Although CBD and coffee are both plant-derived substances, their similarities seem to end there. CBD users champion the cannabinoid oil’s ability to soothe nerves, relieve aches and pains, and reduce inflammation. In contrast, coffee helps millions of people across the world combat fatigue, promote wakefulness, and increase their mood.
And yet, as some users have discovered, the psychoactive opposition of these two substances produces a powerful synergy. When combined, the contrasting properties of CBD and the caffeine found in coffee generate a simultaneous sensation of stimulation and relaxation.
If you’re looking for a new way to kick-start your morning, read on — the benefits and facts on CBD oil and caffeine working in tandem aren’t worth overlooking.
The Benefits of CBD and Coffee
If you’re still wondering what CBD is, at first glance, CBD and coffee might seem like a strange combination. Pharmacologically, the substances are almost exact opposites — CBD has relaxing qualities, while coffee is stimulating.
Nonetheless, it seems that the oppositional properties of CBD and coffee produce a symbiotic relationship wherein one substance moderates the other. Although research on the effectiveness of combining CBD and caffeine is limited, the evidence we do have suggests that the two have a promising synergy.
Get Better Sleep by Optimizing Adenosine Levels
Coffee is widely consumed because of its ability to reduce fatigue and sleepiness, which is actually a function of coffee’s caffeine content. By blocking adenosine receptors, caffeine essentially tricks our body into thinking it’s less tired than it is.
However, this interaction can be a double-edged sword. As a neurotransmitter, one of adenosine’s primary functions is to gradually prime the body for relaxation, and eventually, sleep. While caffeine is actively blocking our adenosine receptors, we might struggle to feel relaxed, which can delay the onset of sleep and even cause temporary insomnia.
Thankfully, because CBD increases adenosine levels in the brain by lowering adenosine reuptake, combining CBD and caffeine can help you stabilize your adenosine levels. Because CBD also has a longer half-life and duration of effects than caffeine, taking CBD oil and caffeine could help prep your body for rest as the day winds down.
Mitigate the Stress-Response Induced by Coffee
As a stimulant, coffee stimulates alertness by raising the levels of cortisol and epinephrine in our blood, two hormones that naturally prime the body for action. While having elevated cortisol and epinephrine levels can be helpful in the short-term, prolonged elevation of these hormones can produce various side effects, including exacerbated anxiety and depression, impaired sleep quality, and reduced cognitive function.
Fortunately, the CBD and caffeine combination can help normalize stress hormone levels in your body. Studies have found that CBD actively reduces cortisol, indicating that CBD for focus could mitigate the “jitters” that often accompany coffee consumption and bring you back to a normal baseline.
Double-Down on Anti-Inflammatory Benefits
Chronic inflammation is incredibly taxing on the body and can cause joint pain, heart disease, and impaired sleep quality, among other ailments. Thankfully, as research has proven, both CBD and coffee possess anti-inflammatory properties, which makes CBD and caffeine a deadly one-two punch against inflammation.
Studies have demonstrated that CBD can suppress cytokine and chemokine production — two mediators of inflammation in the body. Similarly, in addition to the antioxidant properties of coffee’s caffeine content, coffee beans contain naturally-occurring esters, chemicals, and compounds like chlorogenic acid (CGA), cafestol, trigonelline, and kahweol that demonstrate anti-inflammatory properties.
How to Combine CBD and Coffee
If you’re already a die-hard coffee enthusiast, chances are you’ve developed preferences when it comes to your morning cup of joe. From black coffee to lattes, coffee comes in a variety of formats and flavors, each delivering a moderate-to-high amount of caffeine in addition to the various beneficial alkaloids and diterpenes brewed from each bean.
Like coffee, CBD is also available in a broad assortment of product formats and flavors. As a result, if you’re looking to combine CBD and caffeine, you might be wondering where to start.
The Best CBD Products to Pair with Coffee
As long as a CBD product is effective and you’re using a sufficient dosage, you can benefit from pairing coffee with just about any CBD product format. Nevertheless, here’s a breakdown of how well various CBD products on the market might combine with your morning coffee:
- CBD oil: While it might be tempting to mix CBD oil and coffee, this might not be the best idea. CBD oil is usually formulated to rapidly absorb through the tissues of the mouth, and sipping it alongside your coffee will direct the CBD and caffeine to the stomach instead, where absorption may be delayed
- CBD edibles: Unlike CBD oil, CBD edibles — including gummies, candy bars, and other snacks — are intentionally designed to absorb through the stomach. However, it might be strange to pair your morning coffee with the eclectic sweet-and-salty flavors of CBD edibles and safer to opt for the neutral flavor profile of unflavored CBD oil
- CBD creams and balms: CBD is readily absorbed through the skin, so a CBD cream or balm can be an effective way to combine CBD and the caffeine of coffee. That said, most CBD lotions are designed to provide localized relief, which might not be preferable
- CBD vapes: CBD vapes provide the fastest onset of effects, but some CBD users aren’t particularly partial to vaping. Ultimately, your preferences will dictate whether or not a CBD vape is preferable over a conventional but similarly effective product like CBD oil
Please note that none of the products sold on our website are intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or medical condition.
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