Before we begin...
If you’re shopping for CBD oil, you may have noticed a growing selection of products that sound like they belong in a science fiction: ‘Nano-Amplified CBD’… ‘Nano-technology’… ‘Liposomal CBD’…’Nano-particle Cannabinoids’…
Is all this nano-business a sign of scientific progress — or just a marketing gimmick?
In this article we will dive into the ins and outs of nano-enhanced CBD oil in detail.
Before we begin...
If you’re shopping for CBD oil, you may have noticed a growing selection of products that sound like they belong in a science fiction: ‘Nano-Amplified CBD’… ‘Nano-technology’… ‘Liposomal CBD’…’Nano-particle Cannabinoids’…
Is all this nano-business a sign of scientific progress — or just a marketing gimmick?
In this article we will dive into the ins and outs of nano-enhanced CBD oil in detail.
...What is it?
Simply put, nanotechnology is anything involving reducing the size of something to nanoscopic dimensions.
It may sound intimidating, but nanotechnology is just a fancy way of saying that we are working with extremely small things. By the normal definition, those extremely small things should be less than 0.0000001 meters — i.e. 100 nanometers.
...What is it?
Simply put, nanotechnology is anything involving reducing the size of something to nanoscopic dimensions.
It may sound intimidating, but nanotechnology is just a fancy way of saying that we are working with extremely small things. By the normal definition, those extremely small things should be less than 0.0000001 meters — i.e. 100 nanometers.
...So How Does it Work?
Because your mouth and your digestive tract are moist and watery, and because oil & water don’t mix, when you swallow a CBD product it tends to stay in droplets or globules, with most of the CBD molecules hidden and inaccessible until fully digested.
(Further, digestion tends to break down a large percentage of any CBD you swallow — which is why we strongly recommend that you vigorously swish your CBD oil around your tongue and gums for enhanced absorption.)
Since oil and water don’t mix, “nano” CBD companies use one of the oldest tricks in the recipe book…
When whipping up a homemade salad dressing, recipes usually call for honey, mustard or egg yolks. This isn’t just for taste — these ingredients are natural emulsifiers, which means they help stabilize oil-in-water mixtures.
If you look at a pre-mixed salad dressing on the grocery shelf, you’ll see that it lists extra ingredients — many of which help keep the oil & water mixed indefinitely. If you could zoom in on that salad dressing with a high-powered microscope, you would see countless tiny drops of oil suspended in vinegar (which is mostly water).
...So How Does it Work?
Because your mouth and your digestive tract are moist and watery, and because oil & water don’t mix, when you swallow a CBD product it tends to stay in droplets or globules, with most of the CBD molecules hidden and inaccessible until fully digested.
(Further, digestion tends to break down a large percentage of any CBD you swallow — which is why we strongly recommend that you vigorously swish your CBD oil around your tongue and gums for enhanced absorption.)
Since oil and water don’t mix, “nano” CBD companies use one of the oldest tricks in the recipe book…
When whipping up a homemade salad dressing, recipes usually call for honey, mustard or egg yolks. This isn’t just for taste — these ingredients are natural emulsifiers, which means they help stabilize oil-in-water mixtures.
If you look at a pre-mixed salad dressing on the grocery shelf, you’ll see that it lists extra ingredients — many of which help keep the oil & water mixed indefinitely. If you could zoom in on that salad dressing with a high-powered microscope, you would see countless tiny drops of oil suspended in vinegar (which is mostly water).
What you wouldn’t be able to see (even though it’s there) is a thin layer of emulsifiers & other chemicals coating the surface of every drop of oil. They’re what keep the oil droplets from merging and rising to the top to separate from the water.
Nano CBD products typically contains CBD oil, water and other ingredients that help stabilize this emulsion. For instance, one common nano CBD ingredient – lecithin or “phospholipids” – is the same fat in egg yolks that works great to keep salad dressings from separating.
What you wouldn’t be able to see (even though it’s there) is a thin layer of emulsifiers & other chemicals coating the surface of every drop of oil. They’re what keep the oil droplets from merging and rising to the top to separate from the water.
Nano CBD products typically contains CBD oil, water and other ingredients that help stabilize this emulsion. For instance, one common nano CBD ingredient – lecithin or “phospholipids” – is the same fat in egg yolks that works great to keep salad dressings from separating.
Why should we use it?
The different CBD retailers that sell CBD nano claim that the reason it works is because the smaller particle size of the CBD molecules makes it easier for them to be carried by the blood supply. This ensures that all the CBD will reach the liver.
Well, according to a few studies, such as this one by Duran-Lobato et al. for the Journal of Drug Development and Industrial Pharmacy, the main reason that nanoparticles work regarding CBD is because of their lipophilic qualities.
