Over the years, CBD has gained a global reputation for its potential health benefits. Nonetheless, scientific studies currently remain scarce, so there’s no conclusive finding about how it can be good for your health. Meanwhile, many are sharing positive experiences through anecdotal evidence.
The potential effectiveness of CBD depends on many things. Among others, one thing that can have an impact is the way you take it. Two of the most popular methods are vaping and oral administration. Which one is better? Read on and find out!
Vaping CBD
Inhalation is a common way of taking CBD, including vaping. To do this, you will need a vape, electronic cigarette, or a similar device. It heats a liquid and creates vapor, which you will inhale. The aerosol it produces is a by-product of the liquid the device heats. The same liquid is what delivers CBD to the user through a mouthpiece into the lungs and expelled through the nose or mouth.
Vaping allows CBD to reach your bloodstream directly and quickly. This means that you will feel the effects quicker than with other methods. In 10 minutes or less, your body can absorb up to 56% CBD if you administer it through vaping.
The high bioavailability of CBD is often highlighted as one of the possible benefits of using CBD through vaping. This means that a little can go a long way. If you use CBD through gummies, for instance, it has to go through digestion first before being absorbed by the bloodstream. During the process, CBD breaks down, which can also slow down absorption and lessen the amount of CBD that reaches the bloodstream.
While CBD can be generally absorbed quickly by your body through vaping, different factors come into play. For instance, such can depend on how deep you inhale and how long you hold your breath. More so, the heat of the vaporizer can also impact the rate of absorption.
Some people might call vape juice cannabis oil, but such is technically wrong. Oil is a cannabis extract that is suspended in a carrier oil. Vape e-liquids, on the other hand, can be made using the same extract but with a different carrier oil. More so, they contain vegetable glycerin or propylene glycol, which acts as a thinning agent.
Pros
- Quick absorption through the bloodstream
- Provides users with control over vaping output
- High bioavailability
- Available in different flavors
- Using vaping devices can be confusing to some people
- Disposable equipment can be bad for the environment
- Minimal studies about the long-term effects of vaping
- Some chemicals used might cause allergic reactions upon inhalation
Taking CBD Orally
There are multiple ways a user can take CBD orally. For instance, you can take CBD capsules by mouth. More so, you can also ingest CBD orally through what is known as a tincture. This way, you will put CBD oil on your tongue, and it will stay there for a few seconds or a minute. Alternatively, you can also drop it on your food and drinks. Gummies and edibles are some of the most popular ways of using CBD orally.
Sublingual use of CBD can make you feel the results quickly, like vaping. More so, allowing your tongue to absorb CBD through tinctures could preserve more of the CBD and deliver results quicker compared to methods that will require going through your digestive tract.
However, some methods of using CBD orally can slow down the absorption. For instance, such might be the case for those taking CBD capsules or pills. They will need to pass through the digestive system first.
It is also crucial to note that an FDA-approved method of using CBD involves oral administration. This is in the form of Epidiolex, which is used for seizure treatment in relation to a condition known as Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, tuberous sclerosis complex, and Dravet syndrome. The right dosage depends on the weight of the user.
Meanwhile, other countries have also approved the use of an oral spray with an equal amount of CBD and THC, known as Sativex. The latter is used for pain treatment arising from multiple sclerosis. In Canada, its use is also legal for cancer pain management.
Pros
- Does not generate smoke or any noxious odor
- A discreet way of using CBD
- Available in different forms, including tinctures and capsules
- Some oral methods can slow down the absorption
- The flavor can be off, especially when used under the tongue
Final Verdict
Scientific evidence remains scarce, so it’s almost impossible to have a definite answer as to which method of using CBD is better. Nonetheless, if we must choose one, we’d say it is better to use oral CBD, especially through sublingual administration under the tongue. Taking it orally is more discreet than vaping.
