WATER SOLUBLE CBD – A COMPLETE GUIDE

CBD which is also known as Cannabidiol is one of the many different cannabinoids found inside of the marijuana plant. Unlike THC, it has no psychoactive components. It has been shown to benefit the body in many different ways. It has anti-tumor capabilities, anti-inflammatory properties can help relieve pain, and according to various studies it can be used to treat anxiety disorders [1]. 

CBD has been heavily studied for the past decade, but we are still learning more about it all of the time. Just last year (June 25, 2018), the FDA approved a drug which has cannabidiol as an active ingredient to treat a rare and severe form of epilepsy [2].

One of the significant problems that presented itself was the bio-availability of CBD oil. CBD is naturally a hydrophobic chemical. This means that it mixes well with oil and not so well with water. This is where water soluble CBD can come in. 

You are probably already familiar with the expression, “water and oil don’t mix”. In this case, the CBD is the oil that won’t mix.

Hydrophobic chemicals are not ideal for ingestion because they resist absorption into the bloodstream. There are also other metabolic processes happening in the body that reduce the bioavailability of the compound. 

For example, if you were to take a 20mg capsule of CBD oil, you might only benefit from 5mg or less. That’s where water-soluble CBD comes into play.

WHAT IS WATER-SOLUBLE CBD?

As the name implies, water-soluble Cannabidiol [3] is CBD that is not resistant to mixing with water or being absorbed into the bloodstream. In contrast to primarily oil-based CBD products, such as a tincture, you can consume water-soluble CBD orally and enjoy the full range of benefits. There are clearly many potential advantages associated with water-soluble CBD. This has led to many different companies using unique methods to produce this product.

The most common method currently in use is called nanoemulsions. An emulsion is a dispersion of very small droplets of oil into the water. By breaking the particles down as much as possible, they blend more easily with the water, though they genuinely never dissolve. We encounter food products that rely on emulsion technology on a regular basis. A few examples include mayonnaise, salad dressings, and various sauces.

Nanoemulsion is slightly more advanced than the techniques used to create salad dressing, but the underlying science is still the same. The CBD oil is broken down into very tiny droplets and then mixed into the water with an additional emulsifying ingredient. In this case, it is called a surfactant. The surfactant is used to reduce surface tension between the CBD and the water molecules.

Oil droplets mixing with water.

Calling this water-soluble is not 100 percent correct, but it is still the term commonly used. The new CBD droplets do not need to be broken down inside the stomach because they are already so small. They also have a much higher bio-availability and are not as resistant to absorption in the bloodstream.

HOW IT WORKS WITHIN THE BODY

Water-soluble CBD behaves the same as CBD oil inside of the body. The benefits arrive after they are absorbed by the bloodstream and carried to the appropriate receptors. The significant difference is that this new Cannabidiol product faces much less resistance from the body.

An example of it working differently in the body is how it reacts to first-pass metabolism. The first-pass effect is a phenomenon that reduces the bioavailability [4] of plant extracts before they can reach the bloodstream. This affects many natural extracts and medications, such as morphine and lidocaine. CBD oil is only affected by this system when it is consumed orally. That is why it was commonly recommended to use the oil in a vaporizer or a tincture.

It turns out that nanoemulsion allows the CBD to enter the body and avoid the effects of first-pass metabolism. It’s as if it were able to trick the body into believing that it was water. This technique has been used with other plant extracts in the past with similar effects.

Another area where water-soluble absorption differs is within the stomach. Blobs of oil are not easily absorbed by the stomach. They need to be broken down by various enzymes and work their way through the liver. This doesn’t happen with water-soluble CBD. The particles are broken down to such small sizes that they are immediately absorbed by the stomach lining and enter into the bloodstream.  

WHY IS IT BETTER TO USE THAN CBD OIL?

There’s no denying that CBD oil is good for the body, but consuming it in its oil form is not ideal. Most companies recommend using oil in a vape pen. However, the long-term effects of vaporizers on the body are not fully understood. The risks associated with the vape pen could greatly outweigh the benefits of the CBD oil.

Unfortunately, the nature of CBD oil makes it impossible to benefit from when consumed orally. You may find it sold in capsules, but those capsules are barely making a difference due to the first-pass metabolism.

You might be thinking, what about CBD drinks, is my body not digesting them? The answer really is it all depends on how those companies formulated their drinks. A lot of Cannabidiol oil capsules out there are not converted in any special way and actually going to have really poor bioavailability [5]. This is a scientific fact that not every company or consumer is aware of and if they are aware of it, most of them have chosen to ignore it for some reason.

This also means you can’t drop CBD oil in your coffee, your soda, or use it with your food. Consuming it orally significantly reduces its bioavailability.

It all comes down to the fact that we can’t effectively absorb CBD in our stomach as it is.

That’s not a problem that you encounter with water-soluble CBD [6]. You don’t have to risk using an e-cigarette, and you don’t have to invest in capsules that are only 20 percent effective. It is clear that the absorption is much more efficient than CBD oil and lasts just as long.

Water-soluble CBD oil can be added to your favorite drinks or foods with ease. You will enjoy the full benefit of the Cannabidiol because your body won’t be fighting against it.

The production of water-soluble CBD isn’t perfect yet, but it’s continually being improved, and it’s already clearly a better option than traditional Cannabidiol oil.

Learn more at aquaclearcbd.com