Which Is Best, CBD Oil or Capsules?

Shopping for CBD can be tricky with many different forms of CBD. CBD oil and capsules are the most common forms. Compare them by explaining what they are and how to take them.

The popularity of CBD is growing every day, with more people realizing its therapeutic benefits. The Food Standard Agency has approved CBD products for managing body discomforts like anxiety, stress, pain, sleep, and inflammation. Therefore, CBD industries have created various products to harness these benefits, from standard oil to CBD capsules. CBD oil is the most popular supplementation, but capsules rapidly emerge as a new CBD intake. Choosing the best CBD products depends on user preference, dosage, flavor, and availability.

What Is CBD?

Cannabidiol (CBD) is a healthy compound existing naturally in the Cannabis Sativa plant with over 100s other cannabinoids. It is mostly extracted from the hemp plant, which is highly concentrated compared to other cannabis strains. In 2018, the UK government allowed the use of CBD products for public consumption if they contain no or less than 2% THC. Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is another popular cannabinoid that causes a sensation of highness, tension, and paranoia in marijuana smokers. According to Boggs et al. (2018), CBD has no psychoactive effects on its user but can be used to soothe addiction and mind-altering effects associated with smoking cannabis.

What Is CBD Oil?

CBD oil is the most popular cannabis product with high CBD potency and is mostly available in tinctures and bottles. Upon extraction of the cannabinoid, the compound is highly diluted with organic carrier oils like hemp seed oil to create a highly concentrated CBD oil. The oil can be subjected to high pressure to make CBD vape oil directly infused in products like gummies, creams, lotions, softgels, etc. According to Hazekamp& Arno (2018), companies use different extraction methods in deriving the cannabinoid, resulting in three different types of CBD oil, namely:

Full-Spectrum CBD Oil

It contains all cannabinoids existing in the cannabis, including traces of THC (less than 0.2%). The cold-pressing extraction method is mostly used to extract the oil from the hemp extract.

Isolate CBD Oil

It contains pure CBD compounds with no contamination from other plant phytochemicals. It is made by extracting all cannabinoids and terpenes from hemp extract and isolating odorless CBD crystals. The pure crystals are then diluted with a carrier oil.

Broad-Spectrum CBD Oil

It contains almost all cannabinoids and terpenes in the hemp extract except THC. It provides entourage effects associated with terpenes and other minor cannabinoids without the risk of getting high.

What Are CBD Capsules?

CBD capsules are small airtight tablets containing dry CBD ingredients as the main ingredient. They are made of a dissolvable casing that easily digests by digestive enzymes to release the cannabinoid. The casing is pure gelatin which comprises vegetable raw materials. People confuse capsules with CBD softgels. They may be shaped the same but softgels houses a predetermined amount of CBD oil, while capsules contain dry ingredients of CBD.

How to Take CBD Capsules and Oil

CBD Capsules

Swallowing CBD capsules is the easiest way to enjoy CBD effects. They have a soft casing making them manageable and convenient even if you struggle to swallow medical pills.  It involves washing the capsule with a quick water swig and avoiding taking more than one at once.

CBD Oil

Unlike CBD capsules which are limited in consumption methods, CBD oil can be taken in four different ways. They include;

Sublingual

It involves placing a few drops of CBD oil under the tongue. Hold the liquid for a few seconds to allow the cannabinoid to be absorbed directly into the bloodstream.

Vaping

CBD oil can be further compressed to create vape juice. It involves vaporizing the oil using electronic devices like vape pens and inhaling the vape directly into the bloodstream through lung tissues.

Cooking

You can add CBD oil to your daily meals and drinks to mask its bitter earthy taste. It does not affect the texture and the flavor of the meal

Ingesting

You can easily swallow CBD oil-like capsules, although its bitter taste is a big no-no to many cannabis consumers.

Advantages of CBD Oil Over Capsules

CBD Oil Offers a More Flexible Dosage

CBD oil is packed in small bottles along with a calibrated dropper. You can easily measure the CBD dosage of your preference. CBD capsules come with a predetermined dosage of CBD that is handy to dose. For instance, if a capsule has 20Mg of CBD, you can adjust it to 10 or 5mg.

Higher Bioavailability

Bioavailability is the power of any supplement or drug to be broken down and absorbed into the body. In CBD, bioavailability is based on the method of consumption. Perucca et al. (2020) explained that by vaping or sublingually taking CBD oil, the cannabinoid is directly absorbed into the bloodstream; within 2 to 5 minutes, the effects of CBD will start manifesting. Iftikhar et al. (2021) claimed that CBD capsules are subjected to breakdowns of digestion and metabolic enzymes before CBD is absorbed into the circulatory system. Therefore, depending on your body's metabolic rate, you start feeling its effect for 30 to 90 minutes.

It Is More Convenient for Pets

CBD oil can be easily added to the food or water of pets to treat various symptoms. However, capsules cannot dissolve in pet foods or drinks.

CBD Oil Is More Popular

CBD oil is the most common supplement and provides a wide range of sizes, formulations, potencies, and flavors to adjust your preference. CBD capsules are new in the CBD supplement and provide limited formulations to narrow your choice.

Benefits of CBD Capsules Over CBD Oil

Precise Dosage

CBD capsules are labeled with the exact amount of active ingredient present per capsule. The droppers are more susceptible to human error with CBD oil,.

More Discreet and Travellers' Best Friend

CBD oils are difficult to transport since the liquid may leak into the bag. On the other hand, CBD capsules are easy to travel without leaving oily strains on your bag or cloth. It means you can easily take them anywhere without worrying about drawing attention.

CBD Capsules Have No Flavour or Texture

The biggest roadblock to taking CBD oils sublingually is their earthy bitter taste. They have strong flavor and texture. Unless you add flavorings or take them with food, you won't like them.

The Bottom Line

With all the available information on CBD capsules and CBD oil, the best product depends on the user's preference and the problem being addressed. no product between them is 100% better than the other., CBD oil is most recommended for its flexible dosage if you are a newbie. You can easily start from a small dosage and gradually mature as your body tolerance grows. Capsules are best to mask the taste  for people sensitive to CBD oil's earthy, thick flavor,

References

Boggs, D. L., Nguyen, J. D., Morgenson, D., Taffe, M. A., & Ranganathan, M. (2018). Clinical and preclinical evidence for functional interactions of cannabidiol and Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol. Neuropsychopharmacology, 43(1), 142-154.

Hazekamp, A. (2018). The trouble with CBD oil. Medical cannabis and cannabinoids, 1(1), 65-72.

Perucca, E., &Bialer, M. (2020). Critical aspects affect cannabidiol oral bioavailability, metabolic elimination, and clinical implications. CNS drugs, 34(8), 795-800.

Iftikhar, A., Zafar, U., Ahmed, W., Shabbir, M. A., Sameen, A., Sahar, A., ... &Aadil, R. M. (2021). Applications of Cannabis Sativa L. in Food and Its Therapeutic Potential: From a Prohibited Drug to a Nutritional Supplement. Molecules, 26(24), 7699.