CBD Capsules and CBD Oil – What’s the Difference?

CBD Capsules and CBD Oil – What’s the Difference?

Lucky for all of us, today’s market has grown so expansively that a range of options for choosing CBD products is anything but minimal. With all of these products available coming in so many different shapes, flavors, sizes (you know what we’re talking about – “Do I pick the tropical fruit flavored capsules? Or the nice, clean, organic and earthy looking drops?”) it can get pretty confusing figuring out the actual difference between options. 


One question we get asked often at Vena is, “What’s the difference between CBD oil and CBD capsules?” Read on and enjoy, as we explore a bit deeper into the windows of CBD oil, CBD capsules, and how CBD capsules work.


Difference Between CBD Oil & Capsules

First and foremost, it is important to note that the term “CBD oil” specifically refers to the CBD oil that is used as the base in various CBD products, like topicals, tinctures, sprays, and of course, capsules. Each of these products offer a different method of consuming CBD oil, and each have their own unique properties that make them desirable to consume or use in that manner. 


For example, some people would much prefer not to ingest or taste their CBD product, or maybe just prefer to apply CBD to pinpointed areas (like a knee that aches), and would therefore opt for a topical option that they can rub on. Some people may prefer to ingest their CBD to try to benefit internally, where they may want to increase their overall wellbeing or even get better sleep. Tinctures, edibles, beverages, and capsules are all an attractive option for this. 


Some people use the term “CBD oil” to refer to tinctures with CBD oil in them, as tinctures have an oil-like texture. However, CBD oil is in tinctures, capsules, rub-on topicals, and every other form of CBD products. Simply put, CBD capsules are just one of the several ways to consume and benefit from the CBD oil that is inside of them.


CBD oil is the mixture of cannabidiol and carrier oil, like MCT. MCT’s are fatty acids that occur naturally in oils like coconut and palm, and are often extracted from coconut oil to be used as a base for CBD oil. MCT oil allows for a larger concentration of CBD to be absorbed into your body, as CBD works best when taken with saturated, soluble fats. The first process begins with cannabidiol being extracted from the hemp plant, and then it can be added into a product, creating the various options we have today like CBD topicals, tinctures, and capsules.


CBD capsules are, similar to what you have likely seen or taken before with vitamins or cold medicines, soft gel pills that are consumed orally. Capsules are a highly preferred method of consuming CBD for a variety of reasons. What makes CBD capsules an obviously attractive method for consuming CBD are convenience, control, and taste


  • Convenience – Capsules are great for people on the go, working, traveling, at home, and beyond. Where ever it may be, they are convenient to use for every lifestyle and can simply be tossed back with your other handful of supplements, vitamins, and pills. Vena CBD Capsules are an essential and coveted option for the person chasing big dreams, grinding every day, who wants to minimize having to put more time and thought into their self-care routine. We all like improving, feeling good, and simplifying things, right? The convenience of consuming CBD in a capsule form makes it the easiest choice to incorporate into a daily routine, so you can focus more on going about crushing your day. 

  • Control – Another reason that CBD oil capsules are an attractive method for consuming CBD is the amount of control you have over dosage. Because of a capsule’s nature, they serve as a great way to dose yourself with the accurate and specific amount of milligrams you desire, versus having to measure out a tincture in a dropper each time. Capsules allow you to track the quantity and dosage you have taken over time and best figure out what works for your body and needs. One example of a situation where being able to measure dosage conveniently proves beneficial is when you choose to take CBD for a certain amount of time or for a purpose, like pain or menstruation. Vena’s newest product, Wing Woman, is a capsule that is specifically formulated with powerful ingredients that are proven to support women through their entire cycle. The quick and convenient doses in capsule form make it that much easier to measure what works for your body during your cycle. Packed with Mother Nature’s best ingredients like Iron, Valerian Root and Cramp bark, Wing Woman helps ease menstrual symptoms while replenishing lost nutrients. Period.

  • Taste – Lastly, many people adore CBD capsules because of the taste aspect. What? Taste, you say? Don’t worry! It’s exactly that – the taste (unless otherwise advertised as something special and yummy) is typically nonexistent with capsules. Generally, CBD can have an acquired taste and feel, as experienced with tinctures, but capsules are tasteless and disappear down your throat with a glass of water. This makes them, again, overall one of the most simple and convenient methods for consuming CBD oil.

How Do CBD Capsules Work?


Now for the fun (nerd-ing out) part! You get all the benefits and aspects of what makes CBD capsules an attractive option – but how do the capsules work? Let’s break it down simply.


We’d first like to introduce a word: bioavailability. Bioavailability essentially measures how much of something reaches your bloodstream, and therefore what your body can utilize of it for body functions. The key takeaway here is that there are ways to improve the bioavailability and absorption of the CBD you put into your body so that your body can optimize its use. 


Generally, CBD capsules only require a glass of water to take and wash them down. However, if you’d like to optimize your results, it is recommended that the capsules be taken with high-fat foods. As CBD passes through the digestive tract, it can lose effectiveness, as some of it may not be absorbed into the body along the way (cue new key term: bioavailability!) and high-fat foods reduce the likelihood of this. Researchers at the University of Nottingham concluded in a study that when CBD oil was consumed with long-chain triglycerides (high-fat) foods, it bypassed much of first pass metabolism. Additionally, the bioavailability of the CBD was shown to increase four times when consumed after a meal.


However, there is absolutely no need to stress if you either cannot or do not prefer to take your CBD capsules with food. They are completely safe on an empty stomach and will still be effective. Again, we encounter another beautiful thing to adore about CBD – there are alternatives to consumption methods, which don’t require food and are highly effective at being absorbed, such as tinctures that are administered sublingually. With these sublingual methods, you take a dropper of CBD oil and let it sit under your tongue, where it is absorbed so quickly it doesn’t even have the chance to reach your liver. Vena’s CBD Tincture is a top-tier tincture in the market, is tasteless, scentless, and unites MCT Coconut Oil with 99% CBD Isolate, allowing you to consume lab-tested premium CBD sublingually. If you’re not the biggest fan of dropping your tincture under your tongue, tinctures are a completely safe option to add to any liquid beverage to drink down.


Through diving deeper into the world of CBD, hopefully it is easier to understand the difference between CBD oil and capsules, how CBD oil is the base of CBD products, and more about how CBD oil capsules work. CBD capsules are a convenient way to benefit from CBD and a perfect place to start for those just learning about the effects of CBD.

Tags: Education

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