CBD is extremely versatile and can be purchased in several forms. Water-soluble CBD, although relatively new, has already become popular among users.
What is water-soluble CBD?
Water-soluble CBD is the process of where CBD extract is mixed into water. Cannabinoids are fat-soluble, meaning that molecules dissolve simply into fatty substances such as oil, but doesn’t mix particularly well with water.
That is the main reason the majority of CBD products are oil-based. One difference with oil-based CBD is that fats are usually broken down by enzymes and it may take longer to pass through your bloodstream and stomach.
CBD companies soon realised that if you expose the CBD to a particular sound wave, it vibrates the CBD apart into microscopic nanoparticles. Another way to achieve the same effect is by adding emulsifying substance at high pressure or encapsulating the cannabinoids in other materials.
How it works
When swallowing CBD oil, it must be broken down into smaller pieces. This process is known as the first-pass effect, and this is what is responsible for low bioavailability of ingested CBD oil.
There are two stages to the first-past effect. The first happens in your gut and then the second in your liver. Bile and pancreatic juices enter your gut from the gall bladder and your pancreas. The enzymes break down the fats and the fat-soluble CBD into smaller pieces, allowing it to pass through the gut wall and into your bloodstream. The second stage is when your blood takes those small pieces through your liver, breaking it down.
Choosing a water-soluble CBD, the first stage of the first-pass effect is missed out. It can pass straight to your bloodstream and miss the process of being broken down in your gut. The CBD then passes through your liver and is broken down even more. Regardless of whether it is CBD oil or water-soluble CBD, it must be broken down by the liver.
Does water-soluble absorb when taken under the tongue?
Lipase is the main enzyme that is responsible for breaking down fats during the first process. This enzyme is found in the gut, the gall bladder and also in your mouth. When you place the CBD oil under your tongue, because of the presence of lipase, it breaks the CBD down allowing it to pass into your blood vessels.
When holding a water-soluble CBD under your tongue, it is already able to cross the membrane into your blood and does not need to be broken down by lipase.
Conclusion
Water-soluble CBD is becoming more popular. However, there is no proof which method of taking CBD is the most effective, and how the nano-particles react as they pass through the gut.
