CBD absorbed significantly better in oil or nano-emulsion than as dry powder in healthy volunteers
In a three-way crossover study of 12 healthy volunteers, oral CBD had significantly higher blood levels when dissolved in sesame oil or nano-emulsion compared to powder form, with nano-emulsion providing more consistent absorption.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
CBD in lipid-based vehicles (oil and nano-emulsion) significantly increased both peak blood levels and total exposure compared to powder. While overall exposure was similar between oil and nano-emulsion, oil produced variable absorption (some early, some delayed) while nano-emulsion consistently produced early absorption.
Key Numbers
12 healthy male volunteers. Lipid-based vehicles significantly increased Cmax and AUC vs. powder. Sesame oil caused two absorption patterns among subjects; SNEDDS produced uniform early absorption.
How They Did This
Three-way, blind, crossover single-dose study in 12 healthy male volunteers. Synthetic CBD was administered as powder, dissolved in sesame oil, or in a self-nano-emulsifying drug delivery system (SNEDDS).
Why This Research Matters
CBD's poor oral bioavailability is a major clinical challenge. This study shows that formulation dramatically affects absorption, explaining why CBD dosing recommendations vary widely and why clinical trial results have been inconsistent.
The Bigger Picture
The inconsistent absorption from oil formulations (some subjects absorbed early, others late) highlights why the same CBD dose can produce very different effects in different people, and why standardized formulations are needed.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Small sample (12 volunteers), all male. Single-dose study does not capture steady-state pharmacokinetics. Synthetic CBD was used rather than plant-derived CBD. Only one dose level was tested.
Questions This Raises
- ?Would nano-emulsion formulations improve clinical CBD trial outcomes by reducing pharmacokinetic variability?
- ?Does the absorption pattern affect therapeutic efficacy?
- ?Would similar results be seen with plant-derived CBD?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- Nano-emulsion produced uniform early absorption vs. variable oil absorption
- Evidence Grade:
- Moderate: crossover design controls for individual variation, though limited by small sample and single dose.
- Study Age:
- Published in 2020 in European Journal of Pharmaceutics and Biopharmaceutics.
- Original Title:
- Pharmacokinetic investigation of synthetic cannabidiol oral formulations in healthy volunteers.
- Published In:
- European journal of pharmaceutics and biopharmaceutics : official journal of Arbeitsgemeinschaft fur Pharmazeutische Verfahrenstechnik e.V, 154, 108-115 (2020)
- Authors:
- Izgelov, Dvora, Davidson, Elyad(2), Barasch, Dinorah(2), Regev, Aviva, Domb, Abraham J, Hoffman, Amnon
- Database ID:
- RTHC-02629
Evidence Hierarchy
Participants are randomly assigned to treatment or placebo groups to test cause and effect.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Does it matter how I take CBD?
Yes, significantly. This study found CBD absorbed much better when taken with fat (oil or nano-emulsion) compared to dry powder. Taking CBD with food or in an oil-based formulation dramatically increases how much reaches your bloodstream.
What is a nano-emulsion?
A nano-emulsion breaks CBD into extremely tiny droplets that mix with water. This makes CBD absorb more consistently than when dissolved in regular oil, where absorption can vary widely between individuals.
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Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-02629APA
Izgelov, Dvora; Davidson, Elyad; Barasch, Dinorah; Regev, Aviva; Domb, Abraham J; Hoffman, Amnon. (2020). Pharmacokinetic investigation of synthetic cannabidiol oral formulations in healthy volunteers.. European journal of pharmaceutics and biopharmaceutics : official journal of Arbeitsgemeinschaft fur Pharmazeutische Verfahrenstechnik e.V, 154, 108-115. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejpb.2020.06.021
MLA
Izgelov, Dvora, et al. "Pharmacokinetic investigation of synthetic cannabidiol oral formulations in healthy volunteers.." European journal of pharmaceutics and biopharmaceutics : official journal of Arbeitsgemeinschaft fur Pharmazeutische Verfahrenstechnik e.V, 2020. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejpb.2020.06.021
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Pharmacokinetic investigation of synthetic cannabidiol oral ..." RTHC-02629. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/izgelov-2020-pharmacokinetic-investigation-of-synthetic
Access the Original Study
Study data sourced from PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
This study breakdown was produced by the RethinkTHC research team. We analyze and report published research findings without making health recommendations. All interpretations are based solely on the published abstract and study data.