CBD Lab Testing: Why You Should Buy Analyzed CBD
Since CBD isn’t regulated, it can be hard to tell when it’s safe. CBD lab testing ensures that what you’re buying is legit.
The CBD industry has experienced unprecedented growth and popularity in the last few years. Since it became legal to sell CBD, hundreds if not thousands of companies raced to develop products for the public.
As wonderful as CBD can be for physical and mental health, each product isn’t approved by the Food and Drug Administration, so it’s important to look for third-party CBD lab testing and detailed information about where your CBD comes from.
This guide will show you everything to look out for when purchasing CBD!
Firstly, What Is CBD?
If you’re new to the CBD journey, here is the gist. CBD is processed through your body’s Endocannabinoid System (ECS). Essentially, everyone has receptors for CBD on our skin and in our tissues. Once CBD is received, it moves through the ECS, which regulates essential functions like sleep and hormone releases.
CBD has been the focus of many studies looking to discover its potential for human health. In many cases, CBD has been found to be beneficial for children with seizure-related disorders. It also has the potential to kill harmful bacteria, promote homeostasis in the body, and promote relaxation for people with anxiety.
For more on CBD and health, check out this blog post.
Why Does CBD Lab Testing Matter?
A number of dangerous things can be in a small bottle of CBD oil. Many crops contain harmful pesticides and herbicides that can end up in the final CBD product. Bacteria, mold, and fungi can even be present. Gross!
A third-party lab can assess a company’s CBD product to ensure that it actually is what is being advertised. In some cases, CBD vape liquid has actually contained forms of dangerous synthetic cannabinoids, which are made to intensify the experience, but is harmful when consumers don’t know what they’re vaping.
In addition to checking that all of the ingredients are safe, the best lab-tested CBD oil will have the exact concentration of CBD found in the product. This is helpful because many CBD products actually don’t contain the dosage, they say they do, which can be misleading and dangerous for consumers.
For a product to be sold as CBD, it has to have less than .3% THC, which is the psychoactive component of the hemp plant that is found in marijuana. If a CBD product has more than that, consumers might be experiencing the “high” of marijuana and be ingesting something not in accordance with the Food and Drug Administration.
How to Read a CBD Lab Summary
If you’ve found a company that openly publishes their lab results for each product, that’s great! Now, here are a few things to look out for when you investigate that information.
Look for Other Cannabinoids
CBD isn’t the only cannabinoid in a lot of CBD products. That doesn’t make them bad, it just means that they could contain CBG or other forms of cannabinoids that can increase the effects of CBD. That’s how we get the “entourage effect”.
For a more in-depth look at what results could look like for CBD and other cannabinoids, check out this post.
Check the Date
This might seem obvious, but companies might feel like they can gain your trust enough to purchase just by posting lab results on their page. Make sure the data on the lab results is recent and that the product matches exactly what you’re interested in buying.
This way, nothing gets past you!
What Are They Terpenes?
CBD oil test results will have information on terpenes. Terpenes are in most plants, including the hemp plant. These are the aromas you smell in gardens or in a flower field.
In CBD, there are a few terpenes including those already in the hemp plant and some added ones. Limonene is typically found in citrus fruits but can also be added to CBD oil for taste and as a natural preservative.
Terpinolene is a woodsy aroma that you might recognize from herbs like rosemary. In CBD, it can have varied effects on the body that help reduce anxiety.
An approved CBD testing lab with accurate results will list all of the terpenes in CBD oil. It’s important to know these for many reasons, including the potential for an allergic reaction.
Look for Pesticides
Since CBD comes from the hemp plant, there is always the possibility of pesticide exposure as there is with any food item grown on a farm. Glyphosate is an herbicide that’s widely used on crops and is a known carcinogen.
When you’re purchasing CBD, be sure to read through the website’s pages on where the CBD comes from and what type of practices the farm has.
On a third-party lab analysis, there should be a special section for pesticides. Make sure there aren’t any listed that you’re uncomfortable with being exposed to. For true safety, it’s best to get CBD from a farm that doesn’t use pesticides or herbicides at all.
Check for Bacterial Contamination
CBD can also be tested for common bacteria like salmonella, E-coli, and even mold.
Mold can occur before the plant is even processed into CBD, so it can leech into the final product. It’s easy for mold to grow in any humid environment, so third-party lab testing ensures that contaminated products don’t get into the hands of consumers.
Be Wary of Heavy Metals
Smoking or inhaling CBD or cannabis products might mean getting some toxic heavy metal exposures. This is especially harmful for reproductive health, so be sure to check the heavy metal section of any lab results.
What to Look for When Buying CBD
Whether you’re buying a CBD vape, oil, or edible, always check the ingredients on the label. If websites don’t publish the full ingredients list, stay away from them.
While CBD lab testing should be the norm, many brands think it’s ok to be deceiving about what they put into their products.
For more on CBD and brand transparency, head to our page with all of our published third-party lab results and reach out to us if you have any questions about the quality of our products.