Water Soluble CBD: All You Need to Know...

If you've never heard of water soluble CBD oil before, you're not alone. Because how can an oil be soluble, a.k.a. dissolvable, in water? Especially when CBD is naturally that: an oil. That's just not how science works, right?

Well, yes and no.

You see, when it comes down to it, our bodies can sometimes do a poor job of breaking down and absorbing oils and healthy fats, unless they're taken in a high enough quantity. This is exactly why we recommend taking CBD oil, specifically in tincture form, around the same time as a high-fat meal - or adding it to a recipe that's high in fat. Because your body absorbs oils and fats more efficiently when they're taken in a higher quantity.

So, what then might happen if we took CBD oil, with all the same benefits you're used to, and made it water soluble?

What Is Water Soluble CBD?

To get one thing straight first, the term "water soluble" might be a little misleading, since that's not technically true.

In reality, the CBD oil particles are broken down using nanotechnology during the manufacturing process, then emulsified into a solution. This solution is then more easily attached to and absorbed by water. Finally, our new water soluble CBD oil formula specifically takes the emulsified product and microencapsulates it. But all in all, we think it's much easier to stick with "water soluble."

Dissolvable CBD is still manufactured with an MCT carrier oil like regular CBD, but the fast-acting emulsion formula allows the oil to be more easily absorbed by water, and therefore, your body.

What Does Water Soluble CBD Mean?

Water soluble CBD is just what it sounds like: it's CBD that's dissolvable in water. And while traditional CBD oil can definitely be added to various drinks and liquids, unless the liquids contain a high fat content, it won't be dissolving. Not only that, but when it comes to the absorption rates of our bodies, they absorb CBD faster and more efficiently than regular CBD oil.

Essentially, nanoemulsified CBD oil has a higher bioavailability than traditional CBD oils. What this means is that compared to traditional CBD, emulsified CBD reaches your bloodstream faster, goes into effect quicker, and results in a higher concentration than traditional CBD oil. Thus you would be able to use less water soluble CBD in order to achieve the same results. Of course, this also depends upon how much CBD you take and what else you eat or drink with it.

All of which is thanks to the process of emulsification and microencapsulation, which we'll dig deeper into below. For now, let's focus on the tangible differences between water soluble CBD and regular CBD oil.

Water Soluble CBD Oil vs. Regular CBD Oil

The cannabinoids found in traditional CBD oil tinctures are lipophilic or "fat-friendly", meaning that they dissolve best in fats or oils, which is why CBD oils are typically made with MCT carrier oils. In turn, most CBD recipes suggest that you combine CBD oil with another fat or oil, such as butter or vegetable oil when cooking. Unfortunately, this also means that if you try to add regular CBD oil to your morning coffee or tea, it will separate and float to the top.

So unlike traditional CBD, you can add water soluble CBD to your drinks, smoothies, or other recipes without needing to add another oil. In order to produce a CBD tincture that can be dissolved in water, CBD oil molecules are broken down using nanotechnology to create smaller particles and emulsified in a solution that can be mixed with water. These smaller particles are then more easily absorbed into your body.

Why?

Because just as the smaller CBD particles are better able to bond to water molecules, they're more effectively absorbed by the copious amounts of water in your body. What this means is that while regular CBD oil tinctures can take up to an hour to reach their peak concentration in your blood, dissolvableCBD works faster, reaching a peak within 30 minutes.

Speaking of peak concentrations, it's important to note that the maximum concentration of water soluble CBD oil is higher than that of regular CBD, even if both tincture bottles list the same milligrams of CBD. Because our bodies are made up of 60 percent water, and water and oil don't mix, a larger portion of CBD is lost when ingested in an oil format rather than a soluble form. Basically, since your body absorbs water soluble CBD oil more efficiently, it actually absorbs more CBD overall.

A faster, more efficient rate of absorption also means you don't have to hold the tincture under your tongue for 30 to 60 seconds before swallowing. Whereas with traditional CBD oils, this process helps the oils to better reach your bloodstream within 15 to 30 minutes (and reach peak concentration a while after).

All that being said, do you use the two formulas differently? Or maybe, more importantly, is there a huge change in the cost to you?

Do You Use Them Differently?

Yes.

Since the CBD formulas are different, you'll want to make sure you stick with traditional CBD oil tinctures when it comes to mixing it into high-fat recipes, and reach for the water soluble formula when you want to add CBD to your various drinks. Not only that, but when taken straight, soluble CBD doesn't need to be held under your tongue for 30 to 60 seconds before swallowing like regular CBD oil. Rather, you can immediately swallow it straight and go about your normal routine.

