Should you Eat Edibles on a Full or Empty Stomach?
People have different reactions when it comes to consuming certain substances. While many factors may influence the effect one gets after consuming certain products such as CBD and THC edibles, it also matters if you consume edibles on an empty stomach or full stomach. The speed with which the substance works and the expected effects will vary greatly based on this single factor. So, do edibles work less on a full stomach?
There are different effects that consuming marijuana edibles on a full or empty stomach can have on you. In the end, whether you decide to enjoy your THC or CBD edible without consuming any food or fatty foods depends on the effects you are going for. Whether you are taking edibles due to back pain, anxiety, or any other reason, the details described below will help you make an informed decision.
Table of Contents
- What is an Edible
- How Long does it take an Edible to Kick in
- Eating Edibles on a Full Stomach
- Eating Edibles on an Empty Stomach
- How Long do Edibles Last?
- How to Make Edibles Work Faster
- What Happens when you Eat an Edible?
What is an Edible?
Edibles are cannabis-based food products that come in many different forms, from gummies to brownies. They contain either one or both of marijuana’s active ingredients: THC (delta 9 tetrahydrocannabinol) and CBD (cannabidiol).
How long does it take an edible to kick in?
Whether you are forced to use marijuana products for medical or recreational purposes, it is essential to understand how best to use them. This is key to preventing any adverse or unwanted side effects that can quickly dampen your experience, especially for the first time. Generally, edibles are considered the safest form of cannabis and are, in fact, one of the easiest ways to be introduced to it.
However, there is always a catch since how you consume the edible matters. The last thing you need is to end up with a wrong notion of how terrible cannabis is when you abuse it. Therefore, it is only fair that you equip yourself with the proper knowledge before attempting any of the cannabis products, edibles included.
If you are one of those who worry about being overwhelmed with cannabis effects, you need to pay even more attention to this. First, understand that edibles take anything from 30 minutes to 90 minutes to kick in. However, there is no one-fit average for all edibles. The kick in speed depends on a few factors, including the type of edible used, the metabolism rate, age and gender of the person consuming the edible, and the food intake.
Comparatively, though, vaping or smoking THC will yield quicker effects as opposed to consuming edibles. On the other hand, the effects tend to last longer with edibles than they do with smoking or vaping. Therefore, when choosing which product to go for, remember these details.
Eating Edibles on a Full Stomach
Eating your edibles on a full stomach may not necessarily mean that they work less. It only means that it takes a while to digest, especially if you don’t take fatty foods. However, to enhance the effect, consider consuming fatty foods.
When you pair your edibles with fatty foods, your body’s intestinal lymphatic system tends to enhance the availability of cannabis compounds. CBD and THC become available to the body when fats are dissolved.
You are advised to consume edibles with fatty foods to bring down the onset time and even boost the edible’s intensity. To make this work even better, you could try consuming the edibles on an empty stomach and then following with fatty food such as butter or creamy yogurt/cheese.
Also note that when you consume your meal immediately after taking the edible on an empty stomach chances are that you will intensify the high feelings, especially if the edible has already kicked in.
Other than the two mentioned ways of hastening your cannabis effect, you could also choose specific edibles that are likely to elicit faster effects. These include lozenges and hard candies, as well as lollipops. These work faster because they dissolve and are absorbed through the mouth into the bloodstream directly. In addition, they work because this category of edibles is known as sublingual.
The idea of waiting for the high to set in no matter how slow it appears to be is important, especially if you are new. With delayed kick-ins, it is possible to overdose and experience the undesirable edible trip. If you must increase the dose then wait for at least a day before doing so, especially if you are unfamiliar with cannabis products.
You can also look at how long edibles last in terms of their longevity or shelf life. In such cases, the longevity also varies. For instance, gummies and hard candies will last longer than chocolate which melts and spoils easily. Similarly, baked products such as cookies will also have a shorter lifespan. If you are buying edibles to store for future use then gummies and hard candies are a sure bet over most other alternatives.
