What’s The Best Way To Take CBD Oil?

Congratulations on looking into trying CBD and experiencing all that it has to offer. CBD can be great to treat any number of ailments for you. That could be anxiety, joint pain, heart health and many, many other things.

Today we will discuss the most common methods for administering CBD. These are Sublingual, Swallowing or pill/candy form, Vaping/Inhalation, and Topical & Transdermal

Bioavailability:  What is it?

Before we get into the different delivery methods we need to understand a term called Bioavailability. This term refers to the portion of the actual product that gets into your system when you take a product. In this article, we speak about bioavailability in terms of percentages. To understand this, here is an example:

You take a product that has 20mg of a substance for you. When you take this product it only has a 50% bioavailibilty. What does this mean? It means that your body will only 10mg of the 20mg ingested. Make sense?

Now, on to the different types of deliver methods.

Sublingual

Sublingual is the most popular and common method for CBD treatment. Sublingual generally requires taking a CBD oil product and dropping it under your tongue.  When using this method, most people hold the product there for at least 60-90 seconds to allow the product to absorb through the mucous membranes located under the tongue.

One of the major benefits of this is faster absorption of the CBD, and accurate dosage.  The amount of CBD per drop varies widely across brands, and potency of what you purchased.  Most droppers have measurements on the side so that you can get an accurate dose.  

Another benefit to this method is the bioavailability, which is reported to be around +25%. Since the CBD is going directly into the bloodstream, you get more than products that are absorbed by the stomach. . This also means the effects will kick in much faster than the oral method, though it may not last quite as long. The effects of sublingual drops typically last for between 4-6 hours.

Sublingual is recognized as one of the most cost-effective methods for long-term use by individuals with chronic conditions. Taste is often mentioned as the common downside of this option. However, you can try to mask the taste using these techniques. cbdMD and many others like PuraHemp belowo have flavors like mint to help with this.

PuraHemp Sublingual Tincture

Swallowing or taking CBD Orally

For those who hate the flavor connected with other techniques, such as sublingual use, swallowing or oral is a useful technique. This means eating or swallowing the CBD product right away. This could be gummies, Chocolate, capsules and gelcaps. Basically, anything in the mouth that is not kept under the toung. . The oral method is useful for traveling and dosing, as your dosage is set. 

Oral methods take longer to kick in (anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour), but once they do, the effects last quite long, up to 8 hours. There are a couple of downsides to this thought. . The bioavailability of this method is low, with an average of 5% because much of it is digested and broken down in the stomach.

You may need to take a significantly higher dose in order to achieve the desired effects. Since you may need to consume more CBD to reach the same effect as another method, this can lead to an increase in long-term cost. Typically, we see gummies and capsules using common set potencies of 10mg-30mg

Charlotte’s Web Oral Capsules

Vaping/Inhalation

For immediate relief, inhalation or vaping are the best option.  Be careful as there have been some fake/black market cartridges that have hit the black market.  Only buy from reputable sources. (Like the company below) The CBD is delivered directly to the lungs where the body and bloodstream immediately absorb it. There is almost no wait time and the effects are almost immediate for these products to kick in. This makes them an excellent choice for those needing abortive relief (i.e. individuals suffering from migraines, anxiety and panic attacks).

Typically, the user will keep using their method of inhalation until they feel the level of relief they desire which should then last 3-4 hours. The bioavailability of these products is slightly higher than Sublingual, reported to be around +35%. Another benefit to this method is the wide availability of flavors that lets the user pick and choose to their taste.

Joy Organics THC free Vape and Cartridge

Topical creams, rubs, and roll-ons

Another common distribution technique for localized pain relief is topical application. Use balm, lotion, salve, cream, etc. to apply topics straight to the skin. Some individuals are even taking their sublingual oils and rubbing them into their skin. The aim of the topics is to provide direct, localized, focused relief.

Topics are not suggested for use in ailments that are not usually regarded “physical.” For instance, those with neurological conditions or anxiety are unlikely to experience a topical relief. Those undergoing drug testing may be ensured that using a topical will not trigger a positive drug test because any prospective THC in a topical will not penetrate the skin andnter the bloodstream.

Green Roads World Topical

Transdermal

Transdermal and topical often get confused with each other.   A  transdermal is another method of applying CBD via the skin. Think of this as like a nicotine patch, it actually absorbs through the skin and finishes up in the bloodstream. Not only does the CBD work locally as a targeted pain reliever, it can also provide relief for the entire body. This technique will not only operate on a physical disorder, but it will also assist with certain mental and neurological conditions.  Transdermals are found most commonly as patches, creams and lotions.

If a product it “transdermal” it will be labeled, so be sure to check the lablel!

Usually the patches operate for up to 8-12 hours, and after use they are thrown away or put into recycling. Transdermal products pass into the bloodstream instantly, bypassing prevalent problems connected with digestive system intake (as seen with swallowing). This means that this method’s bioavailability is extremely high, with reports placing it at about +65%. The price is generally a downside to this technique as it requires emulsifiers and permeability enhancers to fully absorb the CBD through the skin.

cbdMD Freeze and Recover

To summarize, read below for the methods discussed and their how they absorb into our bodies:

• Sublingual: 20-30%
• Swallowing or Oral: Approximately 5-10%
• Vaping/Inhalation: 30-40%
• Topical: Does Not Apply
• Transdermal: Approximately 70+%

Which CBD Delivery Method Should I Choose?

There really is no one answer for this. Most people choose to put the drops under the tongue, but it is not uncommon use several different deliver methods. For example, an individual with a chronic condition may use a sublingual oil daily as a preventative measure and use a topical, transdermal or inhalation method as needed when their ailment occurs.  Staggering methods is also a viable option. You can take a softgel for a capsule if it is joint or muscle pain, and using a topical in the meantime while you wait for the capsule to kick in. The best way to take CBD oil is whatever works best for you. I hope this helps and thank you again for your visit to our site!