Proponents say that CBD can help relieve pain, decrease stress and improve focus. Research says, well, not much. There haven’t been many relevant studies on the effects of CBD yet. “At really high doses (300 to 500 milligrams), CBD has been shown to be an anti-inflammatory in mouse studies,” says cannabis specialist Dr. Jordan Tishler. “At even higher doses (800 to 1,200 milligrams), CBD has been shown to [reduce anxiety] in humans.” But the problem? No one is taking doses this high because it’s unaffordable, he tells us. And while there has been some research to suggest that CBD may help with other conditions, a lot of the evidence appears to be anecdotal.
I’ve always been pretty skeptical. In spite of doing my own research and receiving dozens (not an exaggeration) of CBD-related pitches into my inbox every week, I remained resistant to the idea as a whole.
I’m here to tell you, dear reader, that Charlotte’s Web’s gummies have made me a believer. The gummies come in three varieties: Calm, Sleep and Recovery. I’ve tried all of them, and my favorites are the Sleep gummies, which are raspberry flavored and taste so good I could probably (read: definitely) eat the whole container in one sitting—but wouldn't because, you know, CBD. I’ve had mixed experiences with melatonin in the past, but something about the combination of melatonin and CBD has me falling asleep faster than I ever have. I eat two gummies 30 minutes before I want to fall asleep, and it feels like a gradual sense of calm washing over my body and lulling me to sleep.
The Calm gummies support increased focus and relaxation with a blend of lemon balm, L-theanine and whole-plant hemp extract, while the Recovery ones are formulated with a botanical blend of ginger, turmeric and whole-plant hemp extract to support joint health and joint strength. (I’ll note here that the Recovery gummies are excellent the morning after a few too many glasses of wine.) All of these plant-powered CBD gummies are flavored with natural juices from fruits and vegetables.
