CBD Technologies: What Should We Expect in the Near Future?

CBD has been a buzzword around the health and wellness, and beauty industries for years. The promise of having a plant-derived product that offers a myriad benefits with nearly none of the side effects is something that is too good to just pass by. Because of its unique way of binding with our body’s endocannabinoid system (ECS), the fact that cannabinoids also occur inside our bodies naturally, and the largely still unexplored positive effects of cannabinoids to our health, many scientists, researchers, and even the tech industry has conducted many studies to understand CBD and come up with better ways to increase its bioavailability in our bodies.CBD and technology — their possible futureMore controlled CBD levelsResearchers and scientists have come up with methods in breeding plants with higher CBD levels and near non-existent THC levels. The reason behind this is that THC, at certain levels, are still largely illegal. Whereas CBD has been deemed legal by the federal government.Because of this, producers have been growing hemp plants with more control over the CBD levels of their yield. This means that in the near future, more growers will be able to produce plants that will yield more CBD, reducing waste and coming up with better quality products.CBD and geneticsSome scientists have even been studying a person’s genetics and the effects of CBD in relation to a person’s DNA. Everyone responds to cannabis differently. In the future, we might see CBD products tailor made for your genetics, making your CBD treatment more effective.Advances in extraction methodsLarge strides have been made in extracting CBD from hemp plants. Where ethanol, butane, and acetone were once widely used to extract CBD, advances in the extraction field have come up with safer ways of extracting CBD that we can now largely do away with using hydrocarbons. Studies have found that using hydrocarbons could introduce carcinogenic compounds into the crude extract from hemp plants.Safer and more efficient and environmentally friendly ways of extraction (i.e. Supercritical CO2 Extraction method, considered the gold standard in extraction) result in better quality CBD oil extracted from plants. We have been seeing safer and better quality CBD products become more prevalent in the market. In the future, we could be expecting more of these products and perhaps at a cheaper price once more producers apply the gold standard in extraction.NanotechnologyScientists and researchers have been looking for ways to improve bioavailability in CBD products. Bioavailability is the amount of CBD that makes it into your bloodstream. The better the bioavailability of a CBD product is, the more efficient it is in providing treatment. Scientists have looked to nanotechnology to achieve this. “Water-soluble” CBD oils have been marketed by companies. These are being touted as a better, more efficient alternative to the regular CBD oils in the market. Though these “water-soluble” CBD oils are not really water-soluble, they do contain CBD molecules “shrunk” to nano-size to make them penetrate membranes more efficiently. This ensures that more CBD molecules will enter the bloodstream, therefore increasing its bioavailability. More studies need to be conducted regarding this but so far, the results from what studies have been made are generally positive. We may be seeing more of these nano-fied products in the market in the near future.ConclusionThe future is looking bright for the CBD industry. With all the technological advances in the field, we can expect better, safer, and more efficient products in the future. And with numerous studies being conducted, perhaps we might even discover more ways that CBD can help treat various diseases.