Nanoemulsion makes CBD oil water soluble, enhances absorption speed and effectiveness of hemp-based additives.

A decade ago, almost nobody had heard of CBD aside from a handful of researchers. Today it’s a different story. The expanding CBD market is estimated to grow at an explosive rate – from $5 billion in 2019 to $23.7 billion by 2023.

The infused beverages sub-market is expected to grow at for several years to come. Consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies are poised to become dominant players in the CBD-infused market. Major medical discoveries are triggering an eruption of new products in consumer packaged goods (CPG) – reaching millions of consumers across different demographics – bringing CBD into the mainstream.

Among products that new and existing customers consider trying, accessible forms such as edibles and beverages rank the highest. When CBD is extracted from the plant, it takes an oil-based form. Like any oil, it is hydrophobic – meaning it will not dissolve in water.

Since our bodies are made of 60% water, CBD oil resists absorption into the bloodstream. The current low levels of CBD bioavailability are putting pressure on the cannabis industry to find a solution for these products.

The method for creating CBD-infused beverages is called nanoemulsion. Making CBD oil into a nanoemulsion effectively renders the CBD oil water soluble, meaning it can then mix with any beverage. Because the particles are so small, even though a consumer is ingesting the CBD orally, the particles do not need to be broken down by the stomach and thus enter almost immediately into the bloodstream. That direct absorption increases the bioavailability to nearly 100% and also gives nearly instant results. Oils can take 15-30 minutes to show results, while water soluble oil can show result in 2-4 minutes.

Nanoemulsions are barely visible when put into a beverage and are able to dissolve large amount of hydrophobics, as well as protecting drugs from degradation. This may make them the ideal carrier.