Research indicates that CBD might be useful for a wide variety of different conditions. People around the world have been encouraged by studies conducted into the usefulness of CBD for anxiety and depression.
Certain types of CBD products might be more useful for anxiety and depression than others. It’s necessary, therefore, to narrow down your options before making a selection.
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explain why medical researchers are taking such an interest in CBD oil for anxiety and depression. We’ll also introduce you to the five best CBD brands you should consider if you suffer from these conditions.
Along the way, you’ll learn about the aspects of our winning CBD brands we liked most and least. You’ll also gain insider insight into the latest research conducted into using CBD oil for anxiety and depression.
Top 5 CBD Oils for Anxiety & Depression
According to our research, these are the five best CBD oil brands to choose from if you suffer from symptoms of anxiety or depression:
1. Colorado Botanicals – Most Effective & Highest Quality
2. Joy Organics – Best Organic CBD
3. Medterra – Best Product Selection
4. CBDfx – Best Priced
5. Nuleaf Naturals – Best Full Spectrum CBD
5 Best CBD Oils for Anxiety and Depression (Reviews)
Learn more about the policies and top products that each of these renowned CBD manufacturers provides:
#1 – Colorado Botanicals – Most Effective & Highest Quality
Top products
Colorado Botanicals 1,500mg CBD Oil
Offering 1,500mg CBD per bottle, 50mg of CBD per serving, this sublingual tincture provides quick effects that last for hours. Keeping things simple, this high-potency tincture only contains CBD distillate, MCT oil, and optional peppermint flavoring.
Colorado Botanicals 25mg CBD Gummies
These delicious gummies make it easy to take CBD whenever you’re anxious or depressed. They’re non-GMO and kosher, and they’re sweetened with raw beet sugar.
What we like about Colorado Botanicals
If you’re looking for a high-potency CBD product to try for depression or anxiety, you can’t go wrong with what Colorado Botanicals has to offer. Colorado Botanicals uses broad-spectrum CBD in all of its products, making this brand’s CBD highly purified and THC-free.
Colorado Botanicals is one of the rare CBD manufacturers that understands the important role terpenes play in the entourage effect. This brand uses a proprietary process that fully preserves the terpenes naturally present in broad and full-spectrum hemp.
Colorado Botanicals CBD products contain high concentrations of CBD for surprisingly low prices. This brand’s attention to detail when it comes to terpenes, cultivation, and processing set Colorado Botanicals apart from the competition.
Colorado Botanicals sources its hemp from local Colorado farms that use sustainable, agrochemical-free cultivation processes. Colorado Botanicals goes out of its way to ensure that the areas surrounding its partnered hemp farms are free of agrochemicals and other toxins.
Colorado Botanicals and terpenes
Instead of reintroducing terpenes into its finished products, Colorado Botanicals maximizes the concentrations of terpenes naturally present in hemp flowers. To give you an idea of how seriously Colorado Botanicals takes the importance of terpenes, here’s a screenshot from one of this brand’s recept lab reports:
As you can see, Colorado Botanicals products contain CBD-rich hemp oil that includes a wide spectrum of different terpenes. The most abundant terpenes contained in Colorado Botanicals products include:
Beta-caryophyllene
With notes of peppery spiciness, beta-caryophyllene may help with gastrointestinal inflammation and offer analgesic effects.
Humulene
Humulene is woody and herbal, and it has antioxidant and pain-relief properties.
Linalool
Also present in lavender, linalool has a floral aroma, and it offers impressive antimicrobial benefits.
Colorado Botanicals has also been featured in Observer as the Best CBD Company in 2021 and by Discover Magazine for having the Best CBD Oil for Pain and Inflammation.
Pros and cons
Pros
● Colorado Botanicals third-party lab reports are provided by FESA Labs and ProVerde Laboratories, which are highly reputable cannabis and hemp testing labs.
● You can return your Colorado Botanicals order within 60 days for a full refund.
