Cannabidiol (CBD) oil represents a novel way to support your health, but one which comes with a caveat: when ingested orally, it has limited bioavailability. If you are already taking CBD oils, no matter how much you consume, the compound will simply never reach its full potential because it will never fully absorb. If you are taking 10 mg a day or 1000mg, the physiology of the human body prevents the complete absorption of a standard CBD oil.
But its reduced bioavailability can be improved. If you know what you are doing, it is possible to reap higher benefit out of CBD. Coconut oil and other healthy fats offer a straightforward solution to the absorption problem.
The Basics of Bioavailability
Before getting into the bioavailability of CBD, coconut oil uses, and more, lets first unpack the concept of bioavailability. The bioavailability of a supplement or medicine is a crucial characteristic used by regulators to determine the correct dosage. Bioavailability indicates how effectively the body can absorb a medicine or supplement into the circulatory system. For example, the maximum daily dosage for Tylenol is one 3000 mg, or 12 - 325 mg tablets. This dose is based on the capacity of the human body to absorb the compounds into the bloodstream.[1][2]
The bioavailability rating for any medicine applies to all modes of ingestion, save for intravenous use. Intravenous methods don't require the body to process compounds before they are effective, because it delivers the substance straight into the bloodstream. The methods of therapeutic delivery requiring a bioavailable rating include sublingual, oral, rectal, transdermal, and subcutaneous delivery. [3]
The Problems with the Bioavailability of CBD, Coconut Oil Can Help
The most effective method to ingest CBD is by way of the lungs, which means patients would have to smoke, vaporize or otherwise inhale the cannabinoid. Although there is limited information on the inhaled bioavailability of CBD, THC has as low as two percent bioavailability and upwards of 56 percent. Inhalation provides near-immediate access to the central nervous system for the cannabinoid, but its success largely depends on the person doing the inhaling. Although there are pure CBD strains of medical grade marijuana on the market, vaping or smoking CBD oil isn’t a perfect method for medical applications without the specialized equipment. [4]
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By far, the most common form of delivery is through oral ingestion of either CBD tinctures, oils or capsules. Oral delivery is the least efficient route. There is limited information on precisely how much is absorbed through the digestive tract, but some estimates put it as low as six percent. Knowing the secret of combining CBD and coconut oil is essential to getting the full medicinal value out of your CBD.
Why is CBD So Hard to Absorb?
Unfortunately, nature has poorly designed CBD for full absorption into the human body, because it is by its very nature hydrophobic. As a hydrophobic substance, its fearful of, or resistant to water. The human body is 60 percent water. You don't need a science degree to figure out why CBD in its more natural states is just so hard to absorb.
Thankfully, there are ways to manipulate the process to get more out of CBD; coconut oil uses, for example, are a simple method to improve overall bioavailability.
How to Dose CBD: Coconut Oil Application
Cannabinoids are fat soluble, meaning that the body absorbs it better when taken with oil or fat than with water. Finding a healthy fat to boost the absorption of CBD (coconut oil is one option) is an easy and cost-efficient way to get the most out of your CBD.
When it comes to CBD, coconut oil works so well because it has such high levels of saturated fats. According to some estimates, it is more than 90 percent saturated fat. The saturated fats in coconut oil are healthy because they are primarily composed of medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) or medium-chain fatty acids. Our bodies have a much easier time breaking down MCTs than long-chain fatty acids (found in canola and safflower oils). The body happily metabolizes coconut oil and its healthy fatty acids, converting them almost instantly into usable energy. There have yet to be any studies done on CBD oil and coconut oil specifically, more research is needed to fully understand the intricacies of their relationship within the human body. [5]
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Combining CBD with coconut oil is as simple as melting the oil over low heat, and adding your CBD tincture. Be careful to measure out precise quantities in advance, so you know what your CBD coconut oil dose will be once fully cooled. Some experimentation may be needed, and due to the increased absorption rate, you may need a little dose adjustment.
You can also put coconut oil and CBD tinctures into vegetable capsules. Yet another option is to combine CBD and coconut oil in your routine morning bullet coffee. There are many ways to get creative with it.
Other Methods of Boosting CBD Absorption
There are other more advanced methods of lipid delivery of CBD oil, which also improve absorption rates when ingested orally. As an example, some CBD oil companies have made incredible investments in producing CBD liposomal capsules.
Liposomal technology encapsulates liquids into microscopic bubbles. These bubbles ensure it travels where it needs to go once consumed, without breaking down beforehand or missing the mark altogether. The outer shell is made up of fatty molecules, known as lipids, that encapsulates a liquid for easy transportation. Liposomal technology is essentially taking the premise of combining CBD and coconut oil to an entirely new level. It's applying the science of lipid delivery to CBD.
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To boost the bioavailability of your current serving size of CBD oil, why not combine it with a little virgin coconut oil? As mentioned, there are tons of creative ways to incorporate coconut oil into your daily diet: bullet coffee, as a butter substitute on toast, or even with oatmeal in the morning. Alternatively, if coconut oil isn’t easily accessible, you can still take advantage of this technology; seek out high-quality liposomal CBD oil from a reputable source.
Sources:
[1] http://pharmacologycorner.com/pharmacokinetics-what-is-bioavailability/
[2] https://www.tylenol.ca/safety-dosing/adult/dosage-for-adults
[3] https://www.thebalance.com/what-is-bioavailability-4041140
[4] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2689518/
[5] http://rassrosh.com/pdf/virgin%20coconut%20oil%20emerging%20functional%20food%20oil.pdf
