Cannabis and Bioavailability

The Effects of Different Administration Methods

Whenever you buy medical marijuana, do you make sure that the potency percentage is accurate?

There is a common misconception that high-potency marijuana products have stronger therapeutic and psychoactive effects. Despite this, it’s important not to rely solely on what’s listed on the packaging.

Packaging can be used by manufacturers to entice customers to buy their products. In other words, to assure you are purchasing the correct product for your needs, there is more to know.

It’s time to dig deeper into cannabis and bioavailability.

Find out why certain consumption methods of marijuana products don’t have the desired effect, despite the THC or CBD percentage on the label.

What Is Bioavailability?

Cannabis’ therapeutic benefits are attributed to its cannabinoids and their ability to absorb them into the bloodstream, referred to as bioavailability. It is essential to take cannabis in a form easily absorbed by the body to experience its therapeutic effects.

Cannabis can be administered in a variety of ways, such as:

• smoking and vaping
• eating or drinking
• apply topically to the skin
• rectal suppositories

Ideally, the body utilizes every bit of nutrients it receives from administered substances.

In reality, however, only a small fraction of these nutrients is absorbed into the body.

There is no 100% bioavailability unless the drug is injected intravenously into the bloodstream. By injecting cannabinoids directly into the blood, cannabinoids bypass the liver, causing users to feel the effects much faster.

How Do Cannabis Cannabinoids Affect Bioavailability?

Understanding what affects cannabis’ bioavailability requires a closer look at its molecular properties.

In the body, cannabinoids are fat-soluble molecules that are absorbed more rapidly and in greater concentrations by the fat tissue before being redistributed to the bloodstream.

Additionally, cannabinoids are drawn to the body’s organs with high blood flow.

There are variations in marijuana bioavailability and consumption practices for several reasons, including its lipophilicity.

For this reason, patients should consider their dosing method and bioavailability when undergoing medical marijuana treatments.

Methods of Administering Marijuana and Its Bioavailability

There are hundreds of molecular compounds in cannabis, known as terpenes and cannabinoids.

Cannabis contains cannabinoids such as THC, CBD, and CBN. Cannabinoid content in marijuana remains understudied, but evidence suggests delivery methods affect bioavailability.

In determining the bioavailability of a substance, consider the following key factors:

• the formulation
• a substance’s interaction with another substance
• its composition
• circulation of the blood
• having a healthy digestive system

Delivery and Consumption Method Play a Crucial Role in Marijuana’s Bioavailability.

Below are some of how marijuana consumption can affect bioavailability.

Oral administration

To experience the effects of cannabis, users must take it orally so that it can be metabolized by the liver or absorbed into the bloodstream.

However, nutrients and cannabinoids must first enter the gastrointestinal system for breakdown and processing before they reach the liver. As soon as the substance leaves the digestive tract, its potency is lost.

Topical administration

There are other forms of marijuana besides creams, balms, ointments, lotions, and transdermal patches. As cannabinoids enter the body through marijuana topicals, they interact with nerves, bones, and skin receptors. Topical applications absorb into the bloodstream through the skin.

However, currently, there is no clinical evidence to support the effects or bioavailability of transdermal and topical cannabis products.

Taking inhalation

Users seeking immediate symptom relief can use these fast-acting methods, but their effects tend to wear off much faster. By inhaling cannabis smoke and vapor, cannabinoids bypass the gut and enter the bloodstream directly.

Vaporizing or smoking

Among cannabis users, smoking and vaping are also common. In addition to burning and wasting much of the flower, smoking also destroys most of its cannabinoid content. It is, however, the least effective method of administering medication.

Intranasal spray

Recently, nasal sprays have become very popular among medical cannabis patients. It has been reported that intranasal medical marijuana treatments have a bioavailability of up to 46%. It also has a quick onset time, and it takes most users less than 10 minutes to notice its effects.

Using rectal suppositories

Smoking, vaping, or eating marijuana isn’t for everyone.

Many marijuana users use suppositories to treat their ailments. Despite limited evidence, claims indicate cannabis administered rectally has a bioavailability of 13.5% to 40%.

Consequently, different administration methods affect cannabis and bioavailability in different ways. While some administration methods can lead to higher bioavailability, others can have a low rate.

Therefore, it is always best to obtain medical marijuana from a dispensary to ensure you are getting high-quality cannabis with better bioavailability.

View Medwell Health’s Dispensaries and Discounts pages here for your best options!