● If you sign up for the Colorado Botanicals subscription program, you can save 15% on every order.
- CBD extract contains natural hemp-derived terpenes, which is uncommon.
- Very transparent with their process from seed to extract.
Cons
● We wish that Colorado Botanicals offered more products.
- Free shipping is only on orders above $50.
- Only offer two flavors on their tinctures, peppermint and unflavored.
#2 Joy Organics – Best Organic CBD
Top products
Joy Organics Organic Full Spectrum (0.3% THC) CBD Oil Tincture Fresh Lime
Joy Organics recently started offering USDA Organic products. This tincture contains simple ingredients, and it’s available in 450mg, 900mg, and 1350mg options.
Joy Organics CBD Softgels with Curcumin
Curcumin, the active compound in turmeric, has impressive antioxidant properties that might help with mood disorders. These 25mg gummies combine the benefits of curcumin and cannabidiol.
What we like about Joy Organics
Offering both broad and full-spectrum CBD extracts, Joy Organics is renowned for crafting a diverse line of cannabidiol tinctures, gummies, topicals, and other innovative products. With excellent customer service and quick shipping times, Joy Organics is a serious contender for the title of best CBD oil for anxiety or depression.
Joy Organics offers both broad and full-spectrum CBD, allowing customers to choose the extract type that they like best. Joy Organics isn’t entirely clear regarding where it sources its hemp from. This brand does stipulate, however, that its hemp is sustainably grown.
Joy Organics has a rewards program and a referral program. This brand also offers discounts to veterans, first responders, teachers, medical personnel, and individuals desiring financial assistance.
While well-designed, the Joy Organics website could use a refresh. Some pages load slowly, and page elements jump around as the page finishes loading.
Pros and cons
Pros
● Joy Organics products are third-party tested by PIXIS Labs.
● Joy Organics offers free shipping on all domestic orders.
● Joy Organics offers a 30-day guarantee. It usually isn’t necessary to physically return the product to receive a refund.
Cons
● You have to go to a separate page to view this brand’s lab reports.
● There are no expedited shipping options.
#3 Medterra – Best Product Selection
Top products
This tincture combines CBD and cannabigerol (CBG). While this non-intoxicating cannabinoid is similar to CBD, it might offer unique neuroprotective effects that could help with mood disorders.
Medterra Ultra Broad Spectrum Tincture
This new Medterra product contains high concentrations of minor cannabinoids, which might increase the benefits provided by the entourage effect.
What we like about Medterra
Medterra is a big CBD oil brand with a significant following. With new products coming out all the time, Medterra is one of the most active brands in the industry.
As one of the oldest CBD brands, Medterra still gets its hemp from plants that are grown as part of the Kentucky Department of Agriculture Industrial Hemp Pilot Program. Medterra products contain either isolate CBD or broad or full-spectrum hemp extract.
The Medterra website is inviting, clean, and professional. The cycling banner at the top of the site causes pages to move around slightly, however.
The Medterra Assists program provides discounts to veterans and individuals with long-term disabilities. Medterra also offers a rewards program and discounted bundles.
Pros and cons
Pros
● Medterra provides recent lab reports from Green Scientific Labs on each product page.
● Medterra offers free shipping on orders above $49.
● Priority shipping options are available.
● Medterra offers a 30-day guarantee.
Cons
● This brand does not test its products for terpenes.
● Customers are responsible for return shipping costs.
#4 CBDfx – Best Priced
Top products
CBDfx CBD + CBN Oil Calming Tincture 500-4000mg
This innovative CBDfx tincture combines cannabidiol with cannabinol (CBN), a minor cannabinoid that might have calming or sleep-promoting effects. If you’re having trouble relaxing or falling asleep due to anxiety, this multi-cannabinoid tincture might be a good choice.
CBDfx Fresh Mint CBD Vape Pen 30mg
If you want to find out if vaping CBD might be able to help you with your symptoms of depression and anxiety, then CBDfx is a good choice. This brand’s vape pens are very inexpensive, and they contain THC-free CBD, which means there’s no potential of failing a drug test.
