CBD Capsules Vs. Oil

There is an estimated 1 in 7 Americans that use CBD products. These products come in different ways, including oils, tinctures, gummies, edibles, tea, capsules, bath bombs, lotions, and more. It can be challenging to determine which product type is best for your lifestyle and goals as you begin your CBD journey.

This article will tackle CBD capsules and CBD oils, two of the simplest and easiest ways to consume CBD. Use the information to learn what CBD capsules are, what they are suitable for, how to buy them, and what makes them distinct from oils and other products. You will shop for oils and capsules with confidence when you know the difference.

What is CBD?

Cannabidiol (CBD) is a compound extracted mainly from hemp. Over 100 cannabinoids are found in hemp, but only a few have been studied for their effects on the human body. Scientists call them ‘phytocannabinoids’ (cannabinoids from plants) to distinguish them from endocannabinoids produced in our bodies.

Hemp is a specific kind of cannabis plant that yields high concentrations of CBD and only trace amounts of THC. Under federal law, hemp can legally contain only 0.3% THC or less. THC is the substance that is associated with the euphoric high. While some states allow THC for recreational use, most states still uphold its illegality.

Having a little bit of THC and other cannabinoids present in CBD products may enhance the overall efficacy of CBD. CBD products can legally contain at most 0.3% THC. Hence, full-spectrum CBD products are still considered legal if they do not exceed the THC limit. Many people prefer to use full-spectrum products because of the entourage effect.

Like all other cannabinoids, CBD interacts with the endocannabinoid system to produce potent effects and potential health benefits. It interacts with the cannabinoid receptors, which may help support our general well-being. Many studies show that other cannabinoids and terpenes help CBD promote better health. While most CBD oils contain pure CBD for easier dosing, you can find oils that retain the different compounds from hemp.

Reasons to Consume CBD

Many people use CBD for all kinds of reasons. Anecdotal evidence shows that many people live better and healthier lives because of CBD. Users take it through different methods, such as oils, capsules, edibles, and topical applications.

CBD tincture oil is possibly the most popular for medicinal use because it is easy to administer. It comes in a dropper bottle, making it look like any other medicine. You can administer it sublingually or orally. You can also use it to infuse foods and beverages with cannabis extract.

The research on CBD is still in its infancy. Years of prohibition have made it challenging to study. Fortunately, the legalization of hemp sparked the demand to know how cannabinoids impact our health and well-being. Preliminary research into CBD shows that it may potentially help reduce swelling, alleviate pain, promote better sleep, and possibly ease stress and worry.

Firsthand user experiences show that CBD has many other valuable uses. Still, we should wait for further scientific studies to determine how cannabinoids truly impact the health of the human mind and body. Therefore, if you consider taking CBD extract or any other hemp product for health purposes, it is best to speak to your healthcare professional.

What is CBD Oil Tincture?

Traditionally, tinctures refer to extracts that have been infused into alcohol (grain alcohol, gin, vodka, and rum). Many herbalists use ethyl alcohol to make tinctures but may also use vodka as a substitute because it is colorless and does not heavily affect the flavor of the herbs.

In the cannabis industry, tinctures are usually used to refer to cannabis oil packaged in a dropper bottle. Technically, cannabis oils are cannabis infusions. Nonetheless, cannabis tincture is now an accepted term for cannabis oil infusions that come with a dropper.

Droppers make it easy to determine how much CBD you are consuming. You can mix CBD oil with food and edibles in carefully measured amounts using the dropper. For this reason, many people prefer to buy tinctures along with other CBD products.

Full-spectrum hemp extract is taken from hemp. Once the flowers are harvested, they extract the CBD with other cannabinoids and terpenes. The manufacturers use either ethanol, oil, or CO2 extraction methods to get the plant’s necessary compounds. The extract can be infused in common carrier oils, like MCT oil and hemp seed oil to make full-spectrum CBD oil. It can also be processed further to remove the THC. By removing THC, manufacturers can make broad-spectrum CBD products.

What are CBD Capsules?

CBD capsules are basically CBD oil placed inside small edible capsules. These capsules may contain full-spectrum, broad-spectrum, or isolate CBD. They may also have other cannabinoids, such as CBG, CBN, and CBC. These products allow you to enjoy all the benefits of CBD in the easy-to-ingest soft gel capsules.

