In the rapidly evolving CBD market, consumers have a wide variety of consumption methods and products available as options – but which is the best for you?
Each method of consumption for CBD has a different bioavailability, meaning that the CBD is absorbed into the bloodstream at different rates and levels. Based on your needs, you can choose different methods of consumption so as to benefit from the varied levels of bioavailability.
So, just what is bioavailability? How bioavailability impacts your CBD experience is largely up to you; once you understand what tends to produce faster and better results, it’s much easier to customize your experience to your liking, avoid ineffective products, and save some cash.
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What is CBD bioavailability and why is it important?
CBD bioavailability refers to the degree and rate at which cannabidiol (CBD) is absorbed into your bloodstream and becomes available for its intended effects in your body. It’s essentially a measure of how much CBD your system can actually use after you consume it.
Why CBD bioavailability matters:
- Effectiveness: Higher bioavailability means more CBD reaches its target in your body, potentially leading to stronger effects.
- Cost-efficiency: Better absorption allows you to use less product to achieve desired results, making your CBD use more economical.
- Dosage optimization: Understanding bioavailability helps you determine the right CBD dosage and product type for your needs.
- Onset time: Different methods of consumption affect how quickly CBD enters your system and how long the effects last.
Factors affecting CBD bioavailability:
- Consumption method: Inhalation (smoking/vaping) has the highest bioavailability, followed by sublingual application, and oral consumption.
- Food intake: Taking CBD with fatty foods can significantly increase its absorption.
- Individual factors: Your metabolism, overall health, and genetics can influence how well your body processes CBD.
- Product quality: Higher-quality CBD products may be more easily absorbed by your body.
To maximize CBD bioavailability:
- Choose an appropriate consumption method based on your needs and preferences.
- Consider taking CBD with a meal containing healthy fats.
- Be consistent with your CBD routine to allow your body to adjust and potentially improve absorption over time.
Understanding CBD bioavailability can help you make more informed decisions about your CBD use, potentially leading to better results and a more cost-effective experience.
What is the most bioavailable form of CBD?
The most bioavailable form of CBD – that is, the consumption method that allows CBD to be absorbed into the bloodstream the fastest – is inhalation.
Inhalation involves taking in either vapor or smoke into the lungs. Once smoke or vapor has entered the lungs, its contents, including CBD, can be absorbed into the bloodstream almost immediately.
As a user continuously inhales more smoke or vapor, more and more CBD enters their system and quickly takes action, meaning that inhalation can produce effects that aren’t just prompt, but powerful.
Other consumption methods, especially those that rely on the digestive system, release CBD into the bloodstream at a much slower rate. As a result, the effects of these products take longer to feel and tend to be more mild.
Inhalation’s effects wear off faster than the effects of other consumption methods; because a large amount of CBD enters the bloodstream very quickly, it takes less time for the body to break all of it down.
Still, inhalation leads as the most popular way to consume CBD because of its convenience, ability to produce nearly instantaneous benefits, and its versatility (easy to adjust doses or how much you consume, for instance).
How to increase CBD absorption
If maximizing CBD absorption into the bloodstream is your goal, you first need to understand the bioavailability of each consumption method you might utilize.
How you consume your product matters. CBD does not have one set bioavailability; instead, different product types have their own individual rate of bioavailability.
That’s because some bodily processes or functions work faster than others, meaning that products that work with these parts of the body can begin to kick in much sooner.
Here are some tips you can follow to increase the amount of CBD that is absorbed into your bloodstream:
- Use consumption methods with a higher bioavailability, like inhalation
- Consume healthy fats in conjunction with your CBD, like avocados or fish
- Consume full-spectrum products to take advantage of the entourage effect
How is CBD best absorbed?
The following list demonstrates which methods produce the most powerful – that is, the fastest and strongest – effects of CBD:
- Intravenous (injection) – 100%
- Smoking/Inhalation – between 31% and 56%
- Nano-Emulsified – up to 50%
- Liposomal – over 35%
- Sublingual (under the tongue) Tincture – between 12% and 35%
- Oral Consumption – between 4% and 20%
- Transdermal – inconclusive
- Topical – inconclusive
Each method has its pros and cons, but for the most part, the higher the bioavailability listed above, the better the results will be.
Because CBD absorption rates may differ from person to person, it’s relatively safe to say there is no one perfect way to consume CBD. Different consumption methods might work for different people with goals of their own.
But consumption method is not the only factor that plays a role in maximizing CBD absorption.
Does CBD absorb better with food?
When it comes to edible product options (gummies, chews, capsules, etc.) CBD does indeed work better in conjunction with food. Because CBD is fat-soluble (meaning it can dissolve in fats and oils), it’s absorbed 3-5 times better when taken with food compared to on an empty stomach.
Research has shown that CBD does indeed dissolve in the dietary fats that you consume. With dietary fats, CBD breaks into smaller particle sizes that are easier to absorb, which accounts for more intense effects.
Food also slows down the rate at which CBD leaves the blood by almost nine times! As a result, each dose will provide longer-lasting relief when taken with food versus without. However, if you need quick relief, then keep in mind that a full stomach could slow down the effects, although they will be more effective once they kick in.
Supplements
There are certain supplements that you can take to increase the absorption of fat-soluble compounds like CBD.
A great example is piperine. Piperine, a compound found in black pepper, works on several levels to provide powerful absorption-boosting effects.
Piperine stimulates transporter molecules in the intestinal lining that are responsible for bringing CBD across the intestinal wall and into the bloodstream. Once CBD is absorbed, piperine inhibits enzymes that degrade CBD, providing more time to reach its target destination.
In fact, when compared to a supplement without it, a piperine-containing CBD oral supplement produced a 6-fold increase in maximum blood concentration levels.
Takaway
It is crucial to understand that not all CBD products are created equal.
One product marketed as 10mg can be stronger or weaker than another product depending on how it’s absorbed.
Each method has its pros and cons, and there is no best way to consume CBD.
Each CBD user has individual and specific issues they’d like to treat, and each person has a unique genetic makeup.
When in doubt, a knowledgeable healthcare professional can help guide you to the best options for your specific health goals. Taking the time to research the products you buy – perhaps through a tool like our directory – before you purchase them can help avoid unnecessary negative experiences with your CBD.
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