Sublingual simply means taking a substance under the tongue. This is a widely popular method for taking CBD and CBDA tinctures, in part because it can increase the absorption of compounds in the tinctures.
Is this critical to getting the benefits from your hemp plant extract? Not necessarily, and it depends on if you are using CBD oil or CBDA oil tinctures. But taking sublingual CBD or CBDA may boost the effects!
Article Highlights:
- Taking CBDA or CBD sublingually leads to more absorption than direct ingestion.
- If using a tincture, hold the oil under the tongue for at least 1 minute for maximum effects.
- CBDA has superior absorption compared to CBD oil.
Why CBDA and CBD oils are best taken under the tongue (sublingual)
There are many ways that CBDA and CBD can be taken, some better than others, but they all have on thing in common. How to best get the cannabinoids into your body so you can benefit from them.
What method gets you the most cannabinoid dose in your system?
Some of the most popular methods are:- Tinctures - the original formula for getting CBDA or CBD oil involves mixing with MCT oil or hemp seed oil. These are either ingested or taken sublingual under the tongue.
- Vapes - CBDA or CBD is smoked, and rapidly absorbed by the lungs. This method is found to have the highest absorption of any retail method, but inhaling vaporized smoke may have lung complications.
- Gummies - this form taste great, and is an easy method to consume CBDA or CBD. You may need to take a higher dose than tinctures since you cant put it under the tongue.
- Capsules - a popular method, and like gummies, you may need to take a higher amount of CBDA or CBD oil to get the full effects.
Because CBDA oils have such greater absorption than CBD, you can still get a great effect despite the method used to consume them. However, with CBDA, we do not recommend using a vape since it will convert the CBDA into CBD when heated, thus losing the health benefits of the CBDA cannabinoid.
What is CBDA?
The hemp and cannabis plant has over 100 different cannabinoids present in the flower, and for hemp, CBDA (cannabidiolic acid) is the most abundant. CBDA is the mother compound for CBD (cannabidiol), and this natural form is now found to be 450-1000% better absorbed than CBD.
New research is showing that conserving the natural state of cannabinoids, like CBDA, may yield greater health benefits for consumers of hemp products, like tinctures and gummies.
Sublingual use + Enhanced CBDA absorption = Maximum Effect
Benefits of sublingual CBDA and CBD oils
There is a long history of taking tinctures sublingually (also termed buccal administration), since the space under the tongue is so well vascularized. Because the vascular bed is in close proximity to the surface in this area, the compounds are much more easily absorbed into the blood stream.
Keeping the cannabinoid tinctures in the mouth longer will enhance their uptake into the bloodstream quickly.
Comparison of sublingual vs ingestion
Keeping the compounds under the tongue and in the mouth longer also bypasses the first pass liver metabolism, meaning that the active compounds have more time to exert their benefits before being metabolized by the liver.
Many compounds may be altered or destroyed by the gastric juices in the stomach, although there is not much research showing this is the case for cannabinoids.
The CBDA or CBD sublingual guide
To take CBDA or CBD oil drops under the tongue, first determine the dose you want to take. If you have not tried CBDA or CBD oil before, start with a smaller dose 25-50mg, and work your way up from there.
Check the back of the tincture product and see how much volume you will need to reach the dose you want. For example, in a Natural Dos CBDA tincture, 1mL will give you 100mg of CBDA, and 0.5mL will give you 50mg of CBDA.
TIP! Before buying, check the CBDA or CBD product for the dosage amount, you dont want to buy one that only has 10mg per 1mL, that is too diluted. Ideally, it should have at least 25-50mg per 1mL dose.
How long do I keep the tincture in my mouth?
We recommend keeping the tincture in your mouth around 1 minute, but the longer the better.
More time in the mouth is more absorbed!
Natural Dos tinctures were formulated to be concentrated, which makes it more efficient for the CBDA to be absorbed before you swallow.
What happens if I swallow the tinctures?
Not a big deal, CBDA and CBD are still absorbed after swallowing, but you will not get as much CBD or CBDA absorbed in your body.
Should I take CBD oils or CBDA oils on an empty stomach?
While some have suggested that absorption is increased if taking CBD or CBDA when fasted, we found that the published data shows some controversy here. There does not appear at this time to be much of a difference in absorption rates if you take CBDA or CBD on a full or empty stomach.
