We’ve all been there… We’ve been online or in a store and purchased a new Hemp product that we haven’t tried before. And why not? It’s a similar form factor to other Hemp products we’ve tried and it’s the exact same dosage. It should have more or less the same effect, right!?
Then you get home and give it a try...wait 30 minutes... nothing happens… wait 30 more… nothing.. try some more… still nothing.
You don’t experience the great night sleep, stress-free afternoon, or general calm that you are used to from other Hemp products that you’ve tried. The dosage was exactly the same though, so what gives?
The key takeaway here is that not all Hemp products are created equal. While the form factor may look similar and the dosage on the box may be exactly the same, there is a wide variance in the effectiveness of a Hemp product resulting from a number of factors. Today, we are going to explore those factors.
If you are brand new to Hemp and want to tackle the basics first, we suggest you read our Hemp 101 guide for beginners, before continuing on with this piece.
Bioavailability
An important topic that we’ve tacked in previous blog posts, bioavailability, plays a crucial role in the effectiveness of Hemp products. As a term, “bioavailability” is actually quite simple. It is a term to describe how much of a particular molecule ends up in your bloodstream and is used vs how much simply passes through the body as waste and the timeliness in which the part that’s used gets in.
Tinctures, a popular form factor for Hemp, have roughly 30% bioavailability, meaning that if you were to take a 10-milligram dose, roughly 3 milligrams of that dose would enter your bloodstream and activate the intended effects.
Hemp isolates and distillate, popular form factors in their own right, sit at roughly 10% bioavailability.
Water-soluble Hemp, often created through nano-emulsification processes like we use for our collection of Hemp Stir STIKs, has been shown to have up to 65% bioavailability.
As you can see, these differences in bioavailability per form factor vary widely and make a crucial difference in the effect of a particular Hemp product.
Broad Spectrum Versus Isolate
Isolate is a particularly popular form factor for Hemp. And why wouldn’t it be? When approaching 99% purity of isolated Hemp, that must be the most effective and efficient way to deliver the hemp into your system… right?
The truth is much murkier than that.
Advances in hemp research, led by famed Israeli chemist Dr. Raphael Mechoulam, the man who originally isolated and synthesized hemp, have led to a finding called the “Entourage Effect.”
While the entourage effect takes into account many variables, the outcome is quite simple. Beyond the deep scientific understanding, we like to keep it simple; nature has a way of being just right, don’t mess it up.
When looking for the entourage effect to enhance the effectiveness of a Hemp product, it is important to look for “broad-spectrum” or “full-spectrum” Hemp. Broad spectrum and full spectrum Hemp have a broader range of terpenes than isolated Hemp. While the Hemp percentage may be lower, the sum will be greater than its parts and you will achieve more of the desired effect you are looking for.
Quality of Hemp
Like any other product, it is important to consider quality when purchasing Hemp. The overall quality of your Hemp can stem from a variety of factors, but the easiest way to get a quick snapshot is by reviewing the Certificate of Analysis (COA).
As we have previously covered, a COA is included on the packaging of Hemp products from most reputable companies, regardless of whether they are required by state law. On our collection of Hemp Stir STIKs, you can find the COA via a QR code included on the back of our packaging.
The COA will include a range of helpful information, including the lab that performed the analysis (to ensure it was done by a 3rd Party, not by the manufacturer), the hemp profile, and whether the product passed safety tests like pesticides, microbials and heavy metal.
Provided this crucial information checks out, your product should be good to consume.
