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The CBD industry is going strong in spite of all the growing pains of a nascent industry. However, the lack of regulation and standardization of CBD products has made it difficult for consumers to pick the right product for their needs.

What Is CBD?

CBD is the short form for cannabidiol; one of the numerous therapeutic compounds that are found in cannabis and hemp.

CBD usually comes in the form of oil or concentrate. CBD oil is often mixed with carrier oils, much similar to essential oils, which dilute the CBD and make it easier to use. Coconut oil and cold-pressed hemp seed oil are good examples of carrier oils that add therapeutic value to CBD oil.

Cannabis has over 100 different cannabinoids; CBD is just one of them. CBD and delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) are the most popular cannabinoids in cannabis. Unlike THC, CBD is not intoxicating.

Even though CBD is becoming popular around the globe, the industry is still highly unregulated. This leaves a lot of loopholes that allow unscrupulous dealers to take advantage of ignorant CBD consumers.

Can You Trust CBD Labels?

There is no standardization when it comes to CBD labeling practices. While some companies will state the purity of the product such as 99% pure isolate, others state the total amount of CBD in the product such as 1,000mg CBD. Hardly will a company state the exact amount of CBD per serving.

Due to these differences, it is easy for consumers to get tricked into buying an inferior CBD product or one that does not suit their needs.

What Is CBD Oil Concentrate?

In a nutshell, CBD oil concentrate of a product is the exact amount of CBD that you expect to get in a serving of the product.

For CBD tinctures, this would mean the amount of CBD in each ml of the product. Let’s say a 30ml bottle contains 600mg of CBD. The CBD concentrate will be 600mg divided by 30 which is 20mg/ml. Therefore each serving will give you 20mg of CBD.

You can apply the same principle when calculating the CBD concentrate of CBD gummies. Let’s say a packet has 30 gummies and a total of 600mg of CBD. In this case, each gummy will contain 600mg/30 which is 20mg of CBD per serving.

Most people often confuse CBD potency and concentrate; while concentrate refers to the amount of CBD per serving, the potency refers to the total amount of CBD in the product.

The Different Tiers of CBD Oil Concentrate

There are different tiers of CBD oil concentrate.

1.     Low CBD Oil Concentrate

When trying out CBD for the first time, one may want to start with the lowest concentrate to allow their bodies to adjust.

To achieve this easily, you can start with CBD oils that offer a concentrate of around 10mg of CBD per serving. A 25ml bottle with 250 mg of CBD tincture will contain 10mg of CBD per serving. This means that two serving daily will offer 20mg of CBD which is an ideal starting dose.

2.     Medium CBD Oil Concentrate

A regular CBD user may require more CBD per serving. But this also depends on the individual’s physiology, what they are treating, their body fat percentage as well as activity level.

A 30ml bottle with 1,000mg of CBD will contain 33mg CBD per serving. With 3 daily servings, a user can have 100mg of CBD. This is ideal for patients requiring about 100mg of CBD daily so they can have three servings a day. Opting for a low tier product would mean taking up to 10 servings daily to achieve the required dose of CBD. This is definitely on the higher side of things.

3.     High CBD Oil Concentrate

Patients with severe pain or stubborn seizures may require high doses of CBD at a go. The most effective way to go about this is to go for CBD products that have high CBD concentrate.

CBD products offering 40-50mg CBD per serving are generally considered to be highly concentrated.

In 2018, the World Health Organization issued a report stating that CBD is well tolerated and has a good safety profile, even in high concentrates.

A previous 2011 study placed the toxic dose of CBD at 20,000mg/day. This is way above what might be consumed even in high concentrates.

Why Is CBD Concentrate A Big Fuss?

CBD concentrate is a big deal to consumers because ideally, it is what you should be parting with your money for. As much as you want to know how much CBD you are buying you should also be interested in the amount of CBD per serving that you are getting.

The concentrate of CBD gives one the direction as to how their body is responding to CBD therapy. Let’s say you have been taking 10mg of CBD and have not seen any improvement then this is a cue to increase it possibly to 15mg or 20mg.

If it’s not clear what the CBD oil concentrate of a product is, it can be very difficult for a patient to determine if the CBD is working for them or not.

Consumers are keen to know the concentrate of CBD in a product because it is an indicator of their response to the treatment. Also, it helps them determine whether a product is giving them adequate value for money.

What Makes High-Quality CBD Oil?

High-quality CBD oil offers entourage benefits that ensure that the therapeutic effects are more powerful and sustained.

Full-spectrum CBD oil contains cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids. It offers full entourage benefits.

Broad-spectrum CBD contains all of the naturally occurring cannabinoids in cannabis except for THC. It offers moderate entourage benefits.

CBD isolates are composed of pure CBD; this means that they do not offer any entourage benefits.

High-quality CBD oil should also be free of impurities and contaminants. To verify the quality of CBD oil, ask for third party certificates of analysis which should reveal:

  • Amount of CBD in the product
  • Presence of other cannabinoids
  • Terpene profile
  • Absence of chemical contaminants

The last issue is product safety. High-quality CBD oil should be accessed from licensed cannabis dispensaries.

Licensed dispensaries are government regulated. This means that you are less likely to find substandard CBD from such sources.

Pitfalls To Avoid When Buying CBD Oil

   1. Avoid falling for the trap of “larger bottles.”

Find out the exact amount of CBD in each serving before committing to a product.

   2. CBD potency is important but doesn’t stop there.

Find out the dose that you will need and use that to decide on a product. For example, if you need 10mg CBD/serving and the product you buy contains 60mg CBD/serving, you may be strained to try to get your required serving of CBD.

   3. Don’t fall for product labels.

Most companies use product labels as a marketing tool, as a result, they are prone to making exaggerated claims.

How do you protect yourself from this?

Ask for third party results to confirm the claims being made by the CBD company on the labels.

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   4. Don’t fall for cheap prices

Creating high-quality CBD product costs money. Hence, CBD products that are “dirt cheap” should raise some questions.

Purchasing the right CBD oil is not as straight forward as it may appear. Many different factors must be taken into consideration, especially when starting.

The first step is to get the right CBD product that is of high quality. The next thing is to find out what the CBD oil concentrate of the product is. With that sorted, start with the lowest possible concentrate and work your way up until you find the concentrate that relieves your symptoms adequately.

Several CBD companies will give you a suggestion on how much CBD oil to take based on your weight.

Ultimately, how your body is responding to the CBD is the most important factor that should guide you. And to find this sweet spot, you have to calculate the CBD amount in each serving correctly.

Fred Hernandez - Cannabis industry expert writer
Fred Hernandez

Fred Hernandez is a highly accomplished and versatile writer, boasting an extensive background in the cannabis industry. With an in-depth understanding of various sectors including cultivators, processors, retailers, and brands, Fred's expertise spans across the entire cannabis landscape. As a prominent contributor to CTU, he consistently delivers insightful articles exploring the latest developments, news, and regulations shaping the cannabis industry. Whether it's delving into the intricacies of cannabis products, cannabis strain reviews, or providing comprehensive analyses of cannabis laws, or sharing expert insights on cannabis cultivation techniques, Fred's wealth of knowledge positions him as an invaluable writer and educator for all cannabis-related subjects.

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