Almost daily now we see CBD making headline news. However, amidst all the misinformation and marketing circulating on the Internet, it is not easy finding what you need to know about microdosing, despite microdosing being the hottest, latest medical trend. In this article, we explore how the body absorbs cannabidiol, or CBD, and how microdosing may just be the way of the future.
CBD is a cannabinoid, just like tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, is. However, unlike THC, CBD will not make you “high.” THC is the main psychoactive compound in cannabis plants and is what makes users stoned. CBD, on the other hand, is non-psychoactive. It will never impair your mental state. What is will do is manipulate your endocannabinoid system, which is why it has so many medical uses.
Importantly, CBD has a very low affinity for endocannabinoid receptors, such as CB1 receptors primarily in the brain and nervous systems, and CB2 receptors common on cells and tissues in the immune system. Instead of binding to them the way that THC does, CBD interacts with these receptors and others. For example, it activates GPR55 receptors to reduce inflammation and seizures.
Research proves CBD safe. Science evidences CBD interacting with TRPV1 receptors to lower pain sensitivity. Additionally, CBD also acts as a partial agonist to the 5-HT1A receptor, which has direct links to the stress-relieving, anti-depressant properties of CBD. Whenever you order CBD oil, you are supplementing more than just your endocannabinoid system. Science is busily discovering the rest.
The Swiss chemist famous for first synthesizing LSD, Dr. Albert Hofmann, is arguable the first to discover microdosing, as well. He was consuming minute doses of LSD for at least the last two decades of his life, and he lived to a ripe old age of 102 years. The actual definition of microdosing, according to Dr. Douglas Jorgensen, is the following:
“Microdosing, in general, is a means to manipulate the receptors to gain a desired physiologic response with less drug.”
Microdosing complies with all medical standards, particularly the mantra of “start low and go slow.” Although research proves CBD safe, microdosing with it conforms to the same standard. There is no difference. It is all about getting as much as possible from as little as possible. However, it remains unclear if smaller, albeit consistent, doses of CBD have more medical benefit than larger doses.
When you inject a drug directly into a vein, it is 100 percent bioavailable. The aim of CBD therapy is to get it into the bloodstream as fast as possible, without injecting it, obviously. According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, bioavailability simply means how much of a drug enters the bloodstream. How you administer CBD makes all the difference, and the same applies to microdosing:
When you swallow CBD, it must first go through the digestive system and the liver before absorption into the bloodstream. It dissolves quickly in the stomach, but because of the “first pass effect,” the liver does not completely metabolize it. Therefore, swallowing CBD has very low bioavailability, in most cases less than 10 percent.
Although effective in larger doses, it is for this reason that swallowing CBD is not ideal for microdosing. Additionally, because of its long route to the bloodstream, the effects of taking CBD may take an hour, perhaps two, for you to feel. To increase bioavailability of this method of consumption, some manufacturers infuse CBD with carrier oils, such as olive oil and hemp seed oil.
Because the mucus membranes of your mouth absorb CBD quickly and send it to the bloodstream almost immediately, dropping a few drops of CBD oil under the tongue offers increased bioavailability. However, refrain from swallowing too quickly, as this will defeat the purpose. Hold it under your tongue for at least a full minute, if not longer, to bypass the “first pass effect” and feel it in 20 minutes or so.
Puffing on a CBD-rich joint increases bioavailability to near 20 percent. For many weed lovers, smoking has become the most common method of consumption. Relief is almost immediate, since the lungs absorb CBD very quickly and send it directly into the bloodstream in minutes. Various CBD-rich marijuana strains are available, as are many with THC included, as well. Strains have differing effects.
When you vape CBD, bioavailability is exceptionally high, between 40 percent and 60 percent. When it comes to microdosing CBD, vaping is unquestionably the best method of consumption. It is healthier than a roll-up and up to four times more effective. With pure CBD isolates available these days, as well as a huge variety of vape technology, vaping has never been easier, more discreet, or more convenient.
There is no one-size-fits-all approach to microdosing CBD. Every individual has a unique endocannabinoid system and CBD will affect everyone differently, at different dosages. No formula exists for the perfect CBD microdose. Anecdotal evidence is all one has to figure out an appropriate dosage, but the reality is that finding the right dose involves much experimentation. Just start small.
Microdosing CBD has a definite medical future. In fact, it is already transitioning to mainstream medicine. Cannabis CBD has never been more popular than it is today. You can order CBD oil from just about any trusted, reputable supplier, and when you buy CBD online, you have access to the best quality, the largest selection of products to choose from, and more opportunities to save money.
