBD oil works well for you but hate the taste, CBD softgels are a good alternative. In most cases, you won’t even taste the flavor of the CBD and, depending on the type of CBD contained, won’t get any aftertaste “burps.”
Sugar-free – If you enjoy the long-lasting effects of CBD edibles but have concerns about sugar content, CBD softgels are a nice stand-in. Because your body digests the CBD softgels the same way it would an edible, you’ll get the long-lasting effects without the sugar.

Cons:

Longer Onset Of Effects – As we mentioned in the “pro” section, your body digests CBD softgel capsules the same way that it does edibles. While they’ll provide you with long-lasting relief, the onset of their effects will take up to an hour or more to start working.
Dosage Limits – Because the softgels you buy will all be the same strength, you’ll be somewhat limited if you find that your ideal dosage is somewhere between. If you’re looking for more flexibility in your CBD experience, consider CBD oil or edibles that you can split.
Swallow Whole – While most of us have no problem swallowing pills, it can pose a serious challenge for some people. If you find that you’re not a person who can swallow capsules or vitamins, steer clear of CBD softgels.
Full-body Rather Than Targeted – Because your body absorbs and disperses ingested CBD, softgels may not be ideal for folks looking for more targeted relief. If that sounds like you, consider CBD topicals instead; they’ll allow you to focus on the effects of CBD on specific muscles and joints.

Can CBD Softgel Capsules Help You?

At this point, we’ve reviewed what CBD softgels are, their pros, and their cons. But will they work for you? In this section, we’ll explore a few hypotheticals and use cases. If any of these sound like you, you may want to consider buying CBD softgels to supplement your routine.

Take It With Your Morning Vitamins

If you benefit from CBD but have trouble remembering to take your dose every morning, consider CBD softgels. Store them with your morning multivitamins and take them at the same time. If you schedule your supplements with a pill divider, these would be perfect for you.

Keep Them On Your Nightstand

You can also use CBD softgels to help you get to sleep. Because they provide longer-lasting effects than CBD oil, you can take them before bed to help you fall asleep and stay asleep.

Because they’re flavorless and contain no sugar, you can even take them after brushing your teeth without any guilt.

Keep Them In Your Gym Bag

Toss your CBD softgels into your gym bag. If you know that you have a hard workout coming up, you can supplement your workout to help you get in the zone and focus more on your muscle groups.

You can also take softgels post workout to help limit your soreness and help limit your body’s inflammation response.

Before You Buy…

If you’re considering buying CBD softgels, you’ll want to prepare yourself first. Be sure to do the following before completing any checkout.

Check Test Results – This goes for any hemp product. Don’t buy any products until you’ve seen some test results. Certificates of analysis are third-party testing documents that will tell you how potent your product is, if there are any other cannabinoids inside, and if there are any solvents left.
Only Buy From U.S.-Based Companies – You’re going to want to avoid any CBD products made or shipped from overseas. Try to buy your hemp products from companies that grow, manufacture, and package CBD products here in the States. Other nations may not have as strict rules about pesticides and herbicides as we do.
Check With A Medical Professional – Before you add any supplement to your daily routine, you’ll want to check with your doctor or pharmacist. CBD is generally safe to use, but it may interact with medications that you’re on.