CBD capsules are packaged like any other oil-soluble dietary supplement. They are encapsulated in a soft gel material like gelatin. Some CBD capsules come in vegan-friendly plant-based capsule material. If you are vegan, you should check the ingredients carefully.

The CBD inside the capsules is often infused in a carrier oil. Remember that CBD is oil-soluble. Hence, it must be infused in oil to enhance its bioavailability and absorption. Some of the most familiar carrier oils include coconut oil, olive oil, hemp seed oil, and sometimes avocado oil.

Hemp seed oil enhances the potential health benefits of hemp extract and provides added nutrients. If you desire to obtain the full benefits of hemp, you should consider using CBD products infused with this type of oil. MOST OF THE TIME, the CBD is infused in MCT oil because it does not go rancid quickly and is easily accessible.

CBD Capsules vs. Oil

CBD capsules and oils provide the same benefits to the mind and body. However, they allow you to consume hemp extract differently. Capsules are straightforward. You take them orally and wait for the effects to kick in. With oils, you have a broader range of use. You can take it sublingually, orally, or infuse it with edibles.

Whichever method you choose, you introduce CBD into the body and allow it to interact with the endocannabinoid system. We are still learning how the endocannabinoid works entirely. Nonetheless, we know that the complex system of cannabinoid receptors plays a significant role in regulating mood, sleep, pain, swelling, appetite, memory, and more.

Thanks to the 2018 Farm Bill, CBD products that contain less than o.3% THC have been made legal. Now we can experience the benefits of CBD without having to experience the psychoactive high of THC. This scenario makes it easy to take cannabis for medicinal purposes because you do not have to experience mind-altering states of consciousness to enjoy the plant’s medical benefits.

The primary difference between oils and capsules is the method of delivery and absorption. People want the convenience of capsules because they are easy to take. Just put them in your mouth and swallow. You can carry a few capsules in your pocket and take them any time of the day and anywhere you go. If you are in a rush, you can quickly bring them along instead of taking an entire dropper bottle of CBD oil.

CBD capsules and CBD oils are absorbed differently by the body as well. Pills have to go through the digestive system. You have to wait for at least 30 minutes to two hours to experience the effects. The duration of the delayed effect depends entirely on how fast your digestive system absorbs the material.

Having a heavy meal before intake may delay the effect longer. Nevertheless, consuming capsules with a high-fat meal can increase the bioavailability of the CBD by four times compared to taking them on an empty stomach. This fact also applies to consuming edibles, such as gummies, candies, and beverages. Keep that in mind if you want to maximize the effect of CBD products.

On the other hand, CBD oil tinctures can be taken differently. You can ingest them to experience a delayed but more potent effect, take them sublingually for a more immediate impact, infuse them in food to make edibles, or apply them topically for localized pain management. Many prefer to take CBD oil under the tongue (sublingually) because it provides faster relief for swelling, pain, and worry. Put a few drops of the oil under the tongue for 30 seconds to 2 minutes and experience the effects around 10 to 15 minutes after administration.

CBD tinctures are more versatile than capsules. You can add it to your morning coffee or tea and enjoy the full benefits of CBD for the entire day. It is easy to add the oil into any beverage or food because it comes with a dropper. Place a full dropper into anything you cook and make a delicious edible instantly. You can find so many recipes online.

Lastly, CBD oil may come in different flavors. If flavor matters to you, then go for flavored CBD oil. You can enjoy the taste of orange, strawberry, or any other taste. However, if flavor is not a significant factor, you can enjoy the convenience of CBD isolate capsules for your daily dose.

The bottom line is that you can use CBD capsules for convenience and CBD oil for versatility. You can use both depending on your goal or situation. You can rely on capsules to provide you with CBD’s potential health benefits whenever you are on the move. Nonetheless, when you are at home, you can use CBD oil in various ways and even infuse it into foods and beverages to incorporate CBD into your daily routine.

When to Expect Results

Many people want speed. They prefer to get results as quickly as possible. This case is essential if you are taking CBD for pain management. Unfortunately, capsules have to dissolve in the stomach, pass through the intestines, go through the liver before entering the bloodstream. It takes time and can make some users impatient. If the speed of delivery is a significant factor for you, you should consider taking CBD oil sublingually to get faster results.

