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Posted on Oct 25, 2020 - Guardian
Photo by @14Kongo, Model @chillywolf.mma training at @arescombat
Cannabinoids are typically ingested orally, sublingually, or inhaled through a vaporizer. However, cannabinoids such as CBD can also be found in a whole range of cosmetic products including creams, lotion, and balms. But how exactly do cannabinoids affect the skin? Do they pass through this protective barrier, or are their effects only skin-deep?
For a product to become active in the body, it must make it to the cannabnioid receptors which make up our endocannabinoid system. This can be done by getting the CBD to the bloodstream internally or by absorbing it through the skin.
How a CBD product is consumed or applied to the body is defined as the route of administration. This has a direct effect on the uptake, distribution, and the elimination of the compound. In other words how you consume a product will govern how quickly it will come on, how much of the substance becomes active in the body, and how long the effects will last.
When a product is used, how muсh of the total CBD аnd other cannabis compounds absorbed by the body is called bioavailability. This is expressed as a percentage of the total - i.e. 10% bioavailability means 10% of the consumed CBD became active in the body, while the other 90% was washed away as waste, unused by the body.
This is an important concept because many CBD products suffer from low bioavailibility. Choosing different routes of administration and employing advanced technology in product creation can both improve bioavailability and thus improve the effectiveness of a product at a given dose.
Upon applying a cannabinoid product to their skin, people often assume the cannabinoid enters their bloodstream. But just how true is this supposition? Well, it really depends. CBD and other cannabinoids can be applied to the skin in two distinct methods: Topical and Transdermal.
Topical application refers to creams, lotions, ointments, and other cosmetic products designed to be massaged into the epidermis – the topmost layers of the skin. These products target the skin itself and don’t ferry cannabinoids into the blood vessels of the derma below.
In contrast, transdermal products deliver CBD in a manner that penetrates through the upper barriers of the skin and into the bloodstream. Animal studies have shown that CBD administered as a transdermal gel makes its way into the bloodstream and increases plasma levels of the cannabinoid.
However, transdermal CBD isn’t just a matter of rubbing the cannabinoid into the skin. It requires several adjuvants to make a hydro-alcoholic gel capable of penetrating the epidermis.
Although studies on transdermal cannabinoids few аnd far between, this method of application could serve as a way to bypass the digestive system and deliver cannabinoids directly into the bloodstream. This method of administration resembles the pathway of sublingual ingestion. Multiple patents exists for transdermal application of cannabinoids, and companies offer products featuring varying ratios of CBD.
Transdermal is probably the least commonly used method to use CBD. It includes a CBD patch which is placed on the skin.
The ECS has receptors all across our skin, and if the CBD product can permeate through the skin via a transdermal application, it's expected to have a higher bioavailability.
CBD patches or tape are typically used to achieve the same therapeutic benefits that people experience wіth other CBD oil products, like the anti-іnflammatory or analgesic (pain killing) effects. In particular, these patches may help alleviate pain in localized areas, or provide long lasting relief since they continue to release CBD fоr many hours.
These patches are perhaps most similar to other CBD topicals, but the majority of CBD creams and lotions are not transdermal, meaning they don’t penetrate beneath the skin to enter the bloodstream. CBD patches on the other hand are formulated differently, with the specific purpose of allowing CBD tо enter the body through transdermal absorption. Thе effects may start to wоrk in a manner that’s more akin to a capsule or a gummy because of the way these patches offer an extended release of CBD.
Transdermal CBD patches are popular among athletes and people who maintain an active lifestyle, primarily because they offer hours of relief without having to worry about dosing or re-administering the product. These patches are also a very discreet method of taking CBD, and if you’re always on-the-go, it's easy to take these patches anywhere and apply them for all-day relief.
Although research remains in the early stages, cannabinoids certainly produce intriguing effects in regards to the skin. The discovery of the ECS in our largest organ raises many questions on the role(s) of cannabinoids іn dermatological research.
Transdermal delivery can be ineffective if it is not combined with another more water-compound compound. As discussed earlier, CBD is fat-soluble, and as a result, it doesn’t mix well with the skin due to the high levels of water.
A study on the transdermal applications of found that adding roughly one-third ethanol in the application improved bioavailability nearly four times.
Overall, transdermal application of CBD is useful in ensuring a consistent dose across time, but on the flip side, it may take a bit more time for you to feel the effects.
Guardian SportGTape is the perfect transdermal application for athletes. It's traditional kinesiology tape infused with Nano Amplified Hemp Extract™. It's the largest roll on the market at its current price point. Our competitors roll is only 60" compared to SportGTapes' 197" and it costs less.
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