The Fat Solubility of Cannabinoids and Why It Matters

The lipophilic nature of cannabis compounds affects how much our bodies can absorb, which translates into their bioavailability. 

Absorption rate is about the speed at which compounds like THC make their way into your bloodstream. The absorption rate for cannabinoids is significantly impacted by the route of administration.

For example, when you eat a THC-infused edible, it can take a while for it to break down in your stomach, then get metabolized in the liver and enter into the bloodstream. Only once it’s in the bloodstream, can the THC start interacting with your endocannabinoid system.

How is THC metabolized through inhalable options? The absorption rate for an inhalable like a vaporizer is much faster, as the cannabinoids are absorbed within a few seconds directly through the lining of your lungs. 

Then, there is the rate of bioavailability. This is how much actually makes it into your bloodstream in a form your body can use. So, if we look at the example of edible vs. vaporizer, THC has between a 10-35 percent bioavailability when inhaled versus only 4 to 12 percent bioavailability when ingested.

As you can see, normally, you don't get much from the total THC packed into an edible. If you were to nibble on a gummy with 100mg of THC, you'd maybe get only 10 to 35 mg of THC into your bloodstream.

But there is good news here: You can increase the bioavailability of cannabinoids like THC and CBD by emulsifying them with fat.

In a society that teaches us to shy away from fats, you may be asking what the benefit of having them in your edibles is. Think about cannabis brownies for a moment. Why do they often seem to hit so much stronger than other edibles? Part of it is that they are frequently made by inexperienced cooks who don't know how to properly plan for serving size. The other reason is that brownies contain a good portion of fats, like eggs and oils.

When you eat cannabinoids with fats, such as butter, coconut oil (MCT oil), olive oils, and others, your body is better at absorbing them because fats help your small intestine form something called micelles. Micelles are the tiny delivery trucks that help carry cannabinoids into your bloodstream.

Simply adding fats into an edible recipe helps increase micelle production, which in turn increases the absorptions rates of THC, CBD, and other cannabinoids. Studies have determined this can be as much as 2.5 times for THC and three times for CBD.

At Hometown Hero, we formulate our edibles with a fatty element to help increase the effects of every single bite. So, how do we do it?

All our baked goods are made with real butter, including the cereal bites and the brownies. 

Finally, every single gummy contains a unique formulation with MCT oil to ensure peak effects. Our edibles are effective thanks to these not-so-secret fatty ingredients.

The key takeaway from all this is that because of the fat-soluble nature of all cannabinoids, you'll want to find edibles with healthy fats on the ingredients list. Even a small serving of fat will help those little euphoric cannabinoids make the difficult transition from your digestive tract into the bloodstream, ultimately delivering stronger effects from each bite.

Lucky for you, we've already considered the unique nature of cannabinoids when we create our Hometown Hero edibles. We know we can make our edibles stronger simply by ensuring they contain a fatty component. From gummies and baked goods to soft gels, our edibles already come with a dose of healthy fats to ensure you're set up for success from the start.

Get more out of that next bite, and until next time, Mind Your Mind.