However, there is some research showing that if you do eat, cannabinoids are better absorbed if taken with a meal that is high in fats.
Should I drink after sublingual CBD oil or CBDA oil tinctures?
Drinking after taking a sublingual CBD or CBDA product will not alter absorption as long as you have given the tincture enough time in the mouth.Once you drink, it will remove most of the CBDA or CBD sublingually administered. Therefore, its important to wait a minute or two before consuming a drink.
How often should I take a sublingual CBDA or CBD oil tincture?
How often you should take CBDA or CBD oil drops will depend on the individual, there are various factors such as:- Body weight
- Concentration of the CBDA or CBD products
- What effect you want
- Personal biochemistry, i.e. how fast you metabolize cannabinoids and state of your endocannabinoid system
Most clinical research uses higher doses of CBD oil to reach a significant outcome, and these tend to range in the 100s to 1000s of mg per day. This is why CBDA is such a potent cannabinoid because it absorbs so much better than CBD, you can take much less of it.
For example, a dose of CBDA at 50mg is equal to at least 250mg of CBD.
We recommend starting with a 25-50mg dose of CBDA or CBD oil twice a day, and go up or down depending on how you feel.
Best sublingual CBDA products
How do you find the best CBDA products that can give you enhanced sublingual absorption?
We may be biased but...
Look no further than Natural Dos, where our scientists have created the new CBDA purification technology, unlocking the power of the hemp plant.
All our products are full spectrum, meaning they contain CBDA and all the other cannabinoids from the hemp flower. While most full spectrum CBD oils also contain all the cannabinoids, Natural Dos maintains their natural acidic forms for enhanced absorption across the board.
Natural Dos CBDA Tinctures
Made with all natural flavor from mint and orange extracts, organic MCT coconut oil, and Natural Spectrum CBDA that contains all the acidic cannabinoids from the hemp flower.
Sublingual use + Enhanced CBDA absorption = Maximum Effect
Check out our TOP SELLING Mint CBDA Tincture
Why concentrated it better
Perfect for sublingual drops and formulated for concentration which allows more absorption under the tongue since less of the tincture gets directed to the surrounding tissue.
Concentrated forms of CBD or CBDA avoids the digestive system!
A quality product should have at least 25mg per mL for extra strength and enhanced benefits.
Natural Dos CBDA Breath Mints
Breath mints are another great way to consume CBDA or CBD oil since they are slowly absorbed inside the mouth before reaching the digestive system.
And... most people prefer to have great smelling breath as well!
Check out our TOP SELLING CBDA Breath Mints
Do you recommend taking CBD sublingually?
Pure CBD oil can have great effects, and is a safe and natural alternative to many medications. There is a lot of research on taking CBD oil, but much of it relies on high doses. This is fine if you can afford it, but it can be expensive to get the right dosage. And while absorption can be enhanced with sublingual CBD use, it still does not come close to the absorption of CBDA oil.
If you decide to use CBD orally, we recommend choosing a full spectrum brand, and avoid the CBD isolate. There can be substantial benefits to having all the cannabinoids together, as it can enhance the health benefits.
Side effects of sublingual CBD oils or CBDA oils
The general side effects of CBD and CBDA, related to sublingual uses tend to be mild and uncommon, however, some people have reported the following, typically with higher doses:- Mild numbness under and around the tongue
- Distaste for the texture or taste of CBDA or CBD oil drops
Sublingual CBDA and CBD Myths
Even though the risks of side effects associated with CBDA and CBD are low, some claims that are not true about certain supposed side effects are still out there:- Dose CBDA or CBD tinctures stains your teeth? No. Tinctures, even though slightly colored will not stain your teeth any more or less than your normal oral hygiene. This idea may have originated with smoking cannabis, where the compounds after burning plant material are known to affect tooth coloration. However, using sublingual tinctures will not cause tooth discoloration, like the yellow color associated with cigarete smoke.
- Can CBDA or CBD tinctures cause bad breath? No. If anything, most CBDA or CBD products are flavored with natural extracts, and can help cover some some bad breath. Much of the common bad breath problems comes from odor-producing bacteria in the mouth, and many cannabinoids have been shown to have some antibacterial properties. If bad breath is a concern, check out Natural flavor CBDA Breath Mints.
If you have are on multiple medications or have a history of liver complications, please speak with your healthcare professional before trying CBDA or CBD products.