CBD Oil Under the Tongue: How to Use and Benefits

The cannabis plant has many cannabinoids. However, among various cannabinoids, cannabidiol (CBD) is present in the largest amounts in various cannabis plant varieties, including hemp. Most health benefits of the cannabis/hemp plant are associated with its CBD content. Thus, it is little surprise that CBD is also the most extensively studied of all cannabinoids. 

CBD is not just good for health; it is very safe for prolonged use. It does cause euphoria. Weed or Marijuana causes euphoria due to its content of THC. However, THC is present in very small amounts in legally sold CBD oils and vapes. In fact, legally sold products in the UK cannot have more than 1 mg of THC in a pack.

Since CBD has many health benefits, it is increasingly becoming popular. There are CBD oil, gummies, vape pens, and even CBD-based medications. Hence, people want to know more about the best way to use CBD.

Many people wrongly believe that CBD oil is for oral ingestion. It is indeed for oral intake but for sub-lingual use. This is because CBD has a poor bioavailability when ingested. It has less than 20% bioavailability, which is moderately good. But, using it sub-lingually can increase its bioavailability.(1)

As already said, CBD oil is basically for sublingual use. It means that one takes a few drops of CBD oil sublingually and holds it here for half a minute or a minute before swallowing.

The lower side of the human tongue has an excellent blood supply and a very thin upper layer. That is why anything taken sublingually is absorbed very quickly into the bloodstream. Even more, this increases the bioavailability of the product.

This is the reason why some of the lifesaving drugs are also taken sublingually. That is why tablets like nitroglycerine used to abort heart attacks are taken sublingually. This allows medications to work almost as fast as injectables. They are also able to bypass first-pass metabolism in the liver, which means higher bioavailability.

Most people can just take a few CBD drops sublingually a day to enjoy its health benefits. There is nothing like the best time to take CBD oil under tongue. However, timing may matter sometimes, like using it before panic attacks.

What happens if you swallow CBD oil? Well, if you swallow CBD oil,  some of it is neutralised by gastric or digestive juices. Then, it crosses the intestinal wall and enters the body. However, from there, it is taken to the liver through the portal vein. In the liver, first-pass metabolism occurs, where a small part of whatever was absorbed by the intestines is destroyed. Thus, barely 10-20% is only able to make it to the bloodstream.

CBD under tongue benefits is many. It means quick absorption and greater effect. So, always take CBD oil sublingually.

CBD oil under the tongue side effects? Well, it is as safe as taken orally. So, do not worry about taking CBD oil sublingually.

However, apart from CBD oil under the tongue, there is another option, that is CBD vape pens. CBD vape pens have really high bioavailability and almost instant effects. Studies show that inhaling CBD vapours is the most effective way of using CBD. Of course, vaping has one major downside: it is not among the safest options, as all vapes cause some lung inflammation.

CBD oil has many benefits, but some hurdles remain in its effective use. Every CBD intake route has its pros and cons. Sublingual is one of the safest, fastest, and most effective ways of enjoying its health benefits. I strongly recommend users hold a few drops of CBD oil below the tongue before swallowing.

1. Millar SA, Stone NL, Yates AS, O’Sullivan SE. A Systematic Review on the Pharmacokinetics of Cannabidiol in Humans. Front Pharmacol. 2018 Nov 26;9:1365.