Can You Take CBD Gummies On An Empty Stomach?

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Before jumping into the answers to this question, it is particularly important to understand what bioavailability means and how it impacts the effects of CBD in the body. Bioavailability, also known as absorption, is the rate and extent that hemp-derived cannabinoids (or any ingredients) reach your bloodstream.

Unfortunately, regardless of the form factor, the maximum absorption of CBD and other vitamin and nutraceutical products falls between 5-15%, meaning, there is a lot of “waste” going on for products you spend your hard-earned money on.

One of the main reasons for the poor bioavailability is the “First Pass Effect” which occurs when you ingest CBD or other ingredients in any form factor (tincture, capsule, gummy etc…)

Here’s How It Works-

When you ingest CBD, the ingredients stop off in the upper GI tract (gastrointestinal tract) where they are transported through the hepatic vein into the liver, hence, “first pass effect.”

The liver’s job is to filter and break down ingredients, so right out of the starting gate, you are losing potency and efficacy of the CBD. From there, the liver returns the CBD to the stomach, and then into the large and small intestines, where it is broken down even further. By the time the CBD enters the bloodstream, you are left with 5-15% of the active ingredients.

Now that we have covered the science and reason behind the poor bioavailability of CBD and any other vitamin or nutraceutical and even pharmaceutical medicine, let’s get back to the good stuff.

What are CBD Gummies?

CBD gummies are created using either gelatin or pectin and CBD isolate, though there are also some full spectrum CBD gummies available on the market. They have become the most common form that people prefer to take their CBD, and they come in a variety of flavors, shapes, sizes, and concentrations, so it is important to do your research prior to making a purchase.

Can You Take CBD Gummies on an Empty Stomach?

Although you CAN take CBD gummies on an empty stomach, we typically recommend not to.

If you’re taking CBD on an empty stomach, you’re going to need a larger dose to feel a therapeutic response compared to someone who has food in their stomach. This is regardless of the way you’re intaking CBD – oral, topical, etc. CBD works better if a person ingests fatty foods approximately 30 minutes prior to taking it.

Foods like avocado, salmon, seeds, nuts, or even cheese pizza can help increase and improve the rate of absorption. This is because fat lipids help to transport the cannabinoids into the bloodstream and into the cell membrane.

This is the reason that CBD tinctures are mixed with MCT oil (derived from coconuts) or hemp seed oil.  They are both healthy forms of fat and they will help to increase the bioavailability of CBD into the body.

This knowledge can be especially helpful if one finds themselves going through the CBD gummy supply quickly, as it can become an expensive habit if you need to take 3 or more gummies to address a symptom.

While there has been limited research in this area, studies done by the University of Minnesota found that there was a greater concentration of CBD detected in participants blood plasma in participants that ate fatty foods prior to their CBD dose vs. those who fasted and then took their CBD.

Therefore, to stretch your supply out and get the best “bang for the buck,” try eating fatty foods prior to consuming your CBD gummy or other CBD form factors. In the end, you should feel the effects more with less CBD required and save money while you are at it!

Can You Take Too Much CBD?

While it is not possible to “OD” on CBD, there is no benefit in overdoing it.

In fact, if a person takes too much CBD, it can be counterproductive to achieving a therapeutic response because there is a zone that you want to find and stay in and blasting through that threshold is just a waste of money.

So, from a purely economic/cost perspective, over consuming CBD is not self-serving. It is better to start with a low dose, and then increase until the desired effect is achieved. In this way, you do not overdo it or underdo it.

CBD Gummy Products You Should Try

Not all CBD gummies are created equal.

In fact, the majority of CBD gummies are filled with high fructose corn syrup, artificial dyes, and colors and artificial flavors. CBD is supposed to be a healthy product that has medical benefits, but any gummy that contains any of the aforementioned ingredients are NOT healthy and should be avoided.

Rather, you should look for a gummy that addresses specific symptoms that are natural, without all the cheap ingredients.

And to take it one step further, any gummy you purchase should have third-party lab testing to back up the efficacy and safety profile.

What Makes PurWell Different?

Primarily, what makes our gummies different from the majority of gummies on the market is that they are USDA certified organic, and we do not use any artificial or synthetic ingredients.

Our sugar source is a combination of organic cane sugar and organic tapioca, and there is a little under 2 grams of sugar per gummy, which means that insulin sensitive people can take one of our gummies without spiking their blood sugar level.

Another difference is that our gummy colors and flavors come from organic juice extract, making them taste incredibly good and natural.

Another significant difference, especially if a person is vegan or vegetarian, is we use pectin and not gelatin in the formulation of our gummies.

Shall we keep on going?

Ok!

At PurWell, we formulate our gummies to address symptoms of different disease states.

For example, we have a gummy focused on helping people who suffer from Insomnia that includes a variety of sleepy herbs and CBN isolate, in addition to full spectrum CBD.

We also have a gummy that we formulated as a safe and effective alternative for NSAIDs or Non-Steroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs (e.g. Motrin, Tylenol, Celebrex, Alieve, etc…). Powerful flavonoids combined with novel cannabinoids make this effective for people with severe arthritis and osteo-type symptoms/conditions.

And finally, we do not spray our gummies like a lot of other companies do, but we infuse them during the manufacturing process, providing consistent dosing throughout the bottle. Gummies that are sprayed provide inconsistent dosing from gummy to gummy, making them completely unpredictable.

That is the PurWell difference!