On the other hand, when looking at longevity in terms of how high one feels after consuming the THC edibles, then the results also vary. The peak and how long an actual high lasts will depend on different factors. Generally, though, edibles remain a better option for pain and sleep issues because of the longer-lasting effects.
To summarize the answer the question, “do edibles work less on a full stomach”, typically yes, edibles don’t work as “well”, meaning as strongly or quickly, on a full stomach.
Eating Edibles on an Empty Stomach
Usually, when one consumes edibles, the active ingredients go through the full digestive process. This means that it takes quite a long time to get to the bloodstream which is different from vaping and smoking, where active elements such as THC get to the lungs quickly. Additionally, people with higher metabolism are likely to feel the effect kick in faster than those with a slower metabolism even when they consume similar amounts of edibles. It also matters whether one has eaten or not. For instance, eating edibles on an empty stomach will yield quicker results than when the edible is consumed with other foods or taken after a meal.
In some cases, even with this, people never notice the effect of the edible for a while, but when it sets in, it comes fast and strong and can easily be overwhelming. This is a crucial tip for anyone trying cannabis edibles for the first time. People differ, just as the effects do, and they tend to kick in at different rates.
Therefore, it’s best to wait for at least two to three hours before consuming any more edibles if the desired effect is not felt. This waiting period will spare you the uncomfortable side effects that could result from overdosing on THC.
How Long do Edibles Last?
While it is generally true that edibles will take much longer to kick in, the effects also last longer compared to vaping and smoking. Most people experience a substantial impact for the first three hours of ingesting the edible, but the overall effect takes at least six hours, with some people experiencing even more hours of effect. However, the longevity of the effect is also dependent on several factors, including the rate of metabolism, one’s body tolerance to the edible, and the dosage consumed.
A good example would be experiencing longer and stronger levels of high feelings when one consumes highly potent or large doses of THC edibles. In such cases, the body requires more time to rid itself of the THC in the bloodstream, so the effects of the edibles will take a while to dissipate.
Besides the dosage and potency of the THC edible, the consumer’s tolerance matters. Newbie’s will struggle with the effect and are likely to feel high for longer than regulars who consume CBD products often. This happens even in cases where people consume similar edible doses. The tolerance level is also influenced by the amount of cannabis consumed in a specific period.
People also feel different levels of high based on their rate of metabolism. In most cases, people with high rates of metabolism will not feel high for long. On the other hand, those with slower metabolism are likely to feel higher for a more extended period.
On average, though, most people will experience the high effects after consuming edibles for about 6 to 8 hours after ingestion. However, there are a few extremes where one could experience the high feelings for only 4 hours if they are highly tolerant or have the effects lasting for up to 8 to 12 hours in case they are highly sensitive to the edibles they consumed.
How to Make Edibles Work Faster
There are different ways to make your edibles kick in faster, especially if you do not want to wait. One such technique is to consume the edibles on an empty stomach. However, if this is not your thing, make sure that you are consuming the right foods if you want to have the edibles on a full stomach. Also, eat more fats for this to work.
What Happens When you Eat an Edible?
When one consumes THC edibles, it is absorbed into the bloodstream through the walls of their small intestines. If you consume the edibles after a meal, it is likely to take longer to absorb into the bloodstream, meaning that the effects will take a while to kick in too. Therefore, the temptation to overindulge exists. Unfortunately, while the expected effect of consuming THC edibles is relaxation, overindulging could spell disaster. It is possible to get panic and anxiety feelings with elevated heart rates, which are adverse effects.
While edibles may have positive effects when consumed properly for things such as neuropathy, it is important to stick to recommended doses, especially as a beginner. To be safe, one is best advised to start with small doses and gradually increase their intake as they progress. If you are taking antibiotics and are considering taking an edible, make sure you know the facts when it comes to mixing antibiotics with marijuana. CBD and THC edibles can be very healthy when one uses them without overindulging.