The hype behind water soluble CBD and bioavailability
- Author: Ahmed Mir
The world of hemp is moving at a fast pace, and while we started with simply CBD oils, there are now a host of other options available, including the latest innovation – water soluble CBD, although you might not have noticed it’s here.
This is because, In the UK, CBD drops are still the most popular way to use CBD at the moment. Other options such as concentrates, edibles and topicals are all of growing consumer interest.
You might have noticed a variety of CBD drinks having launched on the market recently. From CBD water to fizzy drinks infused with CBD, beverages are fast becoming a way for newbies to try CBD by picking up a can on the go.
If you’ve tried the usual CBD oils, you will know hemp can have a peculiar taste. Add in that CBD usually doesn’t mix well with water, you might wonder how CBD beverages are even possible.
Given its warm reception, its clear infused drinks are here to stay. This is supplemented by the fact experts already expect the global CBD drinks market to be worth $2.8bn by 2025, all powered by water soluble CBD!
So let’s jump in and explain why water soluble CBD is potentially such big news in the CBD industry.
Hemp extracts used in a CBD oil are diluted in a carrier oil such as MCT or cold-pressed hemp seed oil. One of the reasons for this is because standard CBD doesn’t dissolve in water, but it does in oil.
Tinctures are popular as they are an easy way to use CBD along with being bio-efficient as membranes absorb the oil under our tongue.
Sublingual consumption avoids our digestive tract and liver where the CBD would otherwise lose potency in the process of digestion.
Nonetheless, because the human body is largely made of water the absorption of compounds such as CBD which are only fat-soluble isn’t as high as we’d hope.
This process is referred to as bioavailability, which infers how much of a substance we consume reaches our bloodstream.
Unfortunately, CBD usually has low bioavailability, and it’s thought to vary between 4% – 55% depending on how you take your CBD.
On the lower end of the spectrum, a 2019 study based on an animal model suggests the oral consumption of CBD (capsules or edibles) has a bioavailability of around 8%.
Sounds low right?
This sub-par rate of absorption is which has driven the interest in creating a compound which has a much higher rate of bioavailability. …Cue water soluble CBD.
There two main ways to create water soluble CBD.
Either way, the process involves breaking down the CBD molecule into an increased number of nano-sized particles and then encapsulating the new smaller compound into another molecule which is naturally soluble in water.
So how small is nano? TINY! It’s measured in nanometers, where a nanometer is one-millionth of a millimetre!
The most popular methods are called nanoemulsion or liposome CBD, which stabilise CBD by coating (emulsifying) it in another liquid which is soluble in water.
This process is what stops the CBD from separating from the water and stabilises it within the water.
There is only one reason you might want to consider nano CBD:
By its very nature, smaller molecules of CBD results in a larger surface area. This makes absorption more (bio) accessible and is thought to improve the rate of absorption.
As a result, it’s commonly suggested that water soluble CBD has a bioavailability of CBD to near 100%. Although, there isn’t a clinical (randomised controlled trial) study which confirms this hypothesis yet.
Given the lack of hardcoded evidence, this is still a theory more than fact, and this leads us to the potential problems with Nano CBD.
There are two points to be aware of when it comes to water soluble CBD:
There are a variety of uses for nano CBD. The primary ones include:
The answer to this question depends on why you wanted to buy it in the first place.
The most popular reasons include:
The answer to this question depends on why you wanted to buy it in the first place.
The most popular reasons include:
Let’s cover each point one by one:
It’s clear more research is needed, but this can be said for all CBD products!
No matter what you do, be sure only to buy third party tested CBD to give it the best chance of working.
Regardless, the choice is up to you! At Nature & Bloom we have decided to stick with the basics for the time being, simply because they work for us and we only retail products we 100% believe in.
Ahmed is the founder of Nature & Bloom. When he’s not working, you can find him travelling, working out or hanging out with friends and family.
Disclaimer: Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of Nature & Bloom and its staff. This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis, treatment, cure or prevention for any disease. Nature & Bloom products have not been evaluated by the MHRA.