Coffee and CBD need no introduction.

Many people around the world attribute their heightened focus, concentration, and energy levels to coffee. And if you asked your colleague why they’re unusually grumpy or sluggish, they would readily attribute it to having missed their morning cup of joe. While CBD long played second fiddle to THC in the minds of recreational cannabis consumers, new research and the expansion of medical marijuana in the U.S. has brought the little cannabinoid that could to the forefront. Over the years, CBD has gained considerable acceptance across various industries, from health and wellness to sports and fitness, beauty and skincare, and the food and drink industry. Today, it’s not unusual to come across CBD-infused coffee. At a glance, the two shouldn’t work well together. Coffee is used to increase energy while CBD has more of a calming effect… right? As it turns out, CBD and coffee go together like Rick and Morty or peanut butter and jelly. They’re fine on their own, but they really stand out when they’re together. Here are four reasons Boulder cannabis consumers are adding CBD to their coffee.

1.   Don’t Need to Drink As Much Coffee

One of the main benefits consumers attribute to coffee is that it helps them stay awake and focus on their tasks throughout the day. And it’s reassuring to know that CBD works synergistically with caffeine to boost those effects. Our brains contain the neurotransmitters that control mental awareness, and CBD (like coffee) interacts with those neurotransmitters. Caffeine is famous for blocking the effects of adenosine and other chemicals in the brain that are known to negatively affect focus and concentration. By attaching to these receptors, caffeine allows many people to stay awake and alert for longer. CBD, on the other hand, activates the body’s 5-HT1A serotonin receptors, which is believed to create the anti-anxiety, anti-depressant effect many consumers and healthcare professionals attribute to the cannabinoid. With CBD and caffeine combining their efforts, many consumers feel more focused and less anxious than they would with coffee alone. You can read more about CBD on sites like Herbonaut, or shop Karing Kind’s wide selection of recreational CBD products if you’re in Boulder, Colorado.

2.   CBD May Reduce Caffeine Jitters

Too much caffeine can leave some consumers feeling jittery or anxious. Meanwhile, too much CBD might make you sleepy. At a glance, the combination of coffee and CBD may seem like a simple case of “opposites attract” – like vanilla and chocolate. But the way that CBD interacts with the body suggests a more scientific explanation for why Boulder consumers love CBD-infused coffee. Besides affecting the performance of serotonin, “the happy hormone,” CBD is often used as a topical balm or lotion with the goal of relieving tension, reducing inflammation, and relaxing muscles. Neuroinflammation, or inflammation of the brain, is a high risk factor for anxiety. And carrying extra tension in the body can exacerbate anxiety symptoms (as well as being a symptom itself). By purportedly regulating our response to stress and anxiety-related tension, CBD is believed to help counteract some of the unwanted effects when you have too much caffeine. There are different ways of getting the right CBD dosage in the morning: you can add CBD directly to your coffee with 1:1, 10:1, or 20:1 tinctures from Karing Kind Labs, or you can pair your coffee with some tasty edibles from our extensive menu and best-in-Boulder selection. And if you’re reading this from Canada (welcome!), you can get CBD Edibles delivered straight to your door.

3.   CBD May Enhance Antioxidant Properties Of Coffee

Coffee is loaded with numerous powerful antioxidants, such as polyphenols and hydrocinnamic acid. Both hydrocinnamic acid and polyphenols are touted for their ability to help keep various conditions at bay, with many studies conducted on the benefits of coffee linking the beverage to a significant reduction in the incidences of type 2 diabetes.* Various studies have been conducted on the efficacy of CBD as a neuroprotective and antioxidant compound, and findings seem to suggest that CBD has immense potential to prevent the toxicity of certain excitatory neurotransmitters. As a result, many consumers recognize CBD as a compound that works synergistically with caffeine to improve the ability of coffee to fight free radicals and oxidative stress in the body.

4.   CBD May Prolong the Effects of Caffeine in the Body

For the physical effects of caffeine to taper off, it must first pass through the liver. The liver uses special enzymes known as CYP enzymes to metabolize the caffeine before it’s eliminated from the body. Cannabidiol and caffeine have similar chemical structures. As such, they require similar enzymes to break them down. Unlike other organs within the body, the liver doesn’t necessarily work overtime. It follows its own cycle of metabolism and breaks down substances at its own pace. So if there’s a higher concentration of substances that require the same enzymes to break down, as is the case with caffeine and CBD, the process will be slower, and the effects can be felt for longer. But for CBD to prolong the effects of caffeine, it must be extracted using the best methods available, such as CO2 extraction. As such, it’s important to purchase from reputable brands like Karing Kind Labs and Colorado Hemp Extracts. CBD has long been lauded for its numerous health benefits. However, it’s only recently that recreational cannabis consumers have discovered the powerful effects that cannabidiol delivers when added to coffee. If you haven’t tried adding CBD-infused coffee to your morning routine, stop by Karing Kind or browse our online CBD menu and best-in-Boulder CBD selection for cannabidiol coffee, tinctures, or to speak with one of our award-winning budtenders. * https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15998896

CBD Available at Karing Kind Dispensary