Ever heard of the phrase, “be careful with those (THC) brownies!!!”?

Why do people consider edibles made with cannabis butter to be much stronger? Is there any truth behind this belief that edibles are stronger? And if so, what is the science behind it, and does the same then apply for CBD products?

Cannabinoids are Lipophilic

Cannabinoids are lipophilic, meaning that they are fat soluble and easily extracted into oils.  However, lipophilic describes not only the ability for extraction, but also the way the body uses and store a compound. Marijuana is highly lipophilic which leads to its storage in adipose tissue, liver, muscle and spleen and then redistributed into the users blood stream long after ingestion. (1) Sufficient fats have to be present in the body for the cannabinoids to distributed and absorbed. Therefore, healthy fats can increase the bioavailabilty of cannabinoids!

Lets look at the basics of fat soluble compounds first before diving into this topic!

Is there research increasing the bioavailabity of CBD?

Yes there is!

A University of Minnesota study, published in Epilepsia, examined whether eating high-fat foods after taking CBD increased the body’s absorption of CBD. The study tested whether fasting or a high fat meal has an effect when cannabidiol oral capsules were taken by patients. (2) A single dose of 99% pure CBD capsules was taken under both fasting (no breakfast) and fed (high fat 840-860 calorie) conditions. Blood sampling for CBD plasma concentrations was performed under each condition between 0 and 72 hours post-dose and measured by a validated liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry assay. (2)

The study found:

• CBD exposure is vastly increased when CBD is taken with high fatty foods;
• when compared to fasting, taking CBD with food increased the amount of CBD in the body by four-times, and the maximum amount recorded in the participants’ blood by 14-times;
• no cognitive differences were identified, which is consistent with previous studies.(1)

A similar study found that  oral co-administration of lipids enhanced the systemic exposure of rats to THC and CBD by 2.5-fold and 3-fold, respectively, compared to lipid-free formulations. (4)

Healthy Fat Options Instead of Brownies!

We highly recommend making your own CBD brownies occassionally with organic cococunt oil but let’s face it we shouldn’t consume brownies everytime we take a dose of CBD!  What we do recommend is making a concious effort to take CBD with a meal or an Omega-3 supplement to increase the amount of cannabinoids in the body. This is important for your health and your wallet! Just imagine that you could increase the bioavailbilty up to 14 times! That is certainly enough to help everyone remember to eat at least a small serving of a high fat food. 

At CANVAS, we love hemp hearts because they are filled with healthy Omega-3 fats.  In fact, hemp hearts contain more Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids than a similar serving of chia or flax seeds. Since hemp hearts are plant-based, they are cholesterol-free, and they contain all nine essential amino acids!(5)

From all of us at CANVAS, we wish you the best of health and a day full of inspiration! And don’t forget to eat fat with your CBD!