Basically, molecules can be one of two things: Hydrophilic or lipophilic. This means that some particles can naturally attach themselves to water-based molecules, whereas other ones are able to connect themselves to lipid-based molecules.
However, there are some molecules that are able to do both – they act somewhat like a double-ended magnet, with a hydrophilic end and a lipophilic end. This allows them to serve as a bridge for molecules that wouldn’t usually be able to connect under normal circumstances.
Source: https://cellg8sciences.com/clinical-studies/cbd-absorption-study/
Why should we use it?
The different CBD retailers that sell CBD nano claim that the reason it works is because the smaller particle size of the CBD molecules makes it easier for them to be carried by the blood supply. This ensures that all the CBD will reach the liver.
Well, according to a few studies, such as this one by Duran-Lobato et al. for the Journal of Drug Development and Industrial Pharmacy, the main reason that nanoparticles work regarding CBD is because of their lipophilic qualities.
Basically, molecules can be one of two things: Hydrophilic or lipophilic. This means that some particles can naturally attach themselves to water-based molecules, whereas other ones are able to connect themselves to lipid-based molecules.
However, there are some molecules that are able to do both – they act somewhat like a double-ended magnet, with a hydrophilic end and a lipophilic end. This allows them to serve as a bridge for molecules that wouldn’t usually be able to connect under normal circumstances.
Source: https://cellg8sciences.com/clinical-studies/cbd-absorption-study/
This is important when talking about CBD, because cannabinoids in general are lipophilic, as well as being hydrophobic. This means that generally speaking, a CBD molecule will try and repel water molecules that seek to bind to it. This is understandably a problem when trying to consume CBD, as our bodies run using a hydrophilic system.
This is the fundamental reason why cannabinoid bioavailability it so low – they do not naturally bind with water molecules, so a lot of it gets wasted and is unable to be correctly processed. This can be noticed when you study the bioavailability of CBD when suspended in coconut oil.
When coconut oil is used, it tends to get caught in the gastrointestinal system, causing it to be more slowly digested than other foodstuffs. This also gives the body more time to retrieve the CBD from it. This is known as Intestinal Lymphatic Drug Delivery and was noticed by Hyeji Ahn and Ji-Ho Park in their study for the Journal of Biomaterials Research that it dramatically increased the rate of the CBD being accepted and utilized by the body.
However, once you start to break the size of the cannabinoid particles down, everything begins to change.
With an increased surface area, your body has an easier time digesting and absorbing nutrients from oil when it’s broken down into tiny drops. The smaller those drops get, the more surface contact the oil has with your body’s enzymes and absorptive tissue. Within your digestive tract, your body’s natural bile salts will emulsify CBD oil and other dietary fats. However, putting pre-emulsified oil in your mouth could help your body start absorbing CBD molecules sooner.s
This is important when talking about CBD, because cannabinoids in general are lipophilic, as well as being hydrophobic. This means that generally speaking, a CBD molecule will try and repel water molecules that seek to bind to it. This is understandably a problem when trying to consume CBD, as our bodies run using a hydrophilic system.
This is the fundamental reason why cannabinoid bioavailability is so low – they do not naturally bind with water molecules, so a lot of it gets wasted and is unable to be correctly processed. This can be noticed when you study the bioavailability of CBD when suspended in coconut oil.
When coconut oil is used, it tends to get caught in the gastrointestinal system, causing it to be more slowly digested than other foodstuffs. This also gives the body more time to retrieve the CBD from it. This is known as Intestinal Lymphatic Drug Delivery and was noticed by Hyeji Ahn and Ji-Ho Park in their study for the Journal of Biomaterials Research that it dramatically increased the rate of the CBD being accepted and utilized by the body.
However, once you start to break the size of the cannabinoid particles down, everything begins to change.
With an increased surface area, your body has an easier time digesting and absorbing nutrients from oil when it’s broken down into tiny drops. The smaller those drops get, the more surface contact the oil has with your body’s enzymes and absorptive tissue. Within your digestive tract, your body’s natural bile salts will emulsify CBD oil and other dietary fats. However, putting pre-emulsified oil in your mouth could help your body start absorbing CBD molecules sooner.s
Are there any risks / negative effects?
Although nano-emulsified CBD can deliver higher levels of CBD quickly into your bloodstream, there are a few things you should consider before buying a nano CBD product:
Added chemicals: Some Nano CBD products are manufactured with chemicals you might not want in your body. For instance, propylene glycol is a common additive in shelf-stable emulsions that was recently named “Allergen of the Year” by the American Contact Dermatitis Society. However, different companies will choose different ingredients such as sunflower lecithin, which is harmless.
Dishonesty: Unfortunately, the CBD industry is rife with fraudulent products and misinformation. You’ll need to do some detective work to find a trustworthy company. Beware: Many nano CBD companies love to use scientific-sounding language as a smokescreen to keep you from noticing red flags. If you don’t understand what they’re saying, they’reprobably confusing you on purpose.
