Let’s face it: CBD products are expensive. Consumers are paying $1.50 to $2.50 per dose (25 mg) of CBD gummies or tinctures [1]. Recommended regimens of two to three doses every day can cost consumers $1000 to $1800 a year. The truth is the majority of CBD that is consumed is being flushed down the toilet. Literally, it is failing to absorb into the body and ends up getting excreted. This is why it’s important for consumers to purchase CBD from a company that uses a formula for maximum CBD absorption, saving consumers from wasting money on less effective products.
The rate and proportion that cannabinoids like CBD and THC absorb into the bloodstream directly influence the efficacy of the product and the consumer experience. Research shows that only 4-12% of the cannabinoids (CBD/THC) in edibles reach the bloodstream [2]. That means if a consumer is spending $1800 on CBD products, they may only be getting $216 of their money’s worth at best.
The good news is the absorption of CBD (and THC) can be improved by using formulas or drug delivery systems that promote digestion and absorption. Fats and oils, known as lipids, can improve the ability of your body to digest CBD and promote absorption. Tinctures are a product made with lipids, typically MCT oil or olive oil, that can promote the absorption of CBD. Another simple way to enhance the absorption of CBD is to take it while eating a fatty meal, like ice cream [10,15].
More advanced technologies have been developed that can increase the absorption of CBD several times over. Micelle and liposome technology are ways of coating and stabilizing tiny CBD droplets to make them absorb more efficiently into the bloodstream. CBD products made with these technologies are beginning to emerge on the market, typically labeled as “nano” or “water-soluble” products.
Realize conducted a third party study to measure how much CBD was being absorbed into the bloodstream for different types of CBD; pure CBD (CBD isolate), a CBD olive oil tincture, and a CBD product made with micelle technology. The findings of the study showed that the olive oil tincture absorbed 4.3x more CBD than CBD alone and the CBD product made using micelle technology absorbed 100x more CBD than CBD alone.
If consumers want to get the best value out of their CBD products, they need to research CBD companies before buying and look for products made using micelle or liposome technologies.
3 Things to look for when buying a CBD product:
- Keywords on a company’s website or product packaging such as: enhanced absorption, improved bioavailability, fast-acting, liposomal, micelle, nano or water-soluble.
- Validated studies that measure the absorption of CBD or other cannabinoids. An example can be found here.
- A Certificate of Analysis (COA) that confirms the amount of CBD or other cannabinoids in the product. An example can be found here.
For questions or comments related to this article, the linked bioavailability study or about CBD in general, feel free to contact Dr. Mike Heller, PHD, at https://realizeinside.com/contact/.
About Realize
Realize’s sophisticated technology makes Hemp CBD work faster, longer, and stronger for your products. Not only have we come up with a solution to help you seamlessly infuse products, our dissolvable CBD formula is more efficient at giving you the benefits of CBD. Besides being seamless at adding our product to your product manufacturing process, Realize’s CBD formula is: Fast-acting: effects can be felt in as little as 5 minutes, Highly effective: 100 times more body absorption than typical CBD oil or isolate, Long-lasting: effects last about 8 hours. For more information visit www.shoprealize.com, or follow us on Instagram and Facebook.
Sources
[1] Medterra
https://medterrahemp.org/product-hemp-gel-capsules
25 mg gel caps, $45.00 for 750 mg; $1.5 per dose (25 mg)
50 mg gel caps, $67.00 for 1500 mg; $2.23 per dose (50 mg)
https://medterrahemp.org/product-hemp-broad-spectrum-unflavored-1000mg
1000 mg tincture, $60 for 1000 mg; $2 per dose (50 mg)
[1] Charlottes Web
https://www.charlottesweb.com/25mg-cbd-oil-capsules
25 mg capsules, $75 for 750 mg; $2.5 per dose (25 mg)
https://www.charlottesweb.com/original-formula-cbd-oil
1500 mg tincture, $120 for 1500 mg; $2 per dose (25 mg), 2-3 doses per day
[1] CBDMD
https://www.cbdmd.com/cbd-oil-tincture-dropper?flavor=natural&size=30ml&strength=1500_30
1500 mg tincture, $99 for 1500 mg; $3.3 per dose (50 mg)
[2] Ohlsson A., Lindgren J.E., Wahlen A., Agurell S., Hollister L.E., Gillespie H.K. Plasma Delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol Concentrations and Clinical Effects After Oral and Intravenous Administration and Smoking. Clin. Pharmacol. Ther. 1980; 28: 409-416.
[10] Salvia-Trujillo L., Martin-Belloso O., McClements D.J. Excipient Nanoemulsions for Improving Oral Bioavailability of Bioactives. Nanomaterials 2016; 6: 17.
[15] Igbal J., Hussain M.M., Intestinal Lipid Absorption, Am. J. Physiol. Endocrinol. Metab. 2009; 296: E1183-E1194.
