According to a 2020 SingleCare survey, 33% of adults in the US have used CBD at least once. That’s a significant increase from the 14% reported by Gallup in 2019.
As CBD grows in popularity, manufacturers keep creating new ways to consume and enjoy the product. You can smoke, ingest, sniff, and even massage yourself with it. But of all these methods, which is the best way to absorb CBD into your system?
Here’s the quick answer:
Consumption Method | Bioavailability |
---|---|
Intranasal | 34% – 56% |
Smoking | 11% – 45% |
Sublingual | 12% – 35% |
Oral | 13% – 19% |
Topical | Negligible |
We answer this question by exploring the various ways to consume CBD and the bioavailability of each method. If you’ve never heard about bioavailability, here’s what it means and its effect on CBD absorption.
What Does Bioavailability Mean?
When searching for the best way to take CBD, bioavailability should influence your decision. Bioavailability is how much and how quickly your body absorbs something into your bloodstream. If a CBD product has a high bioavailability, it means you will feel more of its effects and experience them faster.
Think of it like drinking wine and tequila – You might need two glasses of wine to get a buzz, but all you need is a shot of tequila to get the same effect.
What Determines the Bioavailability of CBD Products?
CBD oil and its derivatives, such as edibles, have a lower bioavailability than whole hemp plants and water-based CBD products. Oil-based products have a lower CBD absorption rate because your body is 60% water.
As you might have noticed in your kitchen or car, oil and water do not mix. The same rules apply to your body. According to Mayo Clinic researchers, it takes about 40 hours for the human body to process oils and fats. That’s why it takes longer to experience the effects of cannabidiol (CBD) and other cannabinoids after consuming oil-based CBD products.
Another factor that reduces bioavailability is your method of consumption. When you swallow CBD, the first-pass effect occurs. The first-pass effect means your stomach first digests the CBD before passing it to your liver for metabolism. From there, it goes to your bloodstream. The process takes hours, and only a fraction of the CBD ends up in your blood.
Let’s now look at the various ways to consume CBD, their bioavailability, and efficacy.
Intranasal CBD Consumption
Intranasal administration means sniffing or inhaling your CBD dose. Inhaling CBD bypasses the first-pass effect by sending cannabidiol to your lungs, which processes and sends it to your bloodstream quickly. Depending on the exact CBD product you are inhaling, you should feel the effects within minutes.
What’s the Bioavailability of Vaping CBD (or taking it intranasally)?
According to studies, intranasal CBD has a bioavailability of 34% to 46%. Some other studies indicate a bioavailability of up to 56%. Compared to other intranasal products, CBD vaporizers have the highest and fastest CBD absorption rate. You can feel the effects within 10 minutes, making it the best way to absorb CBD if you want fast results and more bang for your buck.
Products
- CBD Nasal Spray: Like other nasal sprays, you administer a CBD nasal spray by squirting it into your nose and sniffing. Besides providing you with a daily dose of CBD, some CBD nasal sprays also help clear congested airways.
- CBD Vaporizers: Various types of CBD vaporizers are available, but the most popular choice is portable vape pens. They are electronic, and you can discreetly carry them around in your pocket. If you are a fan of variety, opt for e-juice vape pens, which you can enjoy in various interesting flavors.
Smoking CBD Consumption
Smoking is the traditional way to get your CBD fix. It typically involves rolling a whole hemp plant into a joint, lighting up, and inhaling. Even though you inhale it, like an intranasal CBD, smoking sometimes has a lower bioavailability. That’s because burning CBD destroys some of the compounds while vaping gets the whole product into your system.
What’s the Bioavailability of Smoking CBD?
According to studies, the bioavailability of smoking CBD is 11 to 45%. If you want the highest bioavailability, you need to smoke a high-quality hemp product and smoke it the right way – that means inhaling more of the product than you exhale.
Various smokable CBD products are available, such as CBD cigarettes and hemp flowers. CBD pre-rolls are the most convenient option because, like cigarettes, they are ready to use. However, if you want optimal bioavailability, smoke only hemp flowers.
CBD users naturally get concerned if smoking the product is bad for your health. But, if consumed in moderation, you can minimize the potential negative effects of smoking CBD.
Products
- CBD Cigarettes: CBD cigarettes are like regular tobacco cigarettes, but they contain hemp instead of tobacco. Some manufacturers make their CBD cigarettes with a mix of tobacco and hemp leaves.
- CBD Pre-Rolls: A CBD pre-roll is a pre-rolled joint, but instead of marijuana, it contains hemp. Unlike marijuana, hemp contains less than 0.3% THC, which isn’t enough to get you high.
- CBD Hemp Flower: CBD pre-rolls and cigarettes contain different parts of a whole hemp plant, which means you have little control over quality. Compared to other parts of the plant, hemp flower or bud contains the highest concentration of CBD and other cannabinoids and terpenes. For the best experience, order CBD hemp flower from a reputable brand and roll your own joint.
Sublingual CBD Consumption
If you are not comfortable with smoking or vaping CBD, sublingual consumption is the best way to take CBD. Sublingual administration involves placing drops of CBD under your tongue. Your sublingual glands will absorb the liquid and send it straight to your bloodstream. Most people who take CBD sublingually experience effects within 5 to 20 minutes.
