CBD oil has an important place in all discussions about cannabidiol products. In fact, it is the most popular cannabidiol product that you get in the market. The popularity is attributed to the lipophilic nature of CBD.
Oil-based products have lower bioavailability when taken orally because our gastrointestinal tract is watery. A significant percentage of oil-based products is unabsorbed and is often flushed of our body unused.
Advancements in the cannabis industry have resulted in the formulation of water-compatible CBD. Although the marketing term “water-soluble CBD” is used to refer to water-compatible CBD, the term is scientifically incorrect. CBD never loses its hydrophobic nature.
However, water-compatible CBD is more water-friendly than regular CBD.
What Is Water-Compatible CBD?
Over the past years, CBD manufacturers have been able to break down CBD into smaller particles by employing advanced technologies. The particles are then emulsified to ensure their stability in the form. Although the term emulsified CBD oil will give an impression that it will mix with water, it is not water-soluble. But it is water-friendly.
Smaller sized CBD particles disperse more easily through water, thereby contributing to the increased surface area of the compounds. Water-friendly CBD products that come in liquid and powder forms are being used widely in the making of CBD topicals, tinctures, capsules, and edibles.
What Is CBD Bioavailability?
The primary factor that motivated the development of water-compatible cannabidiol products is CBD bioavailability. The term refers to the percentage of CBD that is absorbed into our bloodstream when we take a cannabidiol product.
The administering method of CBD plays a major role in deciding the bioavailability. Vaping is regarded as a highly bioavailable intake method because the cannabinoids in the vapors that are introduced into our lungs find it easy to pass into the bloodstream through the lung membranes that have appreciable permeability.
Sublingual intake is another popular intake method that has appreciable bioavailability but less than that of vaping. The cannabinoids in the sublingual CBD oils or tinctures enter the user’s bloodstream via sublingual glands. CBD edibles have poor bioavailability due to the “first pass metabolism”. As the edibles are digested in the stomach, its cannabinoids are processed by the liver leading to a reduction in the rate of absorption.
When it comes to CBD topicals, the cannabinoids do not reach the bloodstream at all because topicals are meant for external use.
What Are The Different Types Of Water-Compatible CBD?
To create water-compatible cannabidiol products, the oil form of CBD and other cannabis molecules are broken down into smaller particles and emulsified. There are several methods available to make cannabidiol products water-friendly. Take a look at the different types of water-friendly CBD.
Nanoemulsions
Nanotechnology is currently the most popular method for creating water-compatible CBD. Cannabis compounds are broken down into particles of a size that ranges that range between 10 and 100 nanometers.
The use of surfactants in high amounts in the process of breaking down cannabis compounds has its downsides. A low amount of surfactants are only required to make nanoemulsions. Moreover, the method allows the use of natural surfactants. As the final particles look translucent, CBD nanoemulsions can be added to drinks without being detected.
Microemulsions
Microemulsions are droplets with sizes between 100 and 5000 nanometers. They are formed by solubilizing CBD oil in water. The chemical processes employed in the making of microemulsions require a high amount of surfactants that may cause some undesirable side effects. Microemulsions are less popular in the CBD industry.
Liposomes
Liposomes are 50-5000 nm water-containing spherical structures. They have an internal hydrophilic (water-friendly) compartment covered a hydrophobic (water-insoluble) layer. CBD extract is stored in the bilayer membrane.
Although the technology is quite popular in the hemp industry, it requires high levels of surfactants and involves complex manufacturing processes.
What Are The Benefits Of Water-Compatible CBD?
Here are the benefits of water-compatible CBD.
Improved Effectiveness And Reduced Wastage
Higher bioavailability of water-compatible CBD in comparison with regular CBD means that less CBD will be left unused. Nanoemulsions are more bioavailable than microemulsions.
Quicker Onset Of Effects
When compared to their oil-based counterparts, water-compatible cannabidiol products absorb more quickly into our bloodstream and generate the effects. You can expect the faster onset of effects on taking water-compatible CBD than when you take regular CBD.
Improved Versatility
If it was not for water-compatible CBD, mixing CBD into beverages and drinks would not have gained popularity. Before water-compatible CBD was formulated, infusing CBD into water-based drinks was not regarded as an effective practice.
Increased Value
Increasing the bioavailability of CBD means that the dosages that you require would be less than that you took previously. When regular CBD and water-compatible CBD are taken in the same doses, the latter will generate better effects than the former.
If you are looking for more bioavailable cannabidiol options, water-soluble CBD products seem like the right choice.