What we like about CBDfx
CBDfx rose to fame as a premier producer of CBD vape cartridges. Nowadays, however, CBDfx produces an entire line of CBD offerings ranging from tinctures to gummies to topicals.
CBDfx sources its hemp from Kentucky, and this brand makes its own CBD extracts in-house. CBDfx mainly offers products that contain either broad or full-spectrum hemp extract. This brand also offers a few CBD isolate products.
The CBDfx website is fast and mobile-responsive, but it’s somewhat cluttered. There is no ability to go to a general store page. Instead, you have to select a product category before you can view products.
Pros and cons
Pros
● CBDfx’s lab tests are provided by CC Testing Labs, and they are easy to find on each product page.
● CBDfx offers free shipping for all domestic orders.
● Expedited shipping options are available.
● You can return unopened products to CBDfx within 30 days.
Cons
● You’re responsible for return shipping.
● As far as we could tell, CBDfx doesn’t offer any discount options.
● This brand doesn’t have a rewards program.
● There’s no information on the website regarding any potential discounts provided to veterans or disabled individuals.
#5 Nuleaf Naturals – Best Full-Spectrum CBD
Top products
Nuleaf Naturals Full Spectrum CBD Oil
With 60mg of CBD per milliliter, this tincture is highly concentrated.It only contains full-spectrum hemp extract and virgin hemp seed oil, making it one of the simplest CBD tinctures on the market.
This tincture is available in sizes ranging from 300mg CBD to 6000mg CBD. As a result, you can try this product with a low investment or stock up for the long term.
Nuleaf Naturals Full Spectrum Capsules
As the newest Nuleaf Naturals product, these capsules contain full-spectrum hemp extract, hemp seed oil, cassava root extract, purified water, and vegetable glycerin. They include 15mg of CBD per softgel, and they’re available in 300mg, 900mg, and 1800mg options.
What we like about Nuleaf Naturals
Nuleaf Naturals is a very simple brand that only offers a few products. With over 23,000 combined reviews, however, Nuleaf Naturals CBD oil is clearly popular, and in some cases, simplicity is the best way to go.
Nuleaf Naturals CBD oil is derived from hemp plants grown in Colorado. With quite a few different size options available, this brand’s products range from the very affordable to the highly expensive. Nuleaf Naturals uses CO2 extraction to produce its full-spectrum CBD products.
The Nuleaf Naturals website is easy to use, and it’s fast-loading and fully mobile-responsive. You can make a monthly subscription order with Nuleaf Naturals to save on each product you buy. This brand also offers discounts to people who can’t pay full price for Nuleaf Naturals products.
Pros and cons
Pros
● Nuleaf’s third-party lab tests are provided by Botanacor, a reputable analytics lab.
● Nuleaf Naturals provides free shipping for all orders.
● Orders usually arrive within 2-3 days, and you can choose an expedited shipping option for an additional fee.
● Nuleaf Naturals provides a 30-day guarantee for all orders.
Cons
● Nuleaf’s lab tests are relatively hard to find, and they’re presented in a confusing format.
● We wish that Nuleaf would make its lab reports easier to find and provide product-specific reports.
● You’re on the hook for return shipping, and this brand takes a while to process returns.
Factors that Helped Us Choose the Best CBD for Anxiety and Depression
As we determined which CBD oil products were ideal for anxiety, depression, and related conditions, we took a wide variety of different factors into account.
1. Type of hemp flower used
Hemp flowers are often overlooked and not asked about when this is probably the most important starting point. A plant with good genetics will produce higher potency of cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids which gives the extractor an edge when trying to retain as much of these essential compounds.. Not only that but genetics also play a big role in the health of the plant. The best hemp is grown in the US and EU as they have the highest standards set for farmers to abide by.
