The Best Ways to Take CBD
Finding Better Ways to Take Your CBD: The Future of CBD Delivery Systems
There are three main ways to take CBD: you can eat it, vape it, or apply it directly to your skin. Each method has its own pros and cons. For example, edible CBD needs to pass through the stomach, where the liver metabolizes it before entering the bloodstream. As a result, much less than the initial dosage ultimately reaches the bloodstream. Skin topicals are great for localized wellness, but they can’t pass through all seven layers of skin to reach the bloodstream. After all, our skin is our most trusted defence against intruders. And vaping is conspicuous and may irritate your throat and lungs in some cases.
The CBD industry is constantly looking for innovative ways to improve and enhance CBD delivery systems. The goal is to transform how we consume and benefit from CBD. From microscopic particles to smart devices, these research initiatives are examining long-standing challenges with an eye on new possibilities for personalized wellness.
Understanding Current Challenges
Traditional CBD delivery methods have long faced significant obstacles.
Edible CBD: low bioavailability
Edible CBD typically comes in the form of food, gummies, CBD oils, capsules, and pills. They all have one thing in common: They must be ingested.
CBD travels through the stomach and ends up in the liver, where it’s metabolized before it’s allowed to enter the bloodstream. This metabolizing process can take up to two hours, and during this process, up to 90% of the initial quantity of CBD is lost. Only 10 to 15% of the initial dosage manages to reach the bloodstream.
The amount that ultimately reaches the bloodstream determines the product’s so-called bioavailability—a property that all pharmaceuticals consider. When you take paracetamol, for example, the manufacturer measures the dosage, taking into account how much will be lost during the metabolizing process.
Sublingual CBD
One notable subcategory of CBD oil consumption concerns sublingual CBD. You take a CBD tincture and place a drop of it under your tongue, holding it there for a minute before swallowing. Our tongue has capillaries that connect to the bloodstream and absorb the CBD directly. Sublingual CBD thus has a higher bioavailability level, usually up to 20%, because a significant portion of the tincture is absorbed by the capillaries, bypassing the metabolizing system of the stomach and liver. However, some people find CBD tinctures harder to manage and consume than edibles, especially if they dislike the earthy, grassy flavour of CBD oil.
Topical CBD: it can’t penetrate all skin layers
The human skin has seven layers that form our most dependable defence against viruses, germs, and microbes. Without our skin, these unwelcome intruders would easily reach our inner organs and damage our bodies.
While this natural defence is absolutely welcome, it hinders the effectiveness of topical products. Topical CBD, topical creams, lotions, and CBD bath bombs are great for very localized benefits but can only affect the skin’s upper layers. CBD topicals can thus take effect at superficial levels only, rarely penetrating beyond the skin. As a result, the bioavailability of topical CBD is less than 5%.
Vaping CBD: lung concerns
CBD vapes have a lot going for them. Vaping CBD delivers the full benefit of CBD quickly and with the highest bioavailability of all other methods—bar intravenous consumption. CBD vapes have a bioavailability of 35%, which means that a lot of the initial dose manages to reach the bloodstream.
However, many people are concerned about CBD vapes, especially because of concerns about the effect they have on the lungs. In the US, people have ended up in the hospital after consuming nicotine vapes containing oils like MCT oil, PG, PEG or Vitamin E acetate, which the lungs should never inhale. While no CBD vapes were involved, some consumers avoid vapes altogether as a result.
Low bioavailability requires new approaches
Whether through oils, capsules, or edibles, the body absorbs only a fraction of the CBD consumed. This limited bioavailability means users often need higher doses to achieve their expected health goals, which comes with increased costs and potential waste.
Also, inconsistent absorption rates and varying time-to-effect have made it difficult for users to predict and manage their CBD experience effectively. Do you want the CBD effect to have kicked in by the time you arrive at work? How long before should you take your CBD oil? If you want CBD to help with sleep, when is the best window of opportunity to take your CBD pill?
The Nano-emulsion Revolution
By nature, CBD attaches to fatty tissue and avoids water. In the presence of water, CBD tends to slip away. If, however, it finds fat molecules, it will attach to them. This matters because the human body is made of 60% water. When we take CBD, it needs to find fatty compounds to attach to so that it stays longer in the system.
This is why many people choose to take their CBD with some food, particularly foods with healthy fats such as yoghurt, smoothies, avocados, spread cheese, and any other kind of healthy fat. When paired with such fats, CBD holds on to fatty molecules and stays longer in the system before being directed to the gut and eventually discarded.
