Everything you need to know about bioavailability
Bioavailability
Bioavailability is an unfamiliar term, but it refers to a relatively simple process. It is the amount of a substance that, after ingestion, enters the bloodstream unchanged and can begin to act. Each substance (in this case CBD) needs a different time span, and bioavailability also varies according to the forms in which cannabidiol is ingested. It even depends on health conditions, medications taken or digestion.
Cannabidiol on top
It doesn't matter what effects you choose to use CBD for. In fact, research is uncovering more and more of them, and the possibilities of cannabidiol are constantly expanding. In the beginning, it started out as a sleep aid, then gradually added the ability to relieve inflammation, infection and pain, and to relieve the symptoms of autoimmune diseases or anxiety; in addition, CBD can aid in better and faster recovery after athletic performance and have positive effects on sex and reproduction. The fact that it is poorly tolerated with antidepressants and not recommended for patients with liver or heart disease and for pregnant and breastfeeding women is a small atonement for all that CBD can have a positive effect on.
The path of CBD in the human body
As the range of products with CBD expands, the number of people who have experience with it is skyrocketing. But each user prefers a different form, such as CBD drops, capsules, patches, vaporising pens, sprays or candies. Cannabidiol can also be found in suppositories, lubricating gels or topicals. However, regardless of the form ingested, cannabidiol interacts with the endocannabinoid system , which promotes the absorption of the substance into the bloodstream.
The bioavailability of each form of CBD affects the rate and potency. It is not just a matter of what users prefer, but also how quickly they expect the effects of cannabidiol to take effect, whether they prefer a gradual release and whether they use the cannabidiol compound for acute problems or as a preventative measure.
Bioavailability for individual products should play a significant role in the decision to use CBD.
Sublingual administration
CBD drops are overwhelmingly the most popular form of CBD. Oral and nasal sprays are not as popular. This is primarily due to its lower bioavailability. With sublingual administration, as with inhalation, the digestive tract is bypassed and the CBD enters the body through the mucous membranes of the mouth and nose and from there heads directly into the bloodstream, speeding up the onset of effects.
CBD drops
Intake of CBD oil is simple and quick. Those who do not like the specific hemp taste can rely on carrier oils that can reduce the "smell" and increase bioavailability. In most cases, the onset of effects occurs within two hours.
How to increase the bioavailability of CBD drops:
- Use of carrier oil
- Hold CBD under the tongue for at least 20 - 30 seconds
- Consuming CBD after a meal
Oral spray
Oral spraying is not very common, but for some users this is the most comfortable form of CBD intake. The onset of effects comes in about three and a half hours, and as with CBD drops, the process can be accelerated by holding the substance under the tongue for 30 seconds. However, the increased dose has almost no effect on bioavailability and is only around 20%.
Nasal spray
The nasal route has an advantage over the oral route. Nasal mucous membranes have thinner walls and CBD passes through them faster and in greater quantities. It takes effect within ten minutes.
Oral administration of CBD (swallowing)
Many users take cannabidiol in the form of capsules, capsules or various foods. Their administration is comfortable, fast and relatively discreet, one easily gets used to the morning (it can be taken at other times of the day) routine. However, bioavailability is relatively low, ranging only between 6 and 19 % of the total amount of CBD ingested. There are several reasons why the resulting figures are so low.
Why oral administration has low bioavailability:
- CBD is fat soluble (less absorption by the body compared to water)
- CBD is slowly absorbed and most of the substance is eliminated from the body
- Digestive acids and enzymes destroy CBD
- Liver targets even small amounts of CBD and induces metabolism
- Absorption time can be as long as 17 hours for high doses (more than 750 mg of CBD)
On the other hand, the long absorption time (despite the reduced amount of CBD that enters the body) is compensated by the longer duration of effectiveness. When taken orally, it is around four hours. Again, however, this depends on body weight, hormonal balance or sensitivity to new substances.
CBD inhalation
An undeniable advantage of inhaling CBD by smoking, vaping or spraying is the ability to bypass the digestive tract and avoid the mechanisms whereby gastric and intestinal enzymes reduce the absorption of cannabidiol. When inhaled, CBD is in contact with the lung chambers and enters the bloodstream within a few minutes.
