Although ICARIA specializes in CBD oils, there are different ways to take CBD. In this blog, we’ll outline various methods of using CBD and the pros and cons of each. They are listed in order from the quickest to the slowest method in terms of your body’s absorption.
Vaping CBD
Vaping involves inhaling heated vegetable oil with added CBD through a vaporizing device called a vaporizer or e-cigarette, which produces the vapor.
Pros:
- Quick absorption. Some people suffer from panic attacks or severe pain and want to intake CBD right away.
- A lot of CBD is absorbed by the body.
Cons:
- Anything you inhale affects your lungs and can damage your health in the long term, even after one use. The CDC does not recommend vaping any liquid, even CBD oil, as it may contain harmful ingredients. Vitamin E acetate is a chemical additive that’s been found in vaping products also containing THC, which has led to severe lung injuries and even deaths.
- The CBD might stay in your system for a shorter time.
- It’s hard to measure the dosage when vaping.
CBD Oil under the tongue
Also called the sublingual method, this involves putting CBD oil directly under your tongue. This is the method we recommend at ICARIA.
Pros:
- Quick absorption, takes only a few minutes for CBD to work.
- Easy to take. You can read our past blog on how to take CBD oil.
- Easy to measure and adjust dosage as needed.
Cons:
- You can mess up the amount of CBD you take if you don’t pay attention to your dosage. When you purchase a product, be sure to know how much CBD is contained in half a dropper, so you intake the amount you want.
Remember, different CBD oils have different dosages. At ICARIA, we’ve tried to keep our dosages the same throughout our product line, with a few exceptions. THEIA LIGHT contains half the concentration compared to our regular concentration (1500mg) products, so you would have to take double the number of drops for the same amount of CBD. HARMONIA contains double the concentration, so you’d need to take half the number of drops for the same amount of CBD. You’ll see that we’ve calculated the dosages of CBD for all of our products for you.
CBD capsules or CBD tablets
Just like your multivitamin or other supplements, CBD is sold as capsules.
Pros:
- Easy to take
- Dosed for you
Cons:
- Slow absorption – can take up to 90 minutes to get absorbed depending on when you ate last.
- You lose a lot of CBD, so you may not feel it working. If consumed with or after meals, it can take over an hour for your body to absorb the CBD as your body digests. By the time it reaches your large and small intestine, much of the CBD will be lost.
- Because the dosage is measured, if you have a 25mg tablet, you can’t choose to take less than that amount.
CBD topicals
Topicals are creams, lotions, or salves infused with CBD. They’re applied directly onto the skin.
Pros:
- You can concentrate the CBD in a specific area where you may experience pain.
- Can be used for skin conditions like eczema or acne.
Cons:
- The lowest amount of absorption.
- Topicals don’t work well for emotional conditions like anxiety; they’re best used for physical pain, skin issues, and so on.
- The CBD is targeted to the area where the product is placed.
We recommend taking CBD in oil form because of the advantages of ease of use and absorption.
If you’re seeking a product to relieve pain in a certain area, try our CBD Muscle & Joint Stick on joints and other areas.
At ICARIA we recommend using CBD oil sublingually since it is safe, it gets absorbed quickly and effectively, and you can control your own dosage.
