Levelling Up: 6 Factors That Boost CBD’s Bioavailability
Whether you’re a wellness veteran or a CBD first-timer, you want to get effective results from the compound every time. This means finding products with high bioavailability rates. By sourcing items with high levels of bioavailability, i.e. CBD oils or vaporisers, more benefits are able to be delivered into your system. In case you’re looking to go one step further, however, there are a series of other things you can do to help.
This article outlines 6 simple ways to maximise the bioavailability of your CBD so you can maximise your experience and save some money while you’re at it. Without further ado, let’s dive straight in.
What Influences the Bioavailability of CBD?
Dosage
Aside from the way that CBD oil is administered, there’s strong evidence that an increased dose will also increase the rate of absorption. In a study into the pharmacokinetics of cannabidiol, it was found that increasing the dosage of oral spray from 10mg to 20mg, tripled its bioavailability rate. This means that it was absorbed into the bloodstream with much higher success.
However, if you increase the CBD dosage too high, a ceiling effect occurs and your tissues become unable to absorb any more CBD because they become overly saturated. This limit occurs at around 400mg-800mg.
Presence of fats
Commonly referred to as the state of being ‘fed vs fasted’, the presence of supplementary fats alongside your CBD intake can have a massive effect on its absorption rates. It’s always advised to consume CBD alongside a snack or main meal containing a type of fat, as the bioavailability rate of the cannabidiol can see a whopping 3-5 times increase.
The reason why this works better with these types of foods is that CBD is a highly fat-soluble compound that breaks up when it has contact with fat. When the CBD is broken up in this way, it is dispersed into smaller particles and is easier to absorb, thus raising the rate of bioavailability.
The accompaniment of food also lengthens the amount of time CBD stays in our system. Since the CBD is able to have something to travel around and cling on to, it has been proven to stay on your system for up to 9 times as long as if no food was eaten.
Examples of fatty foods that would be great to use are: avocados, many different types of cheese, high-omega-3 fish and a wide range of seeds and nuts. See it as an excuse to treat yourself to something tasty!
Presence of specific herbs
Following this dietary theme, the presence of supplementary herbs can also massively influence the bioavailability levels of CBD. Herbs like piperine and apigenin work in a variety of wonderful ways to increase the absorption of cannabinoids into the bloodstream.
Piperine is most notably present in black pepper, and it helps CBD to travel across the intestinal lining by stimulating transporter molecules, helping it to proceed faster to the places where it can take effect. It works against the liver’s metabolic effects, increasing the cannabinoid’s chances of survival.
Similarly, apigenin raises CBD’s bioavailability rates by binding it to an enzyme that helps them to break down and absorb more efficiently. It can be found in a variety of different sources such as chamomile, oregano, celery and dark chocolate.
Presence of terpenes
Terpenes are fatty oils that exist within most plants. They are responsible for giving them their distinctive and varied aromas and they also bring a litany of therapeutic benefits to humans when they are inhaled or consumed. Because of their fatty nature, they help break down the fat-soluble structure of CBD, so it’s much easier for it to get absorbed into the endocannabinoid system.
This allows them to enhance the effect of CBD by improving absorption rates on a molecular level. Fortunately, these natural wonders naturally derive from hemp, so it’s extremely common for them to be featured in CBD products.
Underlying health conditions
The presence of pre-existing health conditions has also been proven to affect the bioavailability levels of CBD. For example, if someone’s liver function is below average, it can improve the circulation and absorption rates of CBD, as the liver can often be responsible for metabolising the compound. This means that the cannabinoid would stay in someone’s system for longer and provide more potent effects.
On the contrary, people that have Huntington’s disease, a condition that deteriorates the function of the brain over a certain period, absorb and retain the effects of CBD to a much lower degree than people who don’t suffer from the disease.
Water-solubility
As we’ve briefly touched on when going through the different methods of CBD ingestion, the water-solubility of the CBD compound can have a drastic influence on its rates of bioavailability. Typically, CBD and full-spectrum oils are not water-soluble, and this hinders their efficiency in reaching the bloodstream because it is much harder for them to become broken down.
However, if the CBD molecule is able to disintegrate, it improves the overall surface area of the dose and improves its ability to become encapsulated by another water-soluble molecule. In simpler terms, this helps the CBD to cling to other particles that are travelling straight into the bloodstream, so it’s a win-win for everyone!