Although CBD oil and vape juice come from the same plant, they differ in ingredients, bioavailability, and administration methods. This article helps you compare CBD oil and vape juice to know which one to settle for.
There are many ways to deliver CBD to the body, CBD vape juice, and oils being the commonest. Of course, they feature CBD, a compound from hemp, but the individual ingredients in the CBD vape juice differ from what CBD oils and tinctures have. Although vape juices may have oils, they are less viscous than the typical oils in CBD tinctures and oils. Besides, the flavoring agents in CBD vape juices and the typical CBD oils and tinctures differ. Moreover, when it comes to administering CBD, oils and tinctures are taken orally and sublingually while CBD vape juices are vaped using CBD vape pens and carts. Here are the major differences between CBD oils and vaping juices.
The Basics of CBD
Before looking at the differences between CBD vape juices and oils, you need to understand CBD as a compound and there is so much hype around it. According to Massi et al. (2006) and Bauer et al. (2020), CBD is a chemical compound in hemp and other cannabis plants. Such compounds are collectively called cannabinoids and are more than 100 in nature. According to Watt & Karl (2017), CBD is therapeutic, and many want to tap into such therapy. Of the more than 140 cannabinoids in nature, CBD stands out for its non-psychoactive properties and its ability to express the desired effects without making you ‘high.’ Besides, many relate to CBD products because of the therapeutic properties linked to them.
CBD Oil vs. CBD Vape Juice: The Difference
Do you want to take CBD for its therapeutic effects? There are many ways to explore CBD benefits, with CBD vape juices and oils being the commonest. CBD oils and tinctures are liquid-based CBD deliverable methods that one administers orally or sublingually to benefit from CBD. At JustCBD store, CBD vape oils are oils with CBD as the main component. Unlike CBD oils and tinctures that are administered orally or sublingually, CBD vape juices are placed in vape pens, carts, or tanks and inhaled. Both methods are effective at delivering CBD to the body, but you can feel the results faster with vape pens.
CBD Oil vs. CBD Vape Juice: Ingredient List
CBD oils & tinctures and vape juices differ widely in the individual ingredient list. Of course, both are prepared from the same major ingredient; CBD, mostly derived from hemp. However, CBD is not directly absorbed into the body and is combined with other compounds to make it absorbable to the body. These very individual ingredients mark the primary distinction between vape juices and CBD oils. For instance, CBD oil has oils such as MCT coconut, hempseed, or olive oils as the base carrier. CBD tinctures, which are more like CBD oils, have alcohol bases that are bitterer. Because of the oil or alcohol base, CBD oils and tinctures are quite viscous. However, CBD vape juices have a carrier oil but it is less viscous than what typical CBD oils and tinctures have. Besides, CBD vape juices, oils, and tinctures feature flavoring agents which vary widely, with vaping flavors being less viscous.
How Does CBD Oil Compare to CBD Vape Juice in Administration Method?
The other major difference between CBD oils and vape juices is the administration method. Since the two CBD deliverable methods vary widely in the ingredient listing, how they are administered also varies. For instance, CBD oils and tinctures are basically administered sublingually, although you can also take them orally. Oral intake means placing the CBD oil drops on the floor of the tongue and swallowing it. However, with sublingual administration, you put CBD oil drops under the tongue and wait for 30- 60 seconds before swallowing them. The two methods of administering CBD oils and tinctures are effective, but sublingual administration is more effective and allows the cannabinoid to reach the bloodstream fast. Still, you have to feel the bitter taste of CBD oil, regardless of whether you administer it orally or sublingually.
How do you administer CBD juices? Do you take orally or sublingually as with CBD oils and tinctures? To benefit from CBD in the vape juices, you need to vape the juice. You need a vape pen, cart, or tank with an atomizer to take in CBD vape juice. The atomizer heats up CBD to form vapor which reaches the lungs almost immediately. CBD vape juices are less viscous than CBD oils and tinctures, so they do not suit sublingual or oral intake.
CBD Oil vs. CBD Vape Juice: Bioavailability
Bioavailability is a critical point in CBD administration. It basically defines how fast the body absorbs CBD molecules and how fast they take to kick in and produce CBD results. The higher the bioavailability of a CBD deliverable method, the faster the results take to kick in. CBD vape juices have a higher bioavailability index and take a short time to reach the bloodstream and for the results to kick in. In fact, vaping is the fastest way to let CBD into the body. CBD oils and tinctures are the primary methods of delivering CBD to the body but they are not as bioavailable as CBD vape juices. As such, they take a relatively long time for the effects to kick in.
CBD Oil vs. CBD Vape Juice: Which one Should I Choose?
CBD oils and tinctures as well as CBD vape juices are all in the CBD market and if your state considers them legal. Thus, when shopping for CBD, you may wonder which option to go for. Clearly, CBD vape juices, oils, and tinctures have pros and cons, and choosing either option comes with its fair share of challenges. For instance, CBD vape juices deliver results fast but according to the CDC (2020) report, it might lead to lung issues. Meanwhile, CBD oils and tinctures are fast and deliver CBD without damaging the lungs but they are bitter and earthy.
Conclusion
Although CBD vape juice and oil feature CBD as the primary ingredient, they are not the same. CBD oils and tinctures have heavy alcohol or oil bases while CBD vape juices feature lighter oils. Thus, CBD vape juices vape higher bioavailability than CBD oils. Besides, the administration method for CBD vapes and oils differ. You can take CBD oils orally or sublingually but the same is not true of CBD vape juices which are strictly inhaled.
References
Bauer, B. A. (2020). What Are The Benefits Of CBD–And Is It Safe To Use?. In Mayo Clinic.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020). Outbreak of lung injury associated with the use of e-cigarette, or vaping, products.
Massi, P., Vaccani, A., Bianchessi, S., Costa, B., Macchi, P., & Parolaro, D. (2006). The non-psychoactive cannabidiol triggers caspase activation and oxidative stress in human glioma cells. Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences CMLS, 63(17), 2057-2066.
Watt, G., & Karl, T. (2017). In vivo evidence for therapeutic properties of cannabidiol (CBD) for Alzheimer’s disease. Frontiers in pharmacology, 8, 20.
Kristina Shafarenko is a relationship and health and wellness psychologist and a part-time freelance lifestyle writer covering health and fitness, sex, sexual wellness, and relationships. When she’s not writing, you can find her planning her next getaway, taste-testing every coffee spot in sight, and lounging at home with her cat, Buddy.
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