For optimal results, keep sublingual CBD under your tongue for 30 to 60 seconds. Swallowing too quickly will significantly reduce the product’s bioavailability.
What’s the Bioavailability of Taking CBD Sublingually (Under the Tongue)?
According to research, taking CBD sublingually has a bioavailability of 12 to 35%. The bioavailability is highest when you use a tincture instead of CBD oil. That’s because the glands under your tongue have an easier time absorbing water-based tinctures.
Products
- CBD Oil: CBD oil contains high levels of cannabidiol and various other cannabinoids. If it’s a CBD isolate, it will contain just CBD and be tasteless and odorless, making it easier for sublingual use.
- CBD Tincture: Most producers use high-proof alcohol to extract CBD and make tinctures. Since it has a higher bioavailability than CBD oil, you can get more potent effects with a lower dose.
Oral CBD Consumption
Ingesting CBD is the most popular option among consumers. You can mix it with your food or drink or get a CBD edible. While it’s the most convenient way to consume CBD, the bioavailability of oral CBD is also one of the lowest. Due to the first-pass effect, it can take up to 2 hours for the swallowed CBD to enter your bloodstream.
What’s the Bioavailability of Taking CBD Orally?
The bioavailability of oral CBD is 13 to 19%. Due to its low bioavailability, you will need a larger dose to experience the desired effects. Oral CBD has a low bioavailability in part because it is an oil-based product. Also, having to pass through your stomach and liver before reaching your bloodstream strips the product of many of its compounds before it reaches your bloodstream.
Products
- CBD Edibles: CBD gummies, cookies, and brownies are all edibles. However, the CBD content of each piece of snack may vary, making it difficult to track dosage.
- CBD Beverages: You can add CBD oil or water-based CBD to any beverage of your choice. Alternatively, purchase beverages that already contain CBD, such as sparkling waters infused with CBD.
- CBD Capsules: CBD capsules are a great choice if you prefer to consume cannabidiol in precise dosages. Full and broad-spectrum options are available.
Topical CBD Consumption
Rubbing CBD on your skin is reported by some to have several health and beauty benefits, such as treating joint, skin, or muscle inflammation. However, topical CBD has the lowest bioavailability. Why? Your skin isn’t very porous. If it were, all sorts of toxins and hazardous materials would enter your bloodstream.
If CBD can’t enter your bloodstream, it cannot interact with endocannabinoid receptors throughout your body and trigger holistic effects. When you rub it on your skin, it only affects the specific area you applied it.
What’s the Bioavailability of Taking CBD Topically?
There are no studies regarding the bioavailability of topical CBD, but anecdotal evidence indicates that it’s negligible. If you want a significant amount of topical CBD to enter your bloodstream, you have to apply a lot, and you have to do it frequently. You also have to rub it vigorously to increase the chances of the product going beyond your skin.
However, topical products that go deeper than the average CBD balms, lotions, and oils are starting to hit the market. For example, CBD transdermal patches send CBD into the blood through the skin and are ideal for treating joint pain and inflammation.
Products:
- CBD Lotions: Several beauty brands now sell CBD lotions that treat skin inflammation, such as acne, psoriasis, and eczema.
- CBD Balms: CBD balms are ideal for treating intense muscle and joint pains caused by inflammation, such as arthritis. You can also use it to treat migraines and nerve damage, like peripheral neuropathy.
- CBD Transdermal Patches: Even though it gets more CBD into your system than other topical options, it’s still not your best option for treating issues like anxiety or epilepsy. It’s best suited for fast relief for topical issues.
How to Increase CBD Bioavailability
While each CBD product has its unique bioavailability, there are several ways to increase your CBD absorption. Here are a few tips on how to increase CBD bioavailability:
Tip #1: Eat Fatty Foods
Eating fatty foods before or after consuming CBD accelerates your absorption of the product. That’s because the fat breaks CBD into easy to absorb molecules. Examples of healthy fats to eat with your CBD are hummus, guacamole, or dark chocolate.
Tip #2: Use Full-Spectrum CBD Products
Full-spectrum CBD products contain the same compounds as a whole hemp plant. Studies indicate that consuming all the cannabis compounds triggers the entourage effect. The entourage effect is cannabis compounds working in concert to amplify the effects of one another.
Tip #3: Always Go for Quality
Always buy quality products from reputable CBD manufacturers. These manufacturers create their products with optimal doses of CBD and fewer fillers to ensure that consumers get the best results. You can also increase CBD absorption by choosing water-soluble products over CBD oil and its derivatives.
Tip #4: Eat a Balanced Diet
Eating a balanced diet alongside CBD use increases the product’s bioavailability. Some herbs and spices also speed up CBD absorption, such as black pepper, chamomile flowers, spicy peppers, and turmeric.
What’s the Best Way to Absorb CBD?
The best way to absorb CBD is to vape or smoke it. CBD vapes have the highest bioavailability, and the onset of effects takes little time. However, if you are uncomfortable with sucking CBD vapors into your lungs, consider trying CBD tinctures. Sublingual CBD delivers effects almost as quickly as vaping, and its bioavailability is quite high.
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