What to Know When Searching for Your CBD Products

Sep 4, 2019

CBD is everywhere! But as with all wellness products, not all CBD is created equal. The industry is currently unregulated, which means that companies can cut products with fillers, or lie about the potency without any repercussions. It is important to do your research on the company and products that you are interested in trying. We have put together a quick guide to help you find the best quality products will benefit you most.

First you need to ask yourself a few questions: “What am I trying to accomplish?” “Where is my issue stemming from?”  “What areas of my body are affected?” There are many different CBD applications, and depending on what you plan on using CBD for, it is important to know the differences. There are 4 main types of CBD applications:

Topicals are applied directly onto the skin and are absorbed locally and instantly into the site of application. The CBD in topicals are typically not absorbed into the bloodstream. Most people will apply these topicals on an as-needed basis.

Sublingual CBD is applied under the tongue and is quickly absorbed through the glands, where it travels directly to the bloodstream. This allows the CBD to circulate throughout the entire body. Depending on the person, they may find sublingual CBD to be most effective when consuming it on a daily basis. The bioavailability of this method is high.

Edibles are eaten and sent through the digestive tract, where the CBD is then transferred to the Liver to be further processed. From there, the CBD is sent to the bloodstream to be utilized. This process typically takes a few hours to onset the effects. Although bioavailability is lower in edibles due to the lengthy process, the effects are typically extended for several hours.

Inhalation comes in two forms; smoking and vaporizing. Vaporization is more beneficial because more plant compounds remain while no carcinogenic compounds are produced (as long as vaping is done correctly). By inhaling the CBD, it is immediately absorbed through the lungs and the effects are instant. Smoking has a low bioavailability while the bioavailability of vaporization is much higher.

With this information, hopefully you have a better idea of what method of consumption will work best for you. A few other factors to consider include whether your CBD is isolate, broad spectrum, or full spectrum, as well as how many milligrams are present in your product. Remember that every body is different, so while a specific type and dose of CBD may work well for someone else, you may have to experiment to see what works best for your personal circumstance.

But how do you know you are getting a quality product? Here are a few main questions you will want to ask yourself when looking into a specific company and product:

  1. Is this product third party lab tested? This is where the company sends their products to a third party lab to test the purity of their products. A “Certificate of Analysis” (COA) will show cannabinoid content to verify the product label is correct. Some companies only test for cannabinoid content, however the most transparent companies will also test and publicly release the analysis for terpenes, microbiological contaminants, heavy metals, residual solvents, pesticides, etc.
  2. Where is the CBD sourced from? This is another way to determine if the CBD is pure. The hemp should be grown in clean soil conditions using organic practices. The farmers should handle the Hemp with care from seed to drying and curing, to prevent disease and mildew from forming, and to be sure the Hemp is compliant with federal regulations regarding THC levels (it must be less than .3% THC on a dry weight basis).
  3. What other ingredients does this product contain? Along with the CBD, the quality of the rest of the product’s ingredients are just as important. Each ingredient should provide a beneficial purpose for the consumer.
  4. Is the company easy to contact and do they answer my questions accordingly? Transparency is key! You should not feel uneasy when purchasing your CBD products. You should feel confident in the mission, knowledge and quality of the company and products you are considering. Any honest company will be happy to answer all questions you have without beating around the bush or making unbacked claims.
  5. Is the information on the product labels consistent with the website and does it all make sense? If the information on the website is not consistent with the label, or if the label/website makes false claims like their “full spectrum” oil being “THC free” (true full spectrum products will always contain at least trace amounts of THC), this should raise a red flag that the company is inexperienced and uneducated, or has ill intentions. Be vigilant in spotting red flags like this.

The best advice that we can suggest is to do your own research, but do not be gullible in trusting the very first source of information you find. There is a lot of misleading information that you must filter. Look for obvious signs, always ask questions and read company reviews! We hope this guide helps you find the CBD that is right for you!

We encourage you to discuss CBD with your physician or healthcare practitioner if you have any specific health related questions or concerns. There are also many independent research studies about CBD available on the internet.

Disclaimer: These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, mitigate, or prevent any disease.