The Bioavailability of CBD Oil

The overall effect of CBD products depends on their bioavailability. The amount of CBD that your body absorbs effectively and delivers into your bloodstream. The bioavailability of CBD depends on how much you take and how you take it.

Many people take cannabidiol sublingually. “Sub” means under, and “lingual” refers to the tongue. It is the fastest way to deliver the compound into the bloodstream without smoking flowers or vaping juice. When you take CBD this way, it gets absorbed by the capillaries and gets into the bloodstream directly. It can provide you with instant relief and relaxation.

When you take the compound in this manner, you should expect around 20% to 30% bioavailability. It means that only 20 to 30 percent of the CBD gets into your bloodstream. Therefore, if you take 20mg of CBD, you should expect your body to absorb around 4 to 6 mg of CBD.

The Bioavailability of CBD Capsule

The bioavailability of ingested CBD products, such as capsules and edibles, is potentially lessened because they have to pass through the digestion process and be metabolized in the liver. Sublingual administration bypasses these processes because the CBD gets absorbed directly into the bloodstream.

Hence, there is a difference in bioavailability when you take products sublingually or through the digestive system. When swallowed, the bioavailability of capsules ranges from around 13 to 20 percent. Therefore, you can expect to receive about 2.6 to 4 mg of CBD when ingesting a 20mg capsule.

When you take capsules or eat CBD edibles with a high-fat meal, research suggests that the bioavailability of the CBD increases slightly. Therefore, you may want to take CBD with food. The same principle applies to other fat-soluble dietary supplements like vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids.

Onset of Effects

Whichever type of product you choose, you should be aware of the onset of effects or the time it takes for the product to start taking action. Expect it to last around six hours as soon as the effects begin. The onset of action for sublingual administration can take around 15 minutes or a bit longer. For edibles and capsules, it takes around an hour or two, depending on various factors concerning the digestive system and the speed of metabolism.

Which Product is Right for You?

It all boils down to personal preference. Keep in mind that capsules and oils have their advantages and disadvantages. It is up to you to decide which products suit your lifestyle. You have to compare both based on how they impact your daily routine. You can either choose one of them or both.

Capsules are easy to add to your list of other supplements. You can take them in a few seconds without any additional preparation. All you need is a glass of water or liquid. If you are in a hurry, this comes in handy. You do not have to take it under the tongue for minutes. Just take it in one gulp and go wherever you need to be.

However, consider keeping a bottle of CBD oil tincture at home, even if you are taking capsules. You can use the tincture to make your CBD experience a lot more adventurous. You can make a variety of edible CBD products at any time. You can add it to foods to make them more attractive, especially if you are bored with tasteless capsules. You can even rub it on your skin to soothe sore muscles and joints.

Tips When Buying CBD Products

Whether you choose CBD capsules or choose CBD oil, you need to consider the following tips:

Use full-spectrum CBD products because they provide better health benefits than CBD isolate. Remember that the hemp plant contains many other beneficial cannabinoids and compounds. For instance, CBG, CBN, and CBC may enhance certain health benefits of CBD. Also, THC may help improve the pain-killing and puffiness reducing properties of CBD. Do not worry because the THC in full-spectrum hemp products is insufficient to produce psychoactive effects.

Hemp extract also contains terpenes, which give the cannabis flower its color and aroma. Terpenes have their potential benefits, but they also promote the entourage effect. When cannabinoids and terpenes are taken together, they provide the body with more enhanced health benefits.

Buy from companies that value transparency. Always check the quality of the products by looking into the verified lab results. Third-party lab results provide information about the potency of cannabinoids in the product and determine if it contains any potentially harmful contaminants. You will also get information about the terpene profile of the product. We say this because we have 3rd party tests for each and every product we sell, and we believe in transparency.

Last Words

You can take advantage of the potential health benefits of CBD in any form you prefer. For convenience, consider taking capsules, especially when constantly on the go. For versatility, choose CBD oil and discover fantastic ways to incorporate it into your daily routine.

Whether you choose to use capsules or oil, you have to consume the proper amount of CBD to avoid taking unnecessarily large amounts of the compound. If you are interested in taking CBD in capsule form, check out our selection of CBD capsules. If you choose to use oil, read our article on How Much CBD Oil Should You Take? to determine proper dosing.