2. Type of extract
The type of extract plays a crucial role. For example there is winterized CBD oil, Full Spectrum or Broad Spectrum CBD oil, and lastly CBD Isolate.
Winterized CBD Extract
This type of extract contains more plant compounds, has a very dark color, and has a powerful hemp taste. Although this type of extract contains more plant compounds such as cannabinoids and terpenes, it’s less purified so excess and unnecessary compounds can be found in an extract like this.
Full Spectrum or Broad Spectrum CBD Extract
This type of extract is a purified version of winterized CBD. After a process known as winterization, it undergoes another distillation process using a rotary evaporator to distill the excess compounds. This type of distillation process leaves a purified CBD extract. Although it contains fewer plant compounds than a winterized CBD extract, it’s much more pure and safer.
CBD Isolate
Lastly, CBD Isolate is the last type of extract found in CBD extracts and it’s a 99%+ white crystalline powder pure CBD. This type of CBD doesn’t contain any other cannabinoids, terpenes, or plant compounds. This type of extract we recommend staying away from since other compounds are essential. It became popular because it’s very cheap, has no taste, and is versatile so you can easily mix it with creams or edibles.
3. Extraction method
Even the best organically grown hemp can be ruined by a poor extraction job. While lots of brands produce their CBD-rich hemp oil using ethanol, butane, or other unreliable extraction solvents, CO2 extraction is the safest and most reliable method of removing CBD and other plant compounds from hemp flowers.
A company specializing in extraction and purification has a much higher chance of producing an extract that is safe and effective and contains a wide range of cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids with no impurities using CO2 over other methods.
4. Purification process
A variety of processes can be used to purify CBD oil once it has been extracted from hemp flowers. The simplest types of purification processes leave a variety of impurities behind, which might taste unpleasant or negatively impact the experience of using CBD oil in other ways.
However, more advanced purification processes remove waxes, chlorophyll, and excess lipids to provide a clean, pure CBD experience. The resulting extracts are called distillates, and we preferred distillates as we determined which brands offered the best CBD products for depression and anxiety disorders.
5. Dominant and minor cannabinoids
While they might only be present in CBD oil in tiny concentrations, there’s reason to believe that minor cannabinoids contribute unique benefits to CBD oil. As we reviewed each brand’s lab reports in our list, we made sure their extracts contained sufficient amounts of minor cannabinoids such as Cannabigerol (CBG), Cannabichromene (CBC), Cannabinol (CBN), or Cannabidiolic Acid (CBDa).
6. Terpene profile
Research indicates that terpenes might be nearly as useful as cannabinoids when fighting social anxiety disorder and other anxiety and depression types. The top brands in our list provided detailed information on the terpenes present in their products.
Not only do terpenes have a wide range of health benefits, more than just anxiety and depression, but they cross the Blood-Brain Barrier. When terpenes are present with cannabinoids, research has shown that they are more effective.
7. Lab reports
As we determined which brands offered the best CBD oil for anxiety and depression, we took care to note where each company’s lab reports came from. We’ve learned over the years that some hemp analytics labs are more trustworthy than others. Not only that, but good labs have better equipment and calibrate systems often.
Checking lab reports is a great way to get insight into the company’s CBD oil extract’s actual quality. The branding and packaging might look amazing, but inside the extract there may be toxic residue such as chlorophyll, pesticides, or heavy metals to name a few of the impurities. Lab reports played a crucial role in our decision-making process.
Does CBD Oil Help with Anxiety and Depression?
You’ve reviewed the top five CBD products for anxiety and depression. Now, it’s time to uncover why scientists believe that CBD might be a useful treatment for anxiety disorders and depression.
There’s a lot more that we need to learn about cannabidiol before we make any firm conclusions. However, there’s plenty of evidence that CBD should be investigated further as a potential treatment for anxiety and depression.
There are lots of things that cannabidiol does that might make it useful for mental health. CBD might also be useful as an anti-anxiety and antidepressant treatment because of what it doesn’t do.
