CBD Nano Drops: What’s the Deal?
With the explosion of CBD that we have seen in recent years, it did not take long for manufacturers to explore any and every way for us to use it. You are probably familiar with idea of a capsule that can be swallowed or products that can be applied topically, even inhalants like cartridges or simply good old-fashioned flower to smoke.
When it comes to ingesting CBD, there are a few different options that you should be aware of. Each has their own pros and cons and picking the right one often means picking the right one that fits your wants and needs.
All About Bioavailability
If you are reading this, chances are that you know something about cannabidiol (CBD). Either you’ve heard about how its good for anxiety/ depression, pain relief, migraines, your immune system, or any of the other numerous benefits that this cannabinoid has to offer. It can do all these things because it’s helping the body’s ability to establish homeostasis (or balance: take your body temperature for example, different parts of your body must communicate and delegate processes that detect and correct temperature fluctuations to maintain, you guessed it, homeostasis).
What you may not know (or not considered), is that for CBD to do its job it has to make it into your blood first. This detail should impact which modality (method of utilization) you choose. Different issues and preferences should help guide you in selecting the right product for you.
“Bioavailability” is the term used to describe the amount of a substance (such as a drug or vitamin) that makes it into circulation when introduced to the body, and in doing so its ability to have an effect. Different approaches may have a higher or lower bioavailability. For instance, antibiotics in a shot (being delivered straight to the blood) has a higher bioavailability than antibiotics in pill (delivered through your digestive tract, your body will filter some out).
Nano Drops vs Tinctures
CBD Tinctures (or CBD Oils) are made up of the plant extract and a carrier oil. Tinctures are meat to be taken orally and held under the tongue. There is a method to this madness. This technique ensures that you absorb as much CBD through the capillaries (tiny blood vessels) under the tongue and around your cheeks as possible. As a result, we are maximizing our potential bioavailability, absorbing CBD directly to the blood rather than your digestive tract.
Nano CBD is made through a process known as nanoemulsion. In nanoemulsification, ultrasonic waves are used to shatter CBD particles. These smaller, “nano” CBD particles can then be emulsified with water (or any non-fat liquid). This process allows you to add the medicine to any beverage of your choice without any concern.
The Benefits of Nano CBD
Nanoemulsified CBD, with it now a fraction of its original size, is more readily absorbed through the digestive tract without any going to waste. CBD nanoparticles are so small that they can be brought to the blood through mucous membranes in the mouth and esophagus, bypassing the internal organs taking a shortcut into the blood stream. CBD oils are too big to traverse these pathways.
This decreased size takes bioavailability to a whole new level, at least 4 times the bioavailability than tinctures. Imagine ice. On one we have a large ice cube while on the other hand we hold the same amount of ice but chopped into dozens of tiny pieces. Which hand ends with melted ice first? (it’s the hand with chopped ice!)
Bioavailability is not the only benefit to nano CBD. Effects are noticeably faster with nano drops compared to almost any other modality. However, this is a double-edged sword. The rule of thumb; the longer it takes to kick in, the longer the effects will last. For example, a capsule can take about an hour to take effect, but you can expect up to 8 hours of relief. On the other hand, using a CBD cartridge can have an immediate effect, but generally only last about 2 hours. Nano drops take about 30 minutes to take an effect and you can expect up to 4 hours of relief.