Why CBD Vaporization Works Better Than Ingestion
To vape or to ingest? That is the question.
With the growing popularity and demand for cannabidiol (CBD), the number of ways on how it can be consumed is also increasing. This is especially relevant when talking about getting the most out of the benefits that CBD provides — relaxation, pain relief, help with insomnia, etc.
When CBD first hit the market, it was consumed by ingestion or through sublingual drops. However, advances in vape pens opened a new (and arguably easier and more convenient) way for people to get their CBD fix through inhalation.
But is vaping CBD better than ingesting it? There is evidence that points to ‘yes’.
Understanding the “B Word”
The arguments whether vaping is better than ingesting CBD, and vice versa, mainly revolve around one thing — bioavailability. It may sound like scientific jargon, but the concept is pretty simple.
Bioavailability is the amount or percentage of a substance consumed that is actually available for the human body to absorb. The method in which CBD is consumed affects the level of bioavailability:
- Ingestion: 6% – 15%
- Absorbed directly through mouth: 35%
- Intranasal (applied through nose): 34% – 46%
- Vaporization (absorbed through lungs): 40%
The numbers speak for themselves: ingestion has the lowest bioavailability percentage, while vaping has the highest. This is because ingesting CBD goes through many processes in the body.
To simplify, when CBD is ingested, it’s digested in the gut and then processed through the liver. These multi-step interactions reduce the bioavailability of ingested CBD.
On the contrary, when CBD is vaped, it is almost immediately absorbed by the body.
Faster Effects, Easier Dosing, More Bang for the Buck
That said, one of the advantages of vaping CBD is vapers reap the rewards almost instantaneously. Someone feeling anxious doesn’t need to wait several hours to feel the relaxing effect of CBD.
This also means that dosing is easier compared to ingestion. A vaper can take a puff and determine just after a few minutes whether they took enough or if they need more. It’s difficult to do the same with CBD ingestion.
At the same time, many CBD enthusiasts agree that they are getting more out of their buck because they don’t need to consume as much CBD to feel its effects through vaping. For example, vaping 10mg of CBD will have the same effect as taking 30mg to 40mg if it’s ingested.
Should CBD Users Switch to Vaping?
While the evidence points to the advantages of vaping CBD over ingestion, at the end of the day, it’s a matter of personal preference. CBD has been consumed orally for many years and many CBD fans could have built an affinity for CBD ingestion. Further, those who are not keen on inhaling substances directly to their lungs may not find vaping appealing.
On the other hand, those who want to enjoy the benefits of CBD vaping outlined above can easily do so, given the many options for CBD vape pens and CBD products available to them.
AirVape sells only the highest quality vaporizers and vape accessories and has been hailed as one of the best by many vaping critics worldwide. Check out our oil concentrates portable vaporizer, the AirVape OM. It’s a new generation vape pen that can be used for a variety of pre-filled CBD oil cartridges for the best on-the-go vaping experience.
In the meantime, we’re curious to know whether you’ve taken CBD through ingesting and vaping. Which did you like better? Share your thoughts in the comments section below!
