Bioavailability seems to be a buzz word that keeps getting brought up in the wellness industry. So what does it have to do with your pet’s CBD oil?

Besides babies, name something that needs to be carried. Give up? It’s CBD. Yes, in order for people or pets to reap the optimum benefits from CBD, it needs a carrier. So what does that mean? 

To explain it, you must first understand a little bit about pharmaceutical chemistry. Most people think that just by ingesting or injecting medication, it automatically and magically goes to the spot that needs healing. But, it’s much more complex than that. 

Different brands use different carriers and there’s a big difference in their effectiveness. So step one is to identify the carrier of your CBD by reading the back label of listed ingredients and any sourcing information. The most common carriers you will find are olive, hemp seed, coconut, and MCT oil.  

Fat is Good for CBD

So which is the best one? It’s all about which one most easily interacts with the cannabinoids of the CBD oils. They are fat-soluble which means that when they break down, they are stored in fat rather than water. Because of this, cannabinoids are most effective when consumed with fat, thus increasing their bioavailability. In other words, molecularly, the higher the lipid (or fat) content of the oil they are in, the better and more efficiently they can dissolve. 

Which Fat is Best? 

But, it’s not just any fat that makes the difference. Saturated fat is best because of its unique molecular structure composed of medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs). MCTs are unique in that they bypass the regular digestive process (intestines to the liver to the bloodstream) and are absorbed directly into the bloodstream. 

What is the Best Carrier?  MCT Oil is the Preferred Carrier for CBD

MCT oil metabolizes very differently than any other saturated or even polyunsaturated fat. It does not get processed by the liver and does not get easily stored as fat. Also, it is the only natural oil that is 100% made up of MCTs which can break down and “carry” more CBD molecules to cells for absorption by the Endocannabinoid System in the body. MCTs are super fuel for your cells and they burn MCTs for energy while boosting metabolism and supporting the immune system, while aiding in hormone balance.

If you’re looking to give your best friend the best quality brand, then remember two things. You must trust where you are sourcing your pet CBD from. 

When it comes to MCT oil … it’s all about 

CARRYING, DELIVERY, and ABSORPTION

Fun Fact:

For most of the 20^th century, MCTs were only consumed from natural food sources like butter and coconut oil, and not much else was known about these fats. In the 1980s, Dr. Vigen Babayan of the Nutrition Laboratory at Harvard University developed a process to produce MCTs in large quantities. The end product of this newly discovered process was called MCT oil.