Smoking
Smoking CBD-rich sticks has a high bioavailability of 31%, an onset of effects within three minutes and a duration of action of over thirty hours, but the smoked material is burnt. Fluorene, pyrene, acrylonitrile and acrylamide (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) can cause lung irritation and, in extreme cases, irreversible lung damage.
Vaping
Vaporisation is one of the most popular ways to inhale CBD. Respiratory irritation can occur here too, but the risk is many times less than with smoking and the user can better regulate the strength of the cannabis material. It doesn't matter if you choose a desktop vaporizer or a disposable or refillable vaporizer pen (pick the best one here). While vaporizers can usually conjure up vapor of greater potency, pens are discreet, lightweight and easily portable. Plus, their operation and maintenance is ridiculously simple. The onset of effects is immediate, and within five minutes you should feel relief and maybe even a lessening of your discomfort. The effect should last around four hours.
Spraying (sprays)
Nebulizers generate a fine mist that is naturally and gradually inhaled into the lungs. They are the ideal choice for sensitive and stressed lungs. By taking a deep breath, the beneficial substances (commonly used in hospitals) enter the body and can start to work. The first effects of CBD are felt after about 36 minutes.
Transdermal administration of CBD
Adhesive patches are the most pleasant way to get CBD into the body. Unfortunately, cannabidiol is one of the cannabinoids that dissolves in fat and not water. Thus, the skin acts as an impermeable barrier preventing the absorption of CBD into the body. However, the combination of CBD and ethanol (30%) has been found to increase the ability of CBD to dissolve in water by up to four times.
The biggest advantage of transdermal CBD administration is that its levels do not fluctuate. The substance is released gradually. Some users are not comfortable with the rolling levels, where cannabidiol enters the bloodstream, peaks and then subsides and excretion occurs. Sensitive recipients may experience intense side effects. Understandably, the patches are used for chronic pain or inflammation, where the body requires continuous intake of cannabidiol (or another substance) to keep the discomfort from returning.
Effect on bioavailability
High bioavailability is essential to maximise the use of CBD as a beneficial substance for the body responsible for the alleviation of many ailments. However, several factors influence this.
What affects the rate of absorption of CBD into the body:
- Health status
- CBD dose
- Digestion
- Heat treatment
- Piperine
Health status
Bioavailability can be negatively affected not only by dietary supplements or prescription drugs such as antibiotics or antidepressants, but also by anxiety, stress or liver disease. It may be that in the case of health problems, absorption into the body is slower and occurs to a lesser extent. Always consult your doctor beforehand about consuming CBD.
CBD dose
Each user needs a different dose of CBD. The body's reactions should be monitored and the amount of cannabidiol adjusted accordingly. It depends on health, weight, stress level, as well as medications taken and sensitivity to cannabis products. For smaller doses, a slight increase from 5 mg to 10 mg, for example, can double the absorption of CBD, but for higher doses in the hundreds of milligrams, users hit a ceiling and the direct proportionality, where larger amounts promote bioavailability, no longer applies.
Digestion
It doesn't matter if you take CBD in the morning, during the day or in the evening. The important thing is that you take cannabidiol with food and as part of your digestion. Absorption is up to five times higher in this case, because the substance is not "waiting in the stomach" where enzymes and acids attack it.
You can also increase bioavailability by eating a diet rich in healthy fats. Just include avocados, eggs, meat, nuts or seeds.
Heat treatment
When buying CBD, focus on the production process. Heat treatment converts cannabinoids into less potent forms that are less easily absorbed and the resulting bioavailability is up to four times lower.
Piperine
CBD itself offers a range of effects, but increasingly, piperine (a substance found in black pepper) is being talked about as having a positive effect on the absorption of CBD into the bloodstream. Oral preparations have shown up to a sixfold increase in bioavailability in tests.
Summary
Bioavailability is the rate and efficiency of absorption of substances into the body. For CBD, the time varies according to the form in which the cannabidiol is taken. While vaporisation guarantees a rapid onset of effects, patches represent a continuous release of the substance. If you are comfortable with the form but the action is too slow, there are methods to affect the absorption rate, such as adding piperine, a diet rich in healthy fats, or adjusting the daily dose of CBD.
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