Why your infused beverage is failing you.
Hemp-infused THC beverages are all the hype recently. They make a big promise to consumers as a healthy alternative to alcohol. We speak with customers all the time who have mixed results with beverages and are seeking ways to leverage THC functionally. Here’s a quick primer on what you need to know.
The Ingredients Are Often Not Great
This is a good place to start a discussion about hemp infused beverages. The vast majority resort to heavy sugar or artificial sweeteners to mask the off-putting flavor of hemp. True, some people love that terpene flavor, but in a beverage format mixed with other ingredients, it’s kinda gross. If you are looking for natural products that taste great and are healthy, this is probably not the best category for you.
Another pitfall with beverages that we have firsthand experience with having once run the largest hemp beverage in the US, is ingredient degradation. This happens over time in most products; however, something we learned in the past is that the interaction of ingredients with can liners can accelerate degradation. This applies specifically to the active compounds in the product, which leads us to dosage…
The Dosage Is Too Much and Effects are Inconsistent
Most hemp infused beverages tend to be dosed in the 5-10mg range. We call this the recreational zone (for reference ATHLETHC performance mints are only 2mg THC). Designed for alcohol replacement, these drinks will give you a buzz. The thing is, when it hits it hits hard and for most people their day is pretty much done when the THC kicks in.
When we go to retailers and interact with customers, the biggest recurring complaint we hear about beverages is the lack of control. We find that people are drinking half a can then putting the other half in the fridge to try to have more control over the effects. When they go back to drink the rest, the beverage has flattened and is pretty much nasty at that point—who wants to drink yesterday’s beer? Overall, in this scenario, it’s a bad and costly experience. The other frustration expressed is the long onset time. Let’s dive into this a bit.
The Onset Time Is Really Long
Beverages and most ingestible products like edibles take about an hour and sometimes longer for you to feel the effects. In some cases, this leads to unintentional overconsumption where people will consume more wanting to feel the effects, later realizing that they are completely blitzed when that wasn’t the intention.
The reason this happens is that when you ingest THC it processes through your liver. This is why it takes so long to feel something. Additionally, during this process, your liver creates a compound called 11-Hydroxy-THC, which is 5-10x more psychoactive than the THC you consumed. Because of this compound, people can end up having a bad experience.
They Can Knock You Sideways
On a related point, THC beverages can be awesome unless you want to function and be present in the moment or are seeking portability. They have a strong dose processed through your liver, delivering a psychoactive effect that renders you to the couch or bed. You may get an incredible night's sleep, but you will get knocked out nonetheless. But, if your goal is to elevate your life and get more out of your wellness pursuits, the average THC beverage is going to impede that goal. It is a choice for dysfunction over function.
(By the way if you have a lot of aches and pains and need a good night’s sleep, check out the reviews on our Rebound Formula which also has 10mg CBD per mint).
It’s Really Expensive
A final pitfall with THC beverages is the value proposition. Perhaps you are saving money using it as an alcohol replacement. But, when you really dive into what you are getting for the price, it is very expensive. A 5mg THC + 5mg CBD drink is going to cost you north of $6 for a single serving. That’s an expensive proposition. And, there’s a good chance there’s some ingredient degradation in your product if it is towards the end of its recommended shelf life.
Why ATHLETHC?
It should be pretty clear at this point. We provide a precision microdose through oral absorption (as opposed to beverages and edibles), which provides a rapid onset of 15-20 minutes and a mild, predictable experience. We give you the ability to dial in the dose that you need throughout the day and provide you with complete control over your experience. Notice we said “throughout your day?” Yes, you can use ATHLETHC products functionally to achieve calm, focus and presence in your daily pursuits. We are giving you the ability to take very powerful compounds and control them. And, we do this at a tremendous value. We are half the cost of a beverage for the equivalent dosage.
Try our mints for a clean, controlled, and functional THC experience—designed to elevate your day, not derail it.
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