topicals

How CBD Can Be Taken: 4 Different Delivery Methods

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CBD is a hot product, and we’re thrilled to see how much it is changing people’s lives around the world. As it grows in popularity, however, we’ve noticed that users and non-users both are often confused about how it should be taken.

In fact, many do not realize how many different CBD-based products there are or how many different ways CBD can be consumed! There might even be some options out there that might work better for you than how you are using CBD now.

Today, we’re going to break down the top four CBD consumption methods so that everyone reading can have a complete understanding of their options, the pros, and the cons. Let’s get started!

Method #1: Orally

The first way that CBD can be taken, and one of the most common consumption methods, is to take it by mouth. Taking CBD orally is very popular, so there are a lot of different products out there to allow for it.

Directly consuming CBD can be one of the least-effective absorption rates if it is not done properly. Why is that?

Oral Absorption Rate

CBD is full of molecules that can easily dissolve in fats, but they don’t dissolve in water very well. Due to how digestion works, this means that taking CBD directly has a low absorption rate. This can be slightly improved by mixing CBD into a carrier:

  • • Gummies
  • • Oils
  • • Edible food items
  • • Capsules with oil in them

The oil helps the CBD make it into the body more effectively, raising the absorption rate to between 6% and 20%. The final absorption amount will depend on how much your body takes away from the product during digestion and filtration.

Timing & More

When using CBD orally, it takes up to 2 hours to feel the effects. This is because the CBD must travel through the metabolic process before hitting the bloodstream and then being absorbed by the body.

Once the effects start, however, they tend to last much longer than other consumption methods. For this reason, many people prefer to use CBD orally as they are looking for long-term relief.

Method #2: Sublingually

Another way that CBD can be consumed is by putting it under the tongue. This delivery method, also known as taking CBD sublingually, isn’t as popular as oral consumption. 

How Is CBD Taken Sublingually?

One common way of extract CBD is to mix it into an alcohol-based extraction known as a tincture. Tinctures are very strong in their concentration, so you only need to take a few drops at a time for it to be effective. The user simply places a few drops under their tongue, and then the CBD will begin to enter the bloodstream.

Is Sublingual Consumption Effective?

When CBD is taken this way, it doesn’t need to make its way through the bloodstream. Instead, it is directly absorbed. Similar to tinctures, CBD sprays can also be sprayed straight into the mouth and be absorbed quickly.

CBD taken sublingually absorbs into the body much more effectively than taking it orally because it does not need to go through the metabolic system. This means that it encounters no enzymes the liver that would usually breakdown the CBD. 

As such, the bioavailability or absorption rate of CBD taken sublingually is usually between 12% and 35%.

Timing and More

CBD taken under the tongue works immediately as it enters the bloodstream right away. However, some of it is usually swallowed as well, so you will also have more longterm effects after the CBD makes its way through the metabolic system.

Method #3: Inhalation

Have you ever heard of vaping?

Using a vaporizing stick, also known as a vape, to use CBD is becoming very common. All that you need to do is load in a CBD cartridge. These cartridges are available in many different CBD oil percentages, so you can customize the concentration or type of cannabis strain that you want to use.

How Does Vaping Work?

A vape pen heats up the CBD oil without releasing any smoke in a way that vaporizes the oil. The absorption rate of vaping, on average, is around 33%. Still, the absorption rates can reach as high as 56% depending on the cartridge used.

Timing and More

CBD reaches the bloodstream incredibly quickly whenever using a vape. This is because the CBD comes through the respiratory system rather than the metabolic system. The respiratory system is full of very small, thin veins. As such, the absorption efficiency is incredibly high, and the CBD molecules can get into the bloodstream almost immediately.

As mentioned above, this is one of the most popular ways to consume CBD oil. The effects are immediate when used that way. The effect in the end, however, is determined by the strength of CBD cartridge used with the vape pen.

Method #4: Topically

CBD can also have beneficial effects when it is applied to the skin and allowed to absorb, but there are a few things that you should know about using it this way. Primarily, you should remember that the CBD won’t be reaching your metabolic system or bloodstream, so the effect will be quite different.

How Do Topical Products Work?

When topical CBD products are applied to the skin, they spread over the skin, and the CBD will eventually move through some of the skin’s layers. Then, it can bind and interact with cannabinoid system receptors located in the skin.

The CBD itself never gets into the bloodstream when this method is used. All positive effects are caused by the interceptors in the skin, not by more common methods of blood absorption. This typically means that the CBD concentration in all topical products needs to be very high for them to bring effective relief to the user.

Another popular CBD topical product is a transdermal patch. These patches deliver a specific amount of CBD to the body over time. Due to added chemicals that allow CBD molecules to make it into the bloodstream, when delivered via a patch, the CBD will have a higher absorption rate.