Is There a Difference in Cost?

Nope!

For now, cbdMD will be offering water soluble CBD oil in two different concentrations: 1000 mg and 3000 mg (both available in lemon and unflavored). And as you can see with our 3000 mg CBD oil tincture concentrations, both are the same price whether you choose to use nanoemulsified CBD or our original formula.

Nanoemulsified CBD Oil: What You Should Know

While the process to manufacture and produce water soluble CBD oils varies greatly from that of traditional CBD, how you use them, and especially the benefits, aren't all that different. It just comes down to how much CBD your body is actually absorbing versus how much CBD you're taking.

Oh, and of course there are our CBD drink mixes, a.k.a. water soluble CBD powders, which are just super cool, not to mention delicious and easy to use.

How It's Made

Like we mentioned above, CBD oil is, by nature, an oil. So in order to make it water soluble, the CBD molecules must first be broken down into smaller pieces using nanotechnology. Smaller CBD molecules are then more compatible with water and more easily emulsified into a solution. The emulsified molecules are then coated in a process called microencapsulation, which allows the water and oil particles to remain suspended in a solution together without separating.

Also playing an important role in our water soluble CBD oil formula is vegetable glycerin. A mildly sweet, thicker substance, glycerin is often used as a thickening agent in various drinks and, in this case, helps in the emulsification process.

Emulsification and Microencapsulation

Emulsification might seem like a complicated term, but it's actually quite simple. In fact, almost everyone has made an emulsion of one type or another in the kitchen. The most common, and quite appropriate example, in this case, is the mixture of oil and water in things such as salad dressings or other sauces.

Since oil and water literally can not combine to form a single solution, you have to break the oil particles down into even smaller pieces, which can then be suspended in water. When combined with an emulsifier (a substance that contains both fat soluble and water soluble parts) the water and oil particles are separated just enough to allow them to remain suspended together.

By microencapsulating the oils within the emulsion, we coat the nanoparticles of CBD oil in a way that allows it to more easily and effectively bond with water molecules. Which basically guarantees that the newly made emulsion remains combined.

The Benefits

Like most of our other CBD oil tinctures, our water soluble series is made using our hemp-derived CBD formula to bring you a range of benefits such as promoting a sense of calm and relaxation, improving your mood, and helping to regulate your sleep cycle.

The big difference here is that water soluble CBD is the better choice when it comes to mixing CBD oil into a variety of food and drink recipes (especially if they have a low fat content). Because of the smaller particle size compared to regular CBD oil, water soluble formulas also have a higher bioavailability, which means you're likely to experience the benefits of CBD sooner.

Thanks to the higher bioavailability, you can also take and swallow water soluble CBD oil immediately, without needing to hold it under your tongue for 30 to 60 seconds first. Since your body is made of up to 60 percent water, the water soluble CBD rapidly disperses within your system once ingested, without any additional effort on your body's part to break down the oil, so you can receive the benefits of CBD even faster.

How to Use Water Soluble CBD Oil

Just like the rest of our CBD oil tinctures, water soluble CBD can be taken directly by squeezing the dropper into your mouth, or added to a number of food and drink recipes. But of course, as we mentioned above, our water soluble formula can be swallowed immediately and more easily mixed into a variety of drinks and recipes.

Despite our excitement for our upcoming water soluble CBD oil tinctures, that's actually not the only water soluble CBD product we make! It might not seem as obvious by looking at the package, but did you know that our water soluble CBD comes in a powder form as well?

Soluble CBD Powder

One of our newest products is our CBD drink mixes, which are also 100 percent water soluble. Available in lemonade, fruit punch, peach, and kiwi strawberry, our drink mixes come in a pack of 10 single-serving pouches with 25 mg of our Superior Broad Spectrum CBD formula in each serving. Our powders are just as easy, if not easier, to mix with water and enjoy at home or on the go.

Developed with the same nano-encapsulated technology, our drink mixes make the perfect portable add-on to your regular routine so that you get the peak CBD benefits that you need when you need them.

Water Soluble CBD for Sale at cbdMD

While we currently have water soluble CBD for sale in the form of drink mixes, our more versatile CBD oil tinctures will be arriving online in November 2021, just in time for the holiday season. But don't worry, you should have plenty of time to choose between lemon and unflavored and 1000 mg or 3000 mg concentrations of our brand new, 30 mL soluble CBD oil tinctures.

For more information about water soluble CBD, or to find out more about our current and future products, keep an eye on our frequently updated blog. Interested in staying up to date on the latest CBD news and cbdMD's upcoming special offers? Connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, or chat with someone live today!