The philosophy behind nano-emulsions
Nano-emulsions offer an alternative to consuming fats along with CBD. The philosophy behind them is to hide CBD in a minuscule oil drop, which is then enveloped into a water molecule. When the body recognizes the molecule, the outer layer of water attaches to the existing water content of the human body. CBD, however, remains intact in its oil content and slowly enters the bloodstream.
The technology of nano-emulsions
Nano-emulsion technology is one of the most significant breakthroughs in CBD delivery. This advanced process breaks down CBD particles to microscopic sizes, usually between 20 and 200 nanometres. At this scale, the compounds become water-soluble and more bioavailable to the body.
Think of nano-emulsions like turning a beach ball into a collection of marbles — they can move through spaces the larger ball couldn’t access. This technology allows CBD to enter the bloodstream more efficiently, leading to faster onset times and improved absorption rates. Some studies suggest nano-emulsified CBD products can achieve up to four times higher bioavailability compared to standard formulations!
Smart Patch Innovation
Smart patches are another frontier in CBD delivery.
Unlike traditional transdermal patches, smart patches incorporate advanced technology to control release rates and monitor usage. These patches can deliver precise CBD doses throughout the day, adjusting to the user’s body temperature and activity levels. This makes them perfect for people who are interested in micro-dosing with CBD, as they appreciate the possibility of having a consistent quantity of CBD travelling through their bloodstream, no matter the time of day.
Some patches in development even include biosensors that can monitor the user’s body responses and adjust delivery accordingly. This is a dynamic system that responds to the body’s changing needs throughout the day. For example, if you go for a run, your metabolism will increase, and you will quickly use up any CBD you took before leaving for your run. The monitor will assess the situation and deliver more CBD to keep you going at those sustained energy levels.
Connected Devices and Personalization
The integration of smart technology extends beyond patches.
New CBD delivery devices with app connectivity are being developed. The goal is to help users track their dosage, timing, and effects with unprecedented precision. These smart devices could monitor usage patterns and provide insights into effectiveness. They could also adjust dosing based on user feedback and preferences and share data with healthcare providers for better treatment planning. Future steps would be to integrate these CBD delivery devices with other health monitoring devices for full wellness tracking.
New Administration Routes
Innovation isn’t limited to electronic devices. Scientists are developing new ways to administer CBD that maximize effectiveness while improving the user experience.
Micro-needle patches
Micro-needle patches use tiny, painless needles to deliver CBD directly through the skin barrier. Research suggests that this method improves CBD concentrations and absorption.
Oral films
Dissolvable oral films provide rapid absorption through the mouth’s mucous membranes, offering a better alternative to sublingual CBD oil. There is ongoing interest and research regarding this method of consumption, which would deliver more CBD in a more sustained way.
The Rise of Targeted Delivery
Perhaps the most exciting development is the emergence of targeted delivery systems. These advanced formulations could direct CBD to specific areas of the body where it’s needed most. Using various carrier molecules and delivery mechanisms, these systems could revolutionize how CBD is used for specific conditions. Before that, however, we need more research on whether CBD is effective and how it can be delivered in a targeted way where it’s needed more.
Looking to the Future
CBD delivery methods matter because people who wish to make the most of this natural compound must have a precise and measurable way to assess how much CBD they are taking and whether it’s working for them.
Advancements in CBD delivery methods could make CBD consumption more predictable and consistent. Thanks to improved bioavailability, lower doses would be more effective. Consumers would then achieve better results for less money and have better control over the timing and dosage of their CBD consumption.
The future of CBD delivery systems is looking promising, with technology offering solutions to many current limitations. From nano-emulsions to smart patches and beyond, these innovations promise to make CBD use more effective, efficient, and personalized than ever before. While some of these technologies are still in development, they represent the next evolution in how we integrate CBD into our wellness routines.
In the meantime, choose high-quality, third-party-tested CBD products for safety and reliability. Check out our CBD oil reviews and our list of the best UK CBD stores to be sure that the CBD you purchase is as pure and effective as possible!
Nicholas Rossis, PhD is a specialized, NSF-trained writer who has written hundreds of posts on CBD and nutritional supplements. His work combines critical acclaim with the analysis of the latest news, studies, research, and legal developments in the world of CBD, providing readers with valuable data and insights.
