CBD use can be a great benefit to many people. From minor issues such as insomnia and moderate pain to medicinal purposes, including seizure and cancer treatment, this cannabinoid has the power to help in a variety of ways. In recent years, the growth of the hemp industry has opened up the doors for continued CBD use with increased public awareness and perception of the compound driving new products and potential uses.
While there are obvious advantages to using CBD, different consumption methods and other considerations can increase and enhance its effects. If you are taking CBD for any particular reason, knowing how to boost its power in your system can allow you to get more value from the products you are using. Understanding how the body uses and absorbs this cannabinoid is also essential to unlock its full potential.
Bioavailability and Biology
A basic knowledge of how CBD interacts with your system helps to understand how you can increase the effects of CBD within your body. Bioavailability is “the degree and rate at which a substance (such as a drug) is absorbed into a living system or is made available at the site of physiological activity.” This is a critical component to knowing how effective any form of CBD you use will be.
With CBD use in mind, bioavailability relates to how much of the cannabinoid your body will absorb and put into action when you consume it. Different methods of consumption (think smoking vs. edibles vs. tinctures) have different rates of bioavailability. Taking steps to increase these rates will amplify the effects of CBD in your system and can help support and encourage benefits.
It’s important to note that every individual can have a different biological reaction to CBD as well. While the tips you’ll find below can help increase absorption of CBD, the human body is complex and unique variations exists between all of us. Not every suggestion will work for everyone. That’s just a simple fact of our amazing biology.
How to Increase the Effects of CBD
There are a few ways you can easily encourage and increase absorption of CBD upon consumption. Higher rates of bioavailability lead to enhanced effects. While everyone’s system can react differently, the following methods can help you maximize the potential of any CBD product you take.
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Method of Consumption
The method of ingestion you choose to enjoy CBD plays a large role in how your body absorbs the compound. Smoking or vaping will lead to the highest rates of bioavailability at over 30%. This is a commonly used method of consumption that also will result in the fastest onset of effects. However, there are obvious negative side effects and health concerns involved with smoking.
Ingesting CBD in the form of edibles, pills, or oils demonstrates less bioavailability in the range of 6-19%. While this is noticeably less than inhalation, the effects can be longer-lasting and don’t have as many adverse effects. Transdermal options such as patches and lotions have low rates of bioavailability because the skin acts as a barrier to absorption.
Try fast-absorbing sublingual CBD available in our collection of high-quality tinctures.
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Take CBD with Foods that Encourage Absorption
Oral consumption of CBD products continues to be very popular, even with lower rates of bioavailability. You can increase absorption when consuming CBD pills, oils, or other oral means of ingestion by eating foods that are high in fatty acids. These acids act like a ferry for CBD to board as they cross the river of digestion. The fats help more CBD pass through the liver and into the blood stream where they bind with endocannabinoid receptors.
Foods high in fatty acids that can help with CBD absorption include:
- Fish
- Nuts
- Oils (coconut, sesame, olive)
- Avocado
Read more about CBD and gut health here in our article Gut Health, Good Moods and CBD.
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Full-Spectrum, Whole Plant Power
An ongoing list of research and science demonstrates that the properties of cannabinoids are enhanced when in the presence of other compounds from the hemp and cannabis plants. This is known as the entourage-effect and supports using CBD that is derived from whole-plant sourcing rather than isolates for increased effects.
The main theory behind the entourage-effect states that all of the cannabinoids found within the plant work alongside one another to increase and amplify effects. While there is still some debate to this, full-spectrum CBD can be more effective.
Find our complete collection of full-spectrum CBD products here.
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Dosing
Dosing is another factor that dictates what effects will be seen when consuming CBD. Dosing suggestions are made based on any desired effect but also relate to individual experience and biology. Generally, a higher dose of CBD will have increased effects – but if this dose isn’t fully absorbed, these results may not occur.
There are currently no official suggested CBD doses except for the use of FDA approved Epidiolex. There have been a number of studies done on doses ranging from very small to extremely large and these can range from 5mg to 800mg depending on the condition and desired benefits. Micro-dosing, or taking small doses of CBD spread out instead of a larger dose at once, is another method that can lead to specific desired results.
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Choose CBD Products Carefully
Consumers can also consider their choice of CBD products with effect and bioavailability in mind. Not all products are created equal. As more of the public becomes aware of the importance absorption plays in a product’s effectiveness, companies are catering to this knowledge by offering products with greater bioavailability. When choosing a CBD product, you can look for companies that tout higher absorption rates and increased bioavailability in their products. Just be sure that these aren’t false claims, as advertised rates are not really regulated.
Here at CBD Remedies we offer Certificates of Analysis for our products to help prove efficacy. You can find them here.
Looking over customer reviews or comparing different brands to one another is one way to conduct your own testing of CBD products to determine which is the best for your needs and most effective.
Final Thoughts
CBD can be a powerful substance with many positive benefits. But a product is only effective if it can be absorbed into the bloodstream effectively. You can encourage increased effects of CBD consumption by following any or all of the suggestions found above, boosting benefits and allowing the products you choose to display their maximum potential.
