Breaking Down CBD Pills, Vapes, Gummies, and Tinctures

CBD oil is available in different formulations. Moreover, it can be utilized in various ways. Tinctures, pills, vapes, and gummies are some of the ways one can administer CBD oil into the body.

Cannabidiol is an active compound derived from cannabis and hemp plants. It has found its way to the market because it has been made legal. Therefore, CBD can be used by people since it is infused in most skin care products, foods, and drinks. There are various ways in which CBD can be taken into the body, including edibles, CBD topicals, sublingual, and vaping. This gives the user preferences to choose from to satisfy their needs. CBD products are designed based on the compounds available. This article highlights everything about pills, vapes, gummies, and tinctures.

What is CBD?

Cannabidiol is a chemical compound found in cannabis Sativa or hemp plants. It is one of the many compounds found in the cannabis plant. CBD was legalized by the food and drug administration, and it is now found in almost 50 states; for a reason, CBD made its way to the market where it was infused into many products, including food and drinks. Tetrahydrocannabinol, THC, is the most common cannabis compound because of its psychoactive property, giving users a high feeling. 

Studies show that CBD can be used to relieve anxiety, reduce pain and treat patients with seizures. Most people tend to believe that CBD has the same effect. CBD does not alter the user's mental state; however, it has health benefits. THC and CBD are derived from the same plant. However, CBD extracted from the hemp plant contains a small amount of THC. According to Pellati et al. (2018), CBD is an added ingredient to skin care products because its anti-inflammatory property can help some skin conditions such as acne, eczema, and psoriasis.

CBD is divided into three; full-spectrum, broad-spectrum, and isolate CBD. Isolate CBD is the purest form of CBD (99.9%). It does not contain any plant additives or other compounds that complement CBD. CBD isolate comes in powder or pure crystal form. Full-spectrum CBD has all the compounds found in the extracted plant, including THC, which gives the user a high feeling because it does not go through high processing. Products with full-spectrum CBD make consumers benefit from all the compounds. Broad-spectrum CBD contains all the compounds of the plants, including the flavonoid. However, the users will not have a high feeling since it does not contain THC.

CBD can be found in various forms, which will determine how it will be used, including; vaping/smoking, sublingual, edibles, and topical.

Edibles          

Edibles are in various forms, such as gummies, truffles, or mints. They have sugar and additives that mask the weed taste. Edibles are discrete, and the best way to try CBD is suitable for newbies. This can work well for the users who do not want an immediate effect because CBD edibles are subjected to a 'first-pass effect' where they go through the digestive tract and liver and are broken down. This will take up to 2 hours before kicking in and limit the amount of CBD absorbed to about 20 or 30%.

Vaping

Vaping is a new phenomenon with unknown side effects. However, it is considered healthier than smoking. Vaping involves using a cartridge where CBD e-liquid or oil is filled and inhaled into the lungs. CBD vapes can contain all plant components, including wax and oil, which appear thick and might make it hard to inhale. However, it can be made less viscous by mixing it with another form of e-liquid.

Vaping is found to have up to 56% bioavailability since it can easily be absorbed into the bloodstream compared to edibles which have to be broken down fast. According to Krueger (2020), CBD vapes contain different ingredients, including propylene glycol, vegetable glycerin flavonoids, and CBD extract. However, these ingredients can damage the lungs.

Sublingual

Sublingual products are designed to be absorbed under the tongue; they include tinctures; solutions made from soaking cannabis flowers into alcohol, oil, or sprays. They contain no additives; therefore can be the best for people who do not want sugar and preservatives found in the edibles. This product saves more CBD from being absorbed into the bloodstream since they are not subjected to the first pass process; therefore, the user can feel the effect faster. Learn more about are cbd gummies as good as cbd oil?

Topicals

According to Williams (2014), CBD topical products are designed to use on the skin surface. Therefore they can be the best when you want to treat some skin conditions, including eczema. They can be found in the form of lotion, balms, patches, salves, and creams. However, they are not subjected to digestion like edibles, which reduces their effectiveness. There is no estimate for the bioavailability of the topical CBD.

The topical CBD can be absorbed easily since the skin has a poor permeability compared to the mucus membrane found under the tongue. Therefore, you can use a high concentrated CBD on the skin surface.

CBD topicals can directly interact with the endocannabinoid receptors found on the skin, thus having an immediate effect on the body.

Factors To Consider When Buying CBD Products

The Source of CBD

Mead (2019) explained that CBD could be derived from hemp or cannabis; it is good to know the source of the CBD used on the product you desire to buy. CBD from hemp is encouraged. Also, the geographical origin of the plant matters since they directly impact the quality of the CBD product. US-grown CBD is emphasized by FDA, Food and Drug Administration because it is grown under agricultural regulations. This is because the cannabis plant can absorb every compound found in the soil and air; therefore, the chemicals used when growing this plant should be limited; high chemicals used on the plant will be present in the CBD, thus impacting its quality.

Extraction Method

The CBD extraction method involves the use of harsh and strong chemicals. CBD extracted from the leaves manufacturers use different techniques, including solvents and the CO₂ extraction method. The solvent method can affect the quality of the CBD extracted since there can be traces of the chemicals used. The CO₂ extraction is the best method since it does not contain chemicals, thus, maintaining the quality of CBD.

 THC Levels

THC is psychoactive and the most popular compound found in the cannabis plant since it gives a high feeling. CBD does not have the effect but can contain some THC, which should be below 0.3%. Different CBD products are designed based on their types of CBD; broad-spectrum, full-spectrum, and isolate CBD. Therefore, you can choose whether you want THC on the product or not.

 Conclusion

Topical CBD can be used in various ways. One can relax the muscles by using CBD massage oil. Moreover, CBD oil can be administered to the body through edibles, tinctures, or pills. CBD reports fewer side effects; therefore, if you have skin irritation from using CBD products such as oil or cream, stop immediately and rinse it off the skin. Also, if you are under medications, you should consult your doctor before using any CBD product.

References

Krueger, A. E. (2020). Search for the Cause of Vaping Associated Lung Injury in Adolescents.

Mead, A. (2019). Legal and regulatory issues governing cannabis and cannabis-derived products in the United States. Frontiers in plant science, 10, 697.

Pellati, F., Borgonetti, V., Brighenti, V., Biagi, M., Benvenuti, S., & Corsi, L. (2018). Cannabis sativa L. and nonpsychoactive cannabinoids: their chemistry and role against oxidative stress, inflammation, and cancer. BioMed research international, 2018.

Williams, H. C. (2014). Strengths and limitations of evidence-based dermatology. Indian Journal of Dermatology, 59(2), 127.