Have you ever wondered why many of your favorite cannabidiol (CBD) products contain something called medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) oil? In addition to the unique potential benefits CBD and MCT oil provide individually, MCT oil stabilizes and increases the bioavailability of CBD.
In this article, we’ll provide basic information about CBD and MCT oil and break down why these two ingredients are so frequently paired together.
What Are CBD and MCT Oil?
CBD is one of more than 113 naturally occurring compounds, or cannabinoids, found in hemp and cannabis plants. CBD interacts with something in your body called the endocannabinoid system (ECS)—a cell-signaling communication system that plays a vital role in the regulation of various processes and functions in the body, such as sleep, mood, inflammatory response and pain, metabolism, and memory. Through this interaction, CBD has the potential to relieve sleeping troubles, alleviate everyday aches and pains and help with muscle recovery, and mitigate mild anxiety.
Made from a type of fat called medium-chain triglycerides, MCT oil is a health supplement and is derived from coconut oil or palm oil. It’s a clear, flavorless liquid that is commonly added to coffee and even used in cooking. There are four different types of MCTs: caproic acid, capric acid, caprylic acid, and lauric acid, each of which has varying potential effects and are found in varying amounts in MCT oil.
MCT oil has gained popularity as a health supplement over the past five years and has become well-known for its fat-burning, metabolism-revving superfood properties. Anecdotal evidence and emerging research suggesting potential benefits ranging from increased energy, appetite control, and weight loss to neuroprotection and reduced risk of cardiovascular disease.
CBD and MCT Oil: The Ultimate Power Couple
By taking CBD and MCT oil together, you benefit from the essential fatty acids in MCT oil and the calming and balancing effects of CBD—but that’s not the only reason for pairing them together.
For many CBD products, MCT oil is used as a carrier oil. Carrier oils are an essential ingredient in CBD oils because they’re responsible for carrying and delivering the CBD and other cannabinoids to tissues in your body. In other words, MCT oil essentially acts as a “vehicle” to deliver CBD effectively and efficiently. There are other carrier oils out there like hemp seed oil, olive oil, and avocado oil, but they don’t necessarily offer the superfood effects that MCT oil does.
MCT oil can also serve other purposes in CBD products. For example, it may simply be incorporated into CBD products to provide the additional potential health benefits of MCT or can be used as a lubricant for products like CBD gummies.
The two most notable reasons for pairing CBD with MCT oil are:
- To Enable Ease of Dosing: Because CBD is quite viscous, carrier oils are used to dilute it. Having a mixture of CBD and MCT oil allows you to easily measure out a dose using a dropper with the appropriate markings which ultimately helps with consistent and easy dosing.
- To Increase the Bioavailability of CBD: Fat-soluble compounds, like CBD and other cannabinoids, can’t travel directly into the bloodstream. Instead, your digestive tract sends them into fatty tissues to be distributed throughout your body via the lymphatic system. Because MCT oil has the ability to bypass the digestive tract, it can help deliver CBD to the bloodstream more effectively and efficiently. Many carrier oils like MCT oil can increase the bioavailability of CBD (the degree and rate of absorption of a substance into the bloodstream). This helps the body absorb the CBD molecules which are usually quite large and hard to absorb.
Discover Feals
At Feals, we’re committed to your health and wellness journey. We’re not only dedicated to providing you with the highest quality CBD products possible, but also providing education, guidance, and support along the way. You deserve a better way to feel better and we’re here to help you find that.
We use USDA-certified organic MCT oil in both our USDA Organic CBD oils and award-winning CBD mints to stabilize and increase CBD’s bioavailability and provide you with the best CBD experience possible. If you still have questions about CBD carrier oils or why we use MCT oil in our products, our CX team would be happy to answer any questions you may have.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. This article is for informational purposes only. It is not, nor is it intended to be, a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment and should never be relied upon for specific medical advice.
