Are Cannabis-infused Beverages Better Than Edibles?
When it comes to self-medicating with cannabis, edibles are often a to-go-to thing. But some believe cannabis-infused drinks are more effective. Over the years, marijuana beverages have become very popular. The flavonoids, terpenoids, and cannabinoids make these drinks super bioavailable. Bioavailability is the amount of a material or a substance that enters your system when you consume it. It is responsible for allowing the substance to make changes on a cognitive and physiological level. When it comes to medical cannabis drinks, the high bioavailability means that the effects are more consistent than edibles, or any other method of cannabis consumption.
THC beverages are very different than cannabis flower and concentrates. The effects are also very different than edibles. But why is that?
Why drinking cannabis is different?
Apart from tasting really great, drinking cannabis takes away the harshness of smoking. The burning sensation when inhaling hot smoke often causes irritation. Cannabis beverages also taste better, and the strong cannabis taste is often only faintly detected. It is somewhat of an accomplishment to make cannabis-infused drinks as cannabis doesn’t really dissolve in water. Cannabinoids are fat-soluble. Fats and water don’t mix well. It took years of experimentation to change cannabis beverages from something that looked like a salad dressing to a very clean-tasting drink that very well could pave the road for new beverages on the market.
But there is still a little bit of a learning curve here. Normally people can identify how much alcohol they can muster. But how much THC is in the infused drinks and how long does it take to have an effect? Furthermore, how long does the effect last and what are the benefits thereof?
THC Beverages and the Metabolism
Cannabis beverages do not metabolize much different than edibles. Edibles can have a very strong effect, and so do beverages. The effects are normally much more intense than other cannabis consumption methods.
When you drink marijuana, it goes first to the stomach where it mixes with the gastric acids. Because it is in liquid form, the onset of the effects is faster than with edibles. It goes from the stomach faster to the small intestines where THC gets absorbed. It gets then taken to the liver where it transforms into a more potent form of THC. When it is in the liver, THC gets transformed into 11-hydroxy-THC. 11-hydroxy-THC has a much stronger effect than Delta-9-THC. Where it generally takes anything from 40 minutes to an hour or more to feel the effect with edibles, drinking cannabis has a much faster time. After as little as 30 minutes, the effects could possibly be felt already.
Who could benefit from cannabis-infused beverages?
People suffering from serious medical conditions can certainly benefit a lot from cannabis-infused drinks. These include symptoms like:
Anxiety
Cancer and chemotherapy patients
Chronic pain
Depression
Glaucoma
Chron’s disease
HIV/AIDS
Multiple sclerosis
Parkinson’s disease
PTSD
Rheumatoid arthritis
Finding the correct dosage might be easier with cannabis beverages
Apart from absorbing faster, less THC is needed to get the expected results. To newcomers, high levels of THC could be very unsettling. Even to the point, that reluctance could be build-up towards edibles. The question is how to dose your THC-infused drink?
If you are in a place where THC beverages are sold, they would probably be market as mildly intoxicating. The idea is for that to replace the need for alcohol on many occasions. The majority of the products on the market have between 2 ½ and 10 milligrams of THC. 10 milligrams are quite high, and one drink can already have an intense effect. When a person drinks more than one 10 milligram drink, the effects could be overwhelming. Thus said, those who choose to drink commercialized cannabis-infused drinks should be aware of the tolerance they have to it and stick to what they can tolerate. Those who want to experiment with cannabis-infused beverages for medicinal purposes can control how much THC they would like to be allowed in the drink.
Should Cannabis Beverages be taken on an Empty Stomach?
Many times, people wonder if the food in the tummy would hamper or help absorption? Some think that an empty stomach is the best way, but scientists are thinking differently.
Researchers found that even though THC and CBD absorbed faster on an empty stomach, the effect was much higher when a high-fat meal was eaten before administration.
After Thoughts
There are numerous health benefits from any cannabis consumption method. There are many ways to experiment at home with cannabis-infused drinks if you do not like to buy already prepared drinks. Cannabis could be infused in coffee, tea, energy drinks, and even water. Cannabis-infused syrup can also be added to a smoothie or a cocktail. Then there are also cannabis-infused wines and beers if alcohol is the preferred way. As with all edibles, the same rule counts. Go slow and keep low until you know how much you can tolerate.
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