5 Best Nano-Emulsified CBD Products In 2021

In order to increase the body’s ability to absorb the hemp oil effectively and rapidly, nano-crafted CBD products employ emulsification agents to suspend hemp oil in solution. Everyday tinctures are simply concentrated blends of hemp oil and other oils, but “nano-emulsions” suspend the hemp oil inside nanoparticles that disperse evenly in water-based solutions.

Traditional hemp oil capsules also have downsides: The large particle size of the oil in its natural state makes it difficult to be absorbed effectively by the body. Conversely, once in the gastrointestinal tract, the oil can be too fragile to survive the acids, enzymes, and flora. They enter the bloodstream in a degraded state as a result. So-called “liposomal delivery” of hemp oil protects the CBD and delivers the nanoparticles directly into the bloodstream and allows for more effective dosing and delivery.

Imagine a nano-sized fat droplet that’s so tiny it disperses effectively in water—and doesn’t pool up like oil typically does. What’s remarkable about formulations like these is that each spherical, nano-sized droplet encapsulates another droplet—hemp oil. Encased in this manner, the molecules of hemp oil are so tiny that, held under the tongue, they actually absorb into the bloodstream by passing between the cells in your mouth.

Liposomes are microscopic single- to multi-layer spheres made of phospholipids, the basic building blocks of cell membranes. They’re formulated to encapsulate compounds in order to bypass the digestive processes that normally degrades or limits compound absorption. The best-made liposomes can deposit cargo intracellularly, enhancing lymphatic circulation of therapeutic compounds. Formulated small enough, liposomes can even cross the blood-brain barrier.

Larger liposome formulas, in the 200–300-nanometer range, target delivery for the gastrointestinal tract, not the mouth. These solutions are typically cloudy, yet they turn clear when the nanoparticles enter the 50–100-nanometer range. With particles this small (1 nanometer is one-billionth of a millimeter), the solutions allow waves of light to pass through without reflecting back. Look for clear solutions, because particles this tiny range absorb more quickly.

Why Does Nano-Emulsification Work?

The dietary supplement and nutraceutical industries—which the hemp industry occupy—are seeing an up-tick in companies that employ liposomal delivery. Why? Because hemp oil does not metabolize as effectively in the digestive tract as it does via “sublingual” (under-the-tongue) absorption directly into the bloodstream. This dramatically increases bioavailability—the rate at which compounds are absorbed on a cellular level. Pharmacists have been creating emulsions and simple liposomes to enhance absorption of drugs through the skin for about 20 years. Now hemp oil companies are catching on.

So-called “phospholipid therapy” has a well-established clinical history independent of hemp oil for repair and maintenance of liver function, circulatory health, and neurological health. Yet combine this with hemp oil, and nano-emulsions of hemp oil have a dual medicinal effect.

The liposomes employed in “nano-emulsions” are made from phospholipids derived from raw lecithin or more expensive phosphatidylcholine mixes, which more closely resemble the material of cell walls and aid in product absorption. In other words, nano-emulsions are small enough to enter the bloodstream rapidly, and their phospholipid shells aid in absorption, because cells themselves feed off the fats (lecithin or phosphatidylcholine). The hemp-oil “cargo” of the lipid then delivers the beneficial cannabinoids and terpenes directly into the cell.

Non-water soluble compounds like hemp oil are hydrophobic (repel water) and require durable liposomes for encapsulation. Hard (and expensive) science is required to form a closed, spherical vesicle arranged into multiple concentric bilayer membranes to encapsulate hemp oil. Few companies are willing to invest the resources and know-how to engineer these oil-soluble compounds.