Taking CBD through the belly button

by Tom Russell March 01, 2022

CBD oil is a versatile supplement that you can take in many ways. One lesser-known option is to use the Pechoti method.

The Pechoti method involves letting substances absorb through your belly button. Some people claim that this provides enhanced absorption and quick transport around your body. So far, there is very little evidence to back up this method or indicate whether it has any effect.

Fast facts

The Pechoti gland is a name for a series of blood vessels behind the belly button.
Currently there is no clinical evidence that the Pechoti gland exists.
There is no evidence that CBD can be absorbed through the belly button.
The best methods to absorb CBD are through sublingual application and vaping.

The Pechoti gland

When a baby is born, it’s connected to its mother at the navel by an umbilical cord. The umbilical cord forms a tube between the mother’s placenta and the baby. This gives the baby a supply of nutrient-rich blood while it’s in the womb. Once the baby is born, the umbilical cord is cut and the remains dry up and fall off, leaving the belly button.

Some people believe that there is a collection of blood vessels behind the belly button that is connected to almost all parts of the body. This collection of blood vessels is called the Pechoti gland and is thought to be part of the internal structure of the umbilical cord. However, there is currently no clinical evidence to suggest that the Pechoti gland exists.

The idea of the Pechoti gland comes from the ancient practice of Ayurvedic medicine. Ayurveda originated in India and sought to treat mind, body, and spirit as a whole. According to Ayurveda, the belly button represents the ‘origin of life’ and as such, is seen as a centre of energy that flows throughout the body. Consequently, some ayurvedic practices involve placing essential oils into the belly button.

Does putting CBD oil in your belly button do anything?

There are no current studies to indicate if placing CBD oil in your belly button is an effective method of absorption. Research into ayurvedic practices has revealed that there is no cluster or hub of blood vessels centred around the area behind the belly button, “On dissecting the Navel of any person, we couldn’t find any such vessels at that place.” This could indicate that as the baby develops, any internal elements of the umbilical cord become unused and break down in the same way as the external parts.

It’s highly unlikely that putting oil in your belly button gives it special access to blood vessels or provides quick absorption around the body. However, that doesn’t mean that it will be completely ineffective. Research suggests that topical absorption of CBD through your skin gives direct access to local tissue and small blood vessels just below the surface. This can allow up to 45% of the cannabinoids to reach your cells, but it will only stay locally. Placing CBD oil in your belly button isn’t an effective way to provide your whole body with a supply of CBD. It will absorb into local tissue, but if you want to apply CBD to the skin in and around your belly button, it will be a lot less messy to use a good CBD balm.

How is CBD best absorbed?

Although placing CBD oil on your belly button won’t effectively transport any cannabidiol around your body, some other methods will. There are many ways to take CBD, but the best is:

Placing CBD oil under your tongue

Also known as the sublingual method, placing drops of CBD oil under your tongue allows up to 35% of the CBD to reach your bloodstream. You will likely notice the first effects within 15-25 minutes.

This method effectively transports CBD around your body because it passes through the thin membrane under the tongue into the sublingual blood vessels. The blood transports it around the body without being broken down in the liver.

Vaporising and inhaling CBD e-liquid

E-liquids can be used as a carrier for CBD. When the e-liquid is vaporised, it can be inhaled, allowing the CBD to reach the lungs and pass into the bloodstream. The large surface area of the membranes in your lungs make this a particularly effective way to take CBD.

Once the CBD is in your blood, it travels around your body without first passing through your liver, allowing more molecules to stay intact. Up to 56% of the CBD will reach your blood and you may notice the first effects in 10 to 20 minutes.

Conclusion

You can take CBD oil through the belly button, but it’s likely to be very greasy and it won’t be transported to the rest of your body. The best ways to absorb CBD are to place it under your tongue or inhale it with a vaporiser.

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Tom Russell

Author

Tom Russell writes extensively about CBD oil and other groundbreaking food supplements. He and his wife share their home with two daughters and a lifetime’s collection of books.