How Long Does CBD Last?

What is CBD Bioavailability?

Aside from factors like discomfort level, body composition, age and gender, bioavailability also plays a role in how long CBD effects last after you take it. But what is CBD bioavailability?

Bioavailability refers to the amount of a substance that is absorbed into the blood stream when introduced to your system and its ability to provide active effects. For example, if a substance has 20% bioavailability and you take 100mg. Only 20mg (or 20%) will be absorbed into the bloodstream and provide your desired effects.

When taken intravenously or through IV, the bioavailability of any substance is 100%. However, this is rarely an option for most products and certainly not one that most CBD users opt for. Instead, products like edibles, oils and topicals offer easier ways to obtain CBD’s plethora of benefits and provide different levels of effects. Understanding the bioavailability of each form of CBD can help you determine which product is best for you and help answer the question, “how long does CBD last?”

How Long Does CBD Last in Different Forms?

CBD Vape

Inhaling CBD offers the highest level of CBD bioavailability with the quickest results. Because this method allows CBD to enter through the lungs and directly into the bloodstream, it decreases the breakdown that typically happens during digestion and can deliver relief in as little as 10 minutes.

Studies suggest that the bioavailability of CBD Vape products ranges from 34% to 46%, with rates as high as 56%. The variation in solidifying how long CBD lasts can be attributed to the experience of the smoker, i.e. how deeply or long they inhale. On the bright side, with each puff, the consumer is inhaling a higher dose of CBD and receiving continuous benefits.

Even though there is a large bioavailability for this method, the effects can be short-lived, dissipating in as little as an hour.

CBD Oils

One of the most classic ways to take CBD, sublingual drops provide reasonably quick results as well as a moderate level of CBD bioavailability. These drops are typically held under the tongue, so the vein in this area, also known as the sublingual gland, can transport the CBD directly into the bloodstream. Generally, the oil should be held here for about 60 seconds to increase the amount of the substance that is absorbed into the body.

Studies suggest that when properly taken sublingually, cannabinoids have a bioavailability of 10% to 35%. This number can be impacted by how long it is held under the tongue and whether the consumer simply swallows the drops. Although the drops are not ingested, much of the compound is broken down by the enzymes in saliva which accounts for the range of how long the CBD will last.

Because CBD Oil bypasses the digestive tract and enters directly into the bloodstream, it can potentially deliver results in as little as 20 to 30 minutes and last for a few hours.

CBD Edibles

CBD Edibles like CBD Cannabidiol Gummies, Lollipops, Capsules and more are an extremely popular and easy way to take this natural compound. But when taken in edible form, the answer to “how long does CBD last,” changes drastically. While edibles provide long-lasting effects, they also offer some of the lowest CBD bioavailability rates. This is due to first pass metabolism or the first pass through the liver. During this phase, enzymes in the liver break down the stomach contents including CBD before transporting key elements into the blood stream.

Essentially, only about 6% to 20% of the ingested CBD serving makes it into the blood stream after the digestion process. However, like the nutrients from your everyday meals, this method of CBD benefits your body for hours.

CBD Topicals

CBD Topicals like patches, gels and lotions aim to provide relief for specific areas of discomfort rather than traveling throughout the body to deliver widespread relief. While research surrounding the bioavailability of CBD is ongoing – especially where it concerns CBD Topicals – studies suggest that the ability for CBD to make its way into the bloodstream is low. However, because of the widespread cannabinoid receptors in the skin, muscles and tissues, it is thought that the CBD may interact with these structures to provide comfort to isolated areas.

Depending on how much product you use, your discomfort level and the specific area of the body, the effects of CBD Topicals can last for hours. Additionally, our Pain Freeze can be reapplied multiple times a day for increased joint and muscle comfort.

How to Increase the Bioavailability of CBD

It is not possible to directly increase the bioavailability of CBD, but it is possible to increase your intake so that you receive a higher dose in the end. To ensure you’re actually getting your desired intake, multiply your serving size by the bioavailability rate.

For instance, two high potency gummies have a serving size of 60mg of CBD, but because of the low CBD bioavailability of edibles, that dose may only deliver 3.6mg to 12mg of CBD. With this knowledge, you can adjust your intake to better support your needs.

You may also consider taking multiple CBD products in order to deliver the best outcomes. Beginning your regimen with a CBD Vape product will offer near-immediate results that last for an hour so, while following up with a CBD edible or sublingual drops will allow those products to take effect in the interim.

Determining how long does CBD last can be a trial and error process, as you may not recognize that this natural compound is still working for you even hours after you take it. Our CBD Bundles offer a range of premium CBD products including topicals, edibles and sublinguals to help you find the right products for long-lasting relief.