Okay, so you have decided that you’d like to try CBD. You go to the store or shop online and there are oils, tinctures, creams, and gummies. Talk about overwhelming!

The variety of different CBD products that exist are for good reason. Each method of administration will treat different issues and will come into effect in the body at different times, and with different bioavailabilities. [1]

what are the forms of cbd?

tincture / oil / spray

The tincture comes as a dropper that is dropped under the tongue. This is done because the area beneath the tongue is full of tiny blood vessels known as capillaries. Capillaries are where gas exchange and general absorption occur, so placing CBD there will allow it to quickly enter the bloodstream. After holding the oil beneath the tongue for 30-60 seconds, it should begin to take effect in around 15 minutes. Tinctures are useful for needing a longer sense of relaxation. This form of administration is also on the higher side of bioavailability.

cream

Anything applied to the body is different in that very little of it is absorbed into the bloodstream through the skin. Instead, CBD applied to surface pain penetrates cannabinoids into that specific location of the body. Thusly, creams and lotions are useful for centralized pain and to treat muscle pain, soreness, or some other form of subsurface inflammation.

vape

Vape pens are generally composed of water vapor, flavorings, and CBD. Inhaling CBD is quick in administration because the alveoli within the lungs have pulmonary capillaries that allow for quick absorption into the bloodstream. The effect of inhalation is fast acting, almost immediate, but only lasts for 10-15 minutes. This form of administration is most useful for those who need quick and momentary relief, such as after sensing an approaching anxiety attack or before giving a speech. This also supposedly offers the highest form of bioavailability.

candy / capsule

Gummies are certainly one of the more fun ways to take CBD due to the taste and fun candy-like appearance. Ingestion of CBD in the form of gummies or pills takes time to administer CBD into the body, but the effects are longer lasting. This is because digestion naturally takes a longer time to occur, and absorption of nutrients and other molecules occurs within the small intestine. This absorption allows for cannabinoids to enter the blood after 30 minutes to an hour, yet this will allow CBD to have its effect for longer. This is most useful for a longer sense of relaxation that is not needed right away. One negative of ingesting CBD is that the bioavailability of CBD is decreased when ingested due to the digestion process and filtering through the liver.