There can be a lot of details when it comes to understanding CBD. From chemistry, farming practices, and legal regulations, there are quite a few challenging things to unpack. Although we see terms like Full Spectrum, flavonoids, or COAs regularly within the community, definitions aren’t always clear, especially if you’re new to the whole thing.

Bioavailability is one of these more scientific, challenging topics. You may have heard the word thrown around a few times, or have a general idea of what it means, but even then, it can be a lot to understand. So, what is bioavailability? Why is it so heavily discussed, and what does it have to do with CBD? Like with most things CBD related, the science is still new and emerging. What we can do, however, is fill you in on what we know so far, and what impact it has on you.

What is bioavailability?

Put simply, bioavailability is how much of something is absorbed by your body, most often referring to drugs. When consuming something, not all of the substance actually gets absorbed. Some of it tends to be wasted, digested, or otherwise. Different substances have different levels of bioavailability.

Besides the unique properties of different substances and chemicals, bioavailability can be impacted by other variables. Individual factors like age, sex, stress, etc., can have an impact on how our bodies absorb things, while the method of application can also have an influence. For example, ‘first-pass metabolism’ is when something (like Advil, for example) is swallowed. Before it’s absorbed, it first has to pass through a variety of systems (particularly the liver) which metabolizes it, making it less available for absorption.

When a substance has higher bioavailability, less of it is needed to produce the same effects. This is important, especially with CBD, as getting the most value for your money and use out of your product is always desirable. It will also impact dosage calculations.

CBD Bioavailability

Due to a variety of application methods, CBD tends to have different bioavailability levels depending on how it’s being taken. According to the study above, anything taken orally, like edibles or capsules, tend to have much lower bioavailability due to the first-pass metabolism effect. Oils, or other things taken sublingually (under the tongue), like sprays, appear to have higher bioavailability because the CBD is able to be absorbed straight into the bloodstream, bypassing the other systems. The same goes for any kind of vaping or smoking, which tend to be the fastest-acting, most bioavailable of all application methods. Less is known about topicals, or transdermal (skin) application, and how much CBD content is absorbed into our bodies that way. In general, however, much more research is needed before we fully understand how CBD is absorbed by our bodies.

Since different ways of taking CBD is a larger topic, we’ve discussed it more here.

In terms of Full Spectrum CBD, which is filled with other supporting cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids, these compounds are all absorbed by our bodies in different ways. For example, flavonoids are known for having low bioavailability. Not much is known yet about how well the flavonoids within CBD are absorbed by our bodies and what impacts they might have.

CBD may also impact the bioavailability of other medications, and how they’re absorbed into our bodies. This is one reason why it’s so important to pay attention and discuss things with your doctor if you’re mixing drugs. For more info about drug interactions, check out what we wrote on the topic here.

Increasing Bioavailability

Due to the potential health benefits of CBD, research into finding ways of making CBD more bioavailable is underway. This is also interesting within the context of everyday consumers, since higher bioavailability means that less product may be needed.

Various studies have observed that eating food with CBD may help to increase bioavailability, specifically food with higher fat contents, like peanut butter, avocadoes, or dark chocolate. However, it’s important to note that this can be incredibly unpredictable and hard to measure. Depending on the foods and amounts eaten, absorption rates vary. This makes specifically dosing CBD a little more difficult. The studies above mostly investigated increasing the bioavailability of CBD taken orally, so more research is needed to assess if similar increases can be achieved with sublingually taken or smoked CBD.

Additionally, if taking CBD oil, the type of carrier oil may also make a difference. MCT, a common carrier in CBD oil is known for its bioavailability. MCT, or Medium-Chain Triglycerides, is made up of fats, which could be one possible explanation for why it helps with CBD absorption. The study above suggests that MCT may also help minimize first-pass metabolism.

TL;DR

Understanding CBD bioavailability is important. Ultimately, bioavailability will tell you how much CBD is being absorbed by your body. Different kinds of products have differing levels of bioavailability, and some studies have shown that eating fatty foods before taking CBD can increase absorption. MCT has also shown to improve bioavailability of CBD oil. However, ultimately, more research is needed before we fully understand how CBD is absorbed by our bodies.