As the CBD craze marches on, dozens of different products enter the market. It’s hard to even keep track of them all. Are you aware of all the ways you can take CBD, and what the selling points of each method is?
This topic is worth exploring. After all, the method you choose for taking CBD can greatly influence your experience with the substance. It may be the difference between success and failure. In some circumstances, CBD can be the miracle cure according to so many adheres. But only you can choose the best way to use.
1. Sublingual Application
One of the best ways to take CBD — especially for beginners — is sublingual application. As the name suggests, this method involves placing CBD under your tongue. That allows the substance to go through the mucous membrane and into your bloodstream.
There’s a lot to love about sublingual application. This method is easy and accessible for people of all skill levels. There’s no need to cook anything, or to meddle with vaping devices. It also leads to great bioavailability.
Bioavailability refers to how much of the CBD becomes active after consumption, as opposed to being filtered out of your system. Sublingual application has a bioavailability rate of about 30%, which is on the high end of the spectrum. For reference, edibles have a rate of about 10%.
After being placed under your tongue, it takes about 5 minutes for the effects of the CBD to take in. Sublingual application can be achieved through the use of CBD oil or tinctures.
2. Vaping
Vaping CBD involves buying both a vaping device and CBD e-liquid. However, you can simplify the process by buying disposable CBD vape pens, which are very beginner-friendly.
Vaping offers the highest bioavailability of all CBD consumption methods, at around 40%. The effects of the CBD start almost instantaneously after you vape, as sending CBD vapor into your lungs leads to an immediate spike in the amount of CBD in your blood.
However, the effects of vaping wear off quickly. Most of it will be gone within the hour. On top of that, there are concerns that vaping may be bad for your health, and those are worth looking into. Remember to never vape CBD oil — you need to buy products made specifically to be vaped.
3. Edibles
Edibles provide very low bioavailability, which means they often need to have a lot of CBD to have a strong effect. On the upside, edibles can last a very long time after consumption. While vaping starts to wear off within the hour and sublingual application lasts only about 3 hours, edibles regularly last 6 hours or more. If you are looking for long-term relief, edibles are probably the way to go.
4. Topicals
CBD topicals can come in the form of salves, creams, or patches. They’re used both as part of the beauty industry and for medical treatments. When applied on the skin, CBD retains its anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties, which provides relief to chronic pain, and helps treat inflammation.
Topical application is useful for recovering athletes and people suffering from arthritis. Haven’t tried a CBD product yet? Before you buy any, read this Cibdol guide. It will help you understand why quality CBD products are priced the way they are.
