How Long Does CBD Stay In Your System? What Factors Affect It?

CBD can stay in your system from a couple of days up to a few weeks.    

The exact duration depends on your CBD consumption, unique body chemistry, and other factors. Let’s explore this in detail…

How Long Does CBD Stay in Your System?

On average, here is the time CBD remains detectable in your body:

• Hair: CBD (both with THC metabolites and THC-free) can usually be detected in your hair for up to 3 months after consumption.
• Urine: CBD users can have CBD in their urine for up to 15 days after their last intake. If you’re using products with trace amounts of THC, it’ll be detected in a urine test (as well as other drug tests.)
• Blood: A blood test can detect CBD in your blood plasma for up to 1 week after your last CBD use.
• Saliva: CBD can be detected in your saliva for up to 36 hours after ingestion.

However, these numbers vary based on several factors.  

Fun Fact:
CBD (a cannabinoid found in the cannabis plant) doesn’t usually appear on a drug test. 

But you could test positive if you consumed products containing THC — which is illegal in countries like the UK and France.

More about this later.

What Factors Affect How Long CBD Stays in Your System?

Here are four factors that determine how long CBD stays in your body:

1. Method of Consumption

From CBD topicals to oils, you can take CBD in various forms. 

Why does this matter?

It plays a key role in how long CBD stays in your body. 

A. CBD Oil

Taking CBD oil drops sublingually (under the tongue) helps them bind with your body receptors faster (within 30 minutes), and you can feel the effects of CBD within an hour after ingestion. 

Once you take CBD oil, it can stay in your system for 2-4 hours.

B. CBD Capsules

CBD capsule products, like the Love Hemp 1200mg CBD capsules, kick in a bit slower since it needs to be processed by your digestive system. 

Usually, the CBD effect occurs in an hour, and CBD stays in your system for a longer period of time (6-8 hours).

C. CBD Edibles

Similar to CBD capsules, oral CBD products like CBD tea, CBD tincture, CBD coffee, and CBD gummies can stay in your system for about 6-8 hours. 

That’s because the enzymes in the human body need more amount of time to digest and process an oral CBD product.

D. Topical CBD

CBD creams or gels like the gentle Vitality CBD Muscle & Joint Gel and other CBD topicals can take an hour for CBD absorption. The CBD effect will also last longer, but the CBD molecule won’t make it to your bloodstream.

E. Vaping CBD

Vaped CBD has a much faster effect since CBD absorption happens through your lungs before reaching your bloodstream. 

Inhaled CBD also leaves your body much quicker — after 30 mins to 1 hour.

2. Dose of CBD

As with any other substance, the higher the amount of CBD taken, the longer it’ll stay in your system.  

3. Frequency

The more frequent your CBD use, the higher CBD levels you have in your body and the longer the effects last.  

4. Your Body

How long CBD stays in the human body is also influenced by your: 

• Metabolism: CBD users with a fast metabolism process the CBD metabolites much quicker.
• Food intake: Your body will process CBD much faster if you take it on an empty stomach.  

Tip: While there’s not enough research, you should avoid CBD if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding.

Will CBD Show Up on a Drug Test?

CBD metabolites don’t usually appear on a drug test. 

That said, it depends on your CBD product and its THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) levels.

There are three main CBD product types:

• Full spectrum CBD: have all cannabinoid compounds, including THC, and will be detected if you’re drug testing.
• Broad spectrum CBD: contain almost all cannabinoid compounds of full spectrum CBD minus THC — so it won’t affect your drug test results.
• CBD isolate. CBD isolate products contain only pure CBD extract and won’t show on any drug test.

So if you take a CBD product containing THC, it could appear during standard drug tests.   

Note: US-made CBD products may have up to 0.3% of THC (0.3 THC levels are considered legal in the USA.)

Try the Best THC-free CBD Products in the UK

From CBD dosage to its type, many factors affect how long CBD stays in your system.

If you’re planning to take a drug test but don’t want to stop your CBD consumption, explore the best THC-free CBD products from GreenBox today!