What is Bioavailability and why is it important to CBD?

Posted on by ZenBears

In this article, we will cover everything there is to know about how CBD is absorbed by the body, and how to enhance it. We will also find out other effective delivery methods and why taking CBD sublingually works best.

What is CBD?

The cannabis plant contains hundreds of cannabinoid compounds with different active properties and wellness benefits. CBD (Cannabidiol) is a natural compound extracted from the hemp plant. Unlike THC, which is the main psychoactive ingredient from the cannabis plant, CBD is non-psychoactive and will not cause adverse effects. 

CBD has indeed established its place in the market since 2018 after the US Farm Bill legalised hemp farming. In the UK, CBD’s marketability has also skyrocketed as it is the only cannabis compound currently legalised. From CBD oils to CBD gummy products, CBD has proved to be one of the world’s most popular supplements. What started as an alternative health treatment has become a nationwide craze and many people are buying different kinds of CBD products as they become available.

What Is Bioavailability?

Bioavailability refers to the ability of a drug or substance to be absorbed and used by the body. More accurately, bioavailability is a measure of the rate at which a substance reaches the bloodstream and then is transported to the cells and tissues in the body for use. 

There are several ways to get CBD into your bloodstream. From adding drops of CBD oil to your morning coffee or fruit shakes, or adding CBD-infused balms or creams to your skincare routine. This means that the potential effects of CBD will depend on the delivery method you use.

Top tip: Some methods give a greater absorption rate and potency than others.   

How is CBD connected to Bioavailability?

A lot of factors affect the absorption of CBD into the bloodstream. The absorption and potency of CBD depend on our weight, height, body mass, and metabolism. This means that we all have differences in tolerance to substances like CBD. 

Understanding your body will help you determine the amount and form of CBD that is right for you. While we know CBD’s potential effects and how it works within our bodies, it is important to know the best delivery methods and how we can enhance CBD’s absorption rate.

What is The Value of Understanding Bioavailability?

It is important to understand what bioavailability means, as this will help you determine the best form of CBD for you. It will determine how much you need to take to receive the optimal dosage for your body. CBD’s form affects how fast the CBD will reach your bloodstream to deliver its potential benefits. Knowing the right form of CBD will help decrease the amount of CBD lost due to the natural processes in the body making the consumption less wasteful and costly.

This means that the lower the rate of bioavailability, the more CBD product you have to take to produce the desired effects.

Ways to Increase The Bioavailability of CBD

The oral bioavailability of CBD is estimated at 6%. We put together some tips to help you get the most out of your CBD. Here are some ways in which CBD bioavailability can be increased. 

  • Creating CBD-infused snacks. CBD as a chemical compound is highly soluble in fat, meaning it can be easily dissolved in fatty oils. To increase CBD’s oral bioavailability, you can take CBD alongside a high-fat or high-calorie meal. These fats and fatty oils can break down large CBD molecules into smaller ones that make CBD easily absorbable by your body. Snacks that will work great here include nuts, peanut butter, avocados, and hemp hearts.
  • Use supplemental herbs. When CBD is consumed with supplemental herbs, the compound’s bioavailability can increase. Some of the herbal supplements that you can try are peppers that are rich in capsaicin, which is also similar to CBD in structure. Chamomile flowers can also increase the bioavailability of CBD as they are rich in apigenin, a compound that prevents CBD from naturally breaking down.
  • Using terpenes. The bioavailability of CBD can be increased by using terpenes, which are fatty oils that naturally occur in oils derived from plants. They can also be extracted along with CBD to formulate different CBD products. CBD and terpenes can increase the benefits of each other by a synergic process called the “entourage effect”, a theory that suggests cannabinoids work together to enhance their effects.

What are the Methods of CBD delivery?

There are a lot of different ways to access CBD. These include balms, sprays, tinctures, creams, capsules, and more. Each form of CBD has its own benefits, meaning that one method of using CBD might work for you better than another. Some of the popular delivery methods of CBD include:

Inhalation

  • Vaping CBD is the fastest way to feel the effects of CBD as it enters directly into your lungs and is then absorbed into your bloodstream. It would take only a few minutes after oral administration for the CBD to take effect.

Edibles (Softgels, Gummies, Capsules)

  • Consuming CBD in the form of food or a capsule will take about 30 to 40 minutes after oral administration to be absorbed by the body as it needs to pass through your digestive tract and then to your bloodstream.

Topicals (Balms, Creams, Patches)

  • When CBD is applied directly to the skin it is absorbed by the pores. This makes it effective as a targeted dose of CBD.

What is Sublingual Absorption?

Taking sublingual CBD is one of the most effective, discrete, and simple ways to get the most out of your CBD. To consume CBD sublingually, place a few drops of oil under the tongue, allowing it to be absorbed by the sublingual gland.

CBD is then transported directly to the bloodstream, bypassing the digestive tract and resulting in a more significant amount of CBD available for use.

Do CBD gummies have good bioavailability?

Edible treats such as CBD gummies are the most popular way to consume CBD as they are very tasty and the easiest way to get your daily dose of CBD. The rate of bioavailability for CBD gummies is around 20% as they need to pass through the digestive tract and would take longer to reach the bloodstream.

How is ZenBears different to other CBD Gummies?

ZenBears offer CBD gummies that are vegan-friendly and THC-free. Our CBD gummies are pharmaceutically coated with CBD oil instead of infused or injected with CBD. As one of the fastest ways to get the benefits from CBD is sublingual, the CBD oil coating on our gummies will provide you with all the sublingual benefits associated with CBD oil.

Our little bears are perfect for people who don’t like the earthy taste of hemp as they are designed to be extremely tasty with delicious fruity flavours.