Vaping CBD vs sublingual - which is right for you?
Most people use a particular method of taking CBD because of how they were introduced to taking the supplement. Others settle for a particular method after trying a few and settling on their current CBD delivery mode as it's their preferred way of taking their dose. The most common methods of taking CBD include sublingual, vaping, edibles, and topical application.
Most products revolve around these four though not limited to them. For example, nasal sprays are under a different category. The most common is sublingual with CBD oil and tinctures being taken this way, but vaping is slowly gaining traction, especially among the younger generation.
In this latest post, we discuss and compare vaping CBD and the sublingual methods. Read on to find out which method is right for you.
Vaping CBD vs sublingual
Let us start our discussion by stating that there is no right or wrong way to take CBD. What is comfortable for you may not feel right to another person. Our advice, do what feels best for you. These two popular methods of taking CBD are similar in some aspects and differ in others, but one thing is for sure they have a higher bioavailability than most other methods.
The science behind bioavailability
When you take CBD in any form, depending on which method, it will vary as to when it will enter your bloodstream or digest in your body. Bioavailability is not specific to CBD but refers to the availability of a substance to the body’s cells. The higher the bioavailability, the higher the amount of the substance that makes it to the cells.
In medicine, ibuprofen has the highest bioavailability at 80%. CBD edibles have the lowest bioavailability, with vaping as the highest and sublingual coming second. Most of the research on CBD is scanty. Some of it suggests that when CBD is combined with MCT carrier oils, the bioavailability rate is highest.
But another research, though not conclusively, suggests that vaping CBD has the highest bioavailability. The reasoning behind it is because the CBD passes through the lung membranes and into the blood. It is thought to be around 50%.
One explanation for the reasons why CBD bioavailability is low is its hydrophobic nature. The human body comprises 70% water, and water-soluble substances tend to have better bioavailability. CBD performs better when it binds to fats.
But how do the two methods compare?
Vaping CBD
Vaping requires two things; a vape device and vape juice. Vape devices vaporise CBD vape juice, producing a vapour that a user will inhale through the device’s mouthpiece. The devices are very easy to use, with the most basic being the disposable devices suitable even for beginners. One does not require prior knowledge to vape successfully.
When you take a puff out, the CBD is inhaled into the lungs, diffusing into the blood. The entire process takes only a few minutes, and you should start to feel the effects within a maximum of ten minutes. Unlike ingesting CBD, vaping bypasses the digestive system, which takes a long time and has a low bioavailability.
Sublingual
It simply means to take a substance by placing it under the tongue. Most CBD oil and CBD tinctures come with droppers used to place the required number of drops under the tongue. You simply tilt your head back a bit and move the tongue out of the way. Some droppers come with markings showing the amount, and you can tell the exact amount before you dispense it. But if yours has no markings, follow the required number of drops.
You should not swallow immediately but hold the CBD oil under your tongue for about a minute and a half. This allows the CBD to be absorbed through the mucus membranes into the blood, bypassing the digestive system. You can swallow the residue CBD oil after the time is up or wash it down with a glass of water.
Sublingual delivery method is also a fast and efficient way of taking CBD. You end up swallowing some of the CBD, meaning some of the CBD reaches your blood through the digestive tract. This fact lowers the bioavailability as only a small percentage of ingested CBD makes it to the blood.
Comparing vaping CBD to sublingual method
Similarities
Both methods of delivery have a high bioavailability, but taking CBD via vaping is higher. They are efficient and suitable for anyone wishing to feel the effects of CBD immediately. Also, the effects of the CBD delivered using both methods do not last even though effects of sublingual last longer than vaping because of the ingested CBD.
Differences
The most notable difference is in how you use them. Vaping requires a device that produces the vapour you consume while sublingual does not. Sublingual mode of delivery simply requires placing your CBD under the tongue.
Vape juice is very different from the tinctures and oils that are taken sublingually. As a rule, you should only vape liquids that are designated for vaping. Vaping other substances and CBD oil is highly discouraged. Vape juice constitutes vegetable glycerine, propyl glycol, flavouring, and CBD solid.
Vaping CBD vs sublingual: Which is right for you?
A few factors should help you decide which is right for you. For instance, do you need to be discreet in taking CBD? Not everyone is comfortable puffing out clouds of smoke, and so vaping is not an option for such people. The sublingual method offers a discreet way of enjoying CBD, though not as discreet as taking a gummy. But compared to vaping, even if you are in public, you can excuse yourself for three minutes.
Another factor you need to consider is how long you want to feel the effects. If you are looking for continuous effects throughout the day, then both methods may not be suitable. An edible would make much more sense as its effects last for hours.
The best way is to use the two methods alternatively or combined with other methods such as edibles. Sometimes a topical may be all you need, or you may need to combine it with another method.
But you should remember that taking CBD is mostly about experimentation. Since our bodies are wired differently, our response to CBD is different. Hence before you find your optimal mode of delivery, you will have to try several methods. But when you find one or maybe a combination that works for you, stick to it. Always remember what may work for you may not work for another person.
CBD Dosing
Like most things CBD, the best way to know your optimum dose is through experimentation. We recommend starting with the lowest dose and adjusting accordingly. Once you decide on a dose, take it for a few days to a week and monitor how you feel. Do this until you feel you have your optimum dose and stick to it.
Some of the factors that affect the dosage include your body weight, how long you have been taking it, age, and gender. There are online calculators to guide you in figuring out your starting dose.
Regardless of the mode of delivery, the dosage remains the same. Both vaping and sublingual methods are not difficult to figure out the dosage since the product will indicate CBD concentration.
Take away on vaping CBD vs sublingual
Vaping is an efficient method of taking CBD with very high bioavailability, the highest compared to all the other methods. You need to have a vaping device such as a pen and quality vape juice. You should never vape substances that are not meant for vaping, such as oils.
In contrast, the sublingual method does not require any devices, as the dropper that comes with the bottle is sufficient to deliver the CBD under your tongue. Some of the CBD oil, tinctures, or concentrate you take sublingually end up being ingested. It provides a boost once it is absorbed as it takes a longer time to be digested.
There is no right or wrong method to take CBD. Follow the method that works best for you. Always buy your products from quality suppliers that share their third-party lab test results.