THC stimulates your CB1 receptors, causing a rush of dopamine that is both intoxicating and addictive. CBD, however, doesn’t stimulate these high-inducing neuroreceptors.
Instead, cannabidiol interacts with other receptors that don’t cause intoxication. It also modifies the shape of your CB1 receptors to make it more difficult for them to bond with THC.
Cannabidiol doesn’t appear to have any abuse potential. As a result, medical researchers can take the potential benefits of CBD for anxiety and depression seriously.
Is CBD intoxicating?
Rather than stimulating your CB1 receptors and making you feel high, cannabidiol primarily interacts with your 5-HT1A and TRPV1 receptors, which modulate serotonin production and inflammation respectively.
CBD’s interaction with your TRPV1 receptors is also very important. For the sake of the current discussion, however, we’ll focus more on how this cannabinoid interacts with your 5-HT1A receptors.
For decades, scientists have known that serotonin is the primary neurotransmitter responsible for feelings of long-term confidence, happiness, and contentment. Unlike dopamine, which causes transient surges of pleasure, serotonin works over time to build self-esteem and construct positive mindsets.
It turns out that the primary neurochemical cause of depression is lack of serotonin in the brain. That’s why selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are the dominant antidepressant drugs in the world of pharmacology today.
Perhaps more surprisingly, however, serotonin also appears to play a critical role in the progression of anxiety symptoms. As a result, the potential relationship between cannabidiol and serotonin has been a primary target of research into the usefulness of this cannabinoid for depression and anxiety.
How CBD Oil Works for Anxiety
People who use CBD report that this cannabinoid has a calming, relaxing effect. Since anxiety is defined as a state of fear or panic, the effects of cannabidiol appear to be a natural fit for this psychological condition.
According to many people who have used this cannabinoid, CBD helps calm the mind and quiet the body, reducing fear, apprehensiveness, and stress. All the better, CBD appears to exert these effects without causing intoxication or any other significant side effects, making this cannabinoid a much better fit for anxiety than THC.
Here are a couple of studies that have been conducted into the potential usefulness of CBD for anxiety:
Cannabidiol as a Potential Treatment for Anxiety Disorders
This 2015 review of the evidence zeroed in on research into CBD and anxiety. The authors concluded that “current evidence indicates cannabidiol has considerable potential as a treatment for multiple anxiety disorders” and that further research into this potential application of cannabidiol was certainly merited.
Cannabidiol in Anxiety and Sleep: A Large Case Series
For many people who suffer from anxiety, this condition also leads to reductions in sleep quality. This 2019 clinical study examined the impact of cannabidiol on both anxiety and sleep disorders, and it delivered promising results.
Within a month, 79.2% of study participants reported improvements in anxiety, and 66.7% of participants reported improvements in sleep quality. Perhaps most importantly, only three out of the 72 participants experienced any negative reactions to cannabidiol.
How CBD Works for Depression
People who use CBD report that this cannabinoid provides a feeling of deep contentment and self-confidence, which might mean that cannabidiol is useful for depression. While people who don’t suffer from depression commonly think that this condition simply makes you sad, depression is much more complicated than just feeling the blues.
When you have depression, activities that used to satisfy you don’t feel good anymore, connections with others feel empty, and your self-esteem and self-confidence drop down to rock bottom. By making everything feel subtly better without causing intoxication, cannabidiol has been researched with increasing interest as a potential treatment for depression.
Here’s one of the major studies that has been conducted into CBD and depression:
This wide-ranging 2014 review brought together all of the available research on cannabidiol for depression and anxiety. It confirmed that cannabidiol does not interact with the CB1 or CB2 receptors, and it pointed out that “CBD exhibited… anti-anxiety and antidepressant effects in animal models.”
What Research Has to Say
You’re familiar with the basic premises backing up the potential usefulness of cannabidiol for depression and anxiety. Now, it’s time to examine the research that supports the usefulness of cannