CBD is emerging as a revolutionary product that has carved a remarkable niche for itself with its super-power like effectiveness and safety.
For the uninitiated, CBD or cannabidiol is an oil extracted from the Cannabis sativa plant that has remarkable effects on healing physiological conditions like joint pain, depression, anxiety, sleep disorders etc.
Why bioavailability – especially for CBD, matters?
“Recent studies suggest the range of oral consumption of CBD is just 6-19%. Even considering the maximum bioavailability, you’d still lose around 75% of CBD effectiveness if you consumed a CBD of 100mg”
Bioavailability is the degree and rate of absorption of a substance in the bloodstream of a living being. For CBD, bioavailability is essential as it needs to connect to the endocannabinoid receptors in our body to be effective.
Though available in several forms like lotions, candies, oil, tinctures, oral sprays, salve sticks etc., your mode of CBD consumption can have an effect on its bioavailability. There are several ways to consume CBD, namely:
- Oral form with edibles like candies, gummies, gels, capsules etc.:
Owing to its ease of use, most people prefer oral consumption, without being aware that this form has the lowest bioavailability of only 4-20%. A significant amount of CBD is filtered out by our metabolic enzymes which reduces its effectiveness drastically.
- Sublingual consumption – direct absorption by sublingual gland into bloodstream by dropping CBD tinctures under the tongue:
This method has high bioavailability of 12-35% as CBD is rendered directly into the bloodstream without any involvement of digestive process. You can choose excellent quality oral sprays or salve sticks like Versea to ensure superior absorption and effectiveness to heal your medical condition. Organic, Non-GMO and hemp derived, Versea tinctures have science-backed formulations, and patented VESIsorb technology to deliver 4.4x better absorption.
Using your Versea tincture is easy and convenient – simply put these drops under your tongue for 30-60 seconds before swallowing as this allows maximum absorption by your mucous membrane into the bloodstream.
- Inhalation of CBD via vaping, smoking or nebulizing:
This is an efficient way to consume CBDs as the digestive process is not involved – allowing CBD to be rapidly absorbed by alveoli (thin membranes lining air sacs of the lungs) straight into the bloodstream. Though it has a bioavailability of 31%, it may cause irritation and damage to the lungs and not be suitable for non-smokers.
- Topical application by using cremes, lotions, patches etc.:
Our skin has endocannabinoid receptors which allows CBD to permeate into the body when applied topically. Although there isn’t a specific estimate, experts suggest this form has low bioavailability as the fat-soluble nature of CBD doesn’t mix well with high water content in our skin.
Water based Vs Oil based formulas: What’s better?
As pointed above, most CBDs are fat soluble which hinders its ability to be absorbed by the body.
Most of the CBD available in the market are medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) oil based – essentially a concoction of CBD with coconut oil.
And the challenge with oil-based formulas is that they don’t readily get absorbed by the body and get quickly eliminated by the metabolic system.
Now, of course you wouldn’t like your CBD to be passed through your system without having any influence, would you? But that’s what happens to fat soluble CBD – they are excreted without having any effect on your condition because it’s tough for the body to absorb it.
But thanks to research in the CBD field, you can now get water-soluble CBDs that’s suggested to have near 100% bioavailability.
It’s manufactured using advanced methods that essentially break the CBD molecule into several nano-sized particles and encapsulate the new compounds into a naturally water-soluble molecule. This process helps CBD to stabilize in water and not repel it unlike the oil-based formulas.
How to choose the right CBD?
Now that you are interested in trying CBD and reaping its health benefits, it’s only natural to pick a product that’s right for you. The products at Versea are organic, USA grown and processed, tested at ingredient and finished product stages, non-gmo, and THC free to provide you the best.
Reach out to us so we can help you find the right CBD for you.