Is Taking CBD Oil Under the Tongue the Best Consumption Method?
CBD is available in a number of forms that include oils, capsules, edibles and more. Some forms are taken only orally by swallowing, like tablets and capsules. A common question is: Can you swallow CBD oil? The answer is “yes,” but a very popular form of CBD consumption is sublingual administration. Sublingual simply means something is applied under the tongue.
What is Sublingual Administration?
Sublingual administration is a type of oral consumption but should not be confused with oral consumption by swallowing. Sublingual specifically refers to placing a substance under the tongue. The purpose is to place the substance as close to capillaries as possible because they offer access directly into the bloodstream.
The digestive system is bypassed when you hold a compound like CBD under the tongue for a minute or more. Research has found that CBD sublingual consumption has higher bioavailability than oral consumption (swallowing) because the compounds are not broken down and diluted through the normal digestive process.
How Does CBD Work Under the Tongue?
The body absorbs nutrients and compounds in different ways. Under the tongue are found thin mucous membranes and under the membranes are capillaries. When CBD oil or a CBD tincture is placed under the tongue, the CBD sublingual drops are absorbed by the capillaries. The capillaries lead directly to the bloodstream. You need to only place a few CBD drops under the tongue at a time.
Is Placing CBD Oil Under the Tongue the Most Effective Way?
When you consume CBD oil by swallowing it, the cannabinoid must go through the digestive system first before it is metabolized in the liver for delivery throughout the body. This is called the first-pass effect or first-pass metabolism which lowers CBD bioavailability. In comparison, CBD taken sublingually has the second-highest bioavailability rate, with vaping being first.
There is research that found CBD sublingual bioavailability is as high as 13-35 percent. Though more research is needed to say specifically how much bioavailability is increased, all the medical research to date has demonstrated that CBD oil under the tongue increases the absorption rate into the circulatory system.
An additional advantage is that you will experience the CBD effects faster than consumption through other methods. More research is needed to determine exactly how much faster because each person has a unique physical makeup and metabolism. Generally, you can expect to feel the CBD effects in 30 minutes when it is taken sublingually, and you hold the CBD oil under your tongues for at least 60 seconds.
Which is Better, a Tincture or an Oil?
The main difference between a CBD tincture and CBD oil is the CBD extraction method used during processing. Using the application of heat, most CBD tinctures are made by infusing glycerin or alcohol with CBD extracts from the hemp plant. Some tinctures also use peppermint oil or vinegar as the stripping agent. In every process, the result is a solution in which the CBD extract is steeped in the agent.
There are different methods for producing CBD oil, but right now the most common one uses carbon dioxide. The carbon dioxide extracts the CBD from the hemp plant, and the CBD is eventually mixed with a carrier oil. A CBD oil has CBD extract suspended in a carrier oil rather than infused in a solution.
Both are good CBD products, and both can be used sublingually. You can also take CBD oil by mouth or a CBD tincture by mouth. However, CBD oil has a higher potency compared to the CBD tincture. CBD tinctures usually have more ingredients than CBD oil, like natural flavorings and other ingredients.
Can You Take CBD oil Sublingually?
Yes, you can take CBD oil sublingually. CBD under tongue administration is quick and easy. In fact, some people prefer to buy CBD tincture rather than oil because oil can be used in other ways, in addition to sublingually. For example, you can apply CBD oil to your skin as a topical which is not recommended for a CBD tincture. The CBD tincture is specifically formulated for ingestion.
MCT oil sublingual absorption is believed to have higher bioavailability than some of the other carrier oils used. The reason is that MCT has medium triglycerides which are lipid molecules (fat molecules) that are absorbed and oxidized better than other lipids.
CBD needs the help of fat to increase absorption because CBD is fat-soluble and not water-soluble. The body is primarily made up of water.
Either Way, Taking CBD Oil or CBD Tincture Sublingually is a Good Choice
Taking CBD oil or a CBD tincture under the tongue is second only to vaping in terms of how quickly the CBD reaches the bloodstream. This means you can enjoy the effects of CBD much quicker than if you swallow CBD oil by mouth or take CBD capsules or tablets or eat CBD edibles. CBD sublingual drops also increase bioavailability. More research is needed, of course, but CBD oil under the tongue is already known to offer many advantages.
Sources
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2689518/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2503660/
- https://med.virginia.edu/ginutrition/wp-content/uploads/sites/199/2014/06/Parrish-February-17.pdf
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