The Curiosity of Kratom Skin Care Products: Are They Worth It?

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There are a lot of herbal products well-known for the power they can infuse into skincare products. Kratom, however, is not typically listed on these lists. Most people have probably never considered that something as out-of-this-world and specific as kratom skincare products even exists! 

Kratom skincare products are limited in number, but there are a few interesting categories that are worth learning more about. The problem with these products so far is that not very many people use them, so it is hard to know exactly what they are like and how well they work when used long-term.

So you end up being left with questions: Do these products work, and can they work for you? Let’s do a deep dive into the products to find out more.

Kratom Soap

One type of product that you might come across when shopping for kratom products is a kratom soap. Users of this type of product have had a few positive things to say about their experiences:

  • • Fewer dry skin patches
  • • Fewer itchy skin patches
  • • More even skin tone

Of course, all of these experiences are anecdotal and could be related to the soap makeup and not the kratom itself. Regardless, a good product is a good product! Handmade soaps and those made by smaller companies tend to use fewer chemicals and gentler products.

It is thought that kratom might help to relieve itchy, patchy skin areas because of some specific sugars that are found in the powder. The sugar is known as rhamnose. On its own, rhamnose has been shown to help our body fight signs of aging, so it is possible that kratom may be able to fight signs of aging as well.

There are a few effects that people using kratom soap noticed that are more likely to be related to kratom than to the other soap ingredients. In particular, people mentioned that their muscle aches caused by fatigue decreased in frequency.

Other Kratom Skincare Products

Soap is not the only product that can be made with kratom. In fact, there’s a fairly wide range of products that you can find at different shops right now. Some of the most popular options include:

  • • Sugar scrub
  • • Lip balms
  • • Lotions
  • • Toners
  • • Face wash

If there’s a type of skincare product that you want to try with kratom in it, go ahead and search for it. You’ll be surprised at how many different things that you are able to find already on the market!

Make Your Own Kratom Beauty Products

Another way that you can give kratom beauty products a try without investing much more money is to make your own! Kratom can easily be infused into nearly any type of product as long as you know to properly combine the ingredients.

For instance, you can make soap by simply taking any soap recipe and then adding ⅓ cup of kratom powder to the recipe. Then, experiment until you get the perfect combination! Sugar scrubs are another great option to try to make yourself as the slight grittiness of the kratom powder will act as an additional exfoliant.

In most cases, the best way to mix kratom into your favorite skincare products would be to turn it into an oil infusion or a tincture before mixing it in. Kratom molecules are too big to penetrate the skin, so creating an infused liquid that takes on kratom’s alkaloid properties is like making a batch of kratom tea for your skin. Your body can absorb it better this way.

The Science of Skincare

While there is a lot of anecdotal evidence that kratom skincare is powerful and effective, there isn’t a lot of science out there to support that just yet. We know that kratom has specific effects on the body whenever it is ingested via a powder, tea, or another form. This is because the alkaloids interact with specific parts of your body.

Skincare products, on the other hand, would never be digested. Even if they are absorbed through the skin, the products won’t make it into your body the same way that kratom you drink or eat does.

That isn’t to say that there is absolutely no evidence that kratom might have positive topical effects. In fact, there’s a number of interesting research studies on that very topic:

  • • This study suggests that kratom might have topical benefits.
  • • This article has shown that kratom has been traditionally used as a skincare agent in Malay people. There is evidence that traditional Thai medicine also teaches a number of topical uses for kratom.

What’s still not fully known today is how kratom interacts with the body when applied to it. More research needs to be done to confirm the anecdotal. For now, however, we’re satisfied to believe that kratom skincare can make a difference whenever you choose the right product!

What We Think Is Happening

It is not yet known if the major chemical alkaloids found in kratom can penetrate the skin or cause any type of positive skin effect. The benefits seen could be caused by mitragynine and 7-hydroxy-mitragynine, or they could be caused by any of the other smaller compounds and alkaloids that are unique to kratom.

Ultimately, we think that the terpenes, alkaloids, and flavonoids found in kratom are definitely able to create some skincare benefits. The exact benefits, however, are something that you will have to wait a bit longer to find out!

Where to Buy Kratom Skincare Products

As with any kratom-based product, it is important that you take the time to make sure that you are buying from a reputable seller. Kratom is a safe product when harvested, packaged, and processed properly, but not every vendor is going to follow the rules as they should.

Do some basic research before you buy anything from kratom vendors:

By finding out more about how each vendor imports and sells their kratom, you’ll be able to get a better picture of whether or not they are a good choice for you.