Are there any risks / negative effects?
Although nano-emulsified CBD can deliver higher levels of CBD quickly into your bloodstream, there are a few things you should consider before buying a nano CBD product:
Added chemicals: Some Nano CBD products are manufactured with chemicals you might not want in your body. For instance, propylene glycol is a common additive in shelf-stable emulsions that was recently named “Allergen of the Year” by the American Contact Dermatitis Society. However, different companies will choose different ingredients such as sunflower lecithin, which is harmless.
Dishonesty: Unfortunately, the CBD industry is rife with fraudulent products and misinformation. You’ll need to do some detective work to find a trustworthy company. Beware: Many nano CBD companies love to use scientific-sounding language as a smokescreen to keep you from noticing red flags. If you don’t understand what they’re saying, they’reprobably confusing you on purpose.
The Getafix NanoZorb™ Difference
Invented with scientists from MIT and our in-house chief scientist, Getafix has built from the ground up, a revolutionary three-stage nanoparticle processor that ensures a lipid bond for cellular recognition. Our proprietary process and formulation ensure superior stability and particle size at 100 – 150 nanometers.
The Getafix NanoZorb™ Difference
Invented with scientists from MIT and our in-house chief scientist, Getafix has built from the ground up, a revolutionary three-stage nanoparticle processor that ensures a lipid bond for cellular recognition. Our proprietary process and formulation ensure superior stability and particle size at 100 – 150 nanometers.
Sources/References
Huestis, M. A. (2007). Human Cannabinoid Pharmacokinetics. Chemistry & Biodiversity, 4(8). doi: 10.1002/cbdv.200790152
Paudel, K. (2010). Cannabidiol bioavailability after nasal and transdermal application: effect of permeation enhancers. Drug Development and Industry Pharmacy, 36(9). doi: 10.3109/03639041003657295.
Esposito, E. (2016). Encapsulation of cannabinoid drugs in nanostructured lipid carriers. European Journal of Pharmaceutics and Biopharmaceutics, 102, 87–91. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejpb.2016.03.005
Atsmon, J. (2018). PTL401, a New Formulation Based on Pro-Nano Dispersion Technology, Improves Oral Cannabinoids Bioavailability in Healthy Volunteers. Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 107(5). doi: 10.1016/j.xphs.2017.12.020.
Cherniakov, I. (2017). Piperine-pro-nanolipospheres as a novel oral delivery system of cannabinoids: Pharmacokinetic evaluation in healthy volunteers in comparison to buccal spray administration. Journal of Controlled Release: Official Journal of the Controlled Release Society, 266, 1–7. doi: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2017.09.011.
Iqbal, M. (2012). Nanostructured lipid carriers system: recent advances in drug delivery. Journal of Drug Targeting, 20(10), 813–30. doi: 10.3109/1061186X.2012.716845
Duran-Lobato, M. (2016). Lipid nanoparticles as an emerging platform for cannabinoid delivery: physicochemical optimization and biocompatibility. Drug Development and Industrial Pharmacy, 42(2), 190–8. doi: 10.3109/03639045.2015.1038274.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25996463/
Sources/References
Huestis, M. A. (2007). Human Cannabinoid Pharmacokinetics. Chemistry & Biodiversity, 4(8). doi: 10.1002/cbdv.200790152
Paudel, K. (2010). Cannabidiol bioavailability after nasal and transdermal application: effect of permeation enhancers. Drug Development and Industry Pharmacy, 36(9). doi: 10.3109/03639041003657295.
Esposito, E. (2016). Encapsulation of cannabinoid drugs in nanostructured lipid carriers. European Journal of Pharmaceutics and Biopharmaceutics, 102, 87–91. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejpb.2016.03.005
Atsmon, J. (2018). PTL401, a New Formulation Based on Pro-Nano Dispersion Technology, Improves Oral Cannabinoids Bioavailability in Healthy Volunteers. Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 107(5). doi: 10.1016/j.xphs.2017.12.020.
Cherniakov, I. (2017). Piperine-pro-nanolipospheres as a novel oral delivery system of cannabinoids: Pharmacokinetic evaluation in healthy volunteers in comparison to buccal spray administration. Journal of Controlled Release: Official Journal of the Controlled Release Society, 266, 1–7. doi: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2017.09.011.
Iqbal, M. (2012). Nanostructured lipid carriers system: recent advances in drug delivery. Journal of Drug Targeting, 20(10), 813–30. doi: 10.3109/1061186X.2012.716845
Duran-Lobato, M. (2016). Lipid nanoparticles as an emerging platform for cannabinoid delivery: physicochemical optimization and biocompatibility. Drug Development and Industrial Pharmacy, 42(2), 190–8. doi: 10.3109/03639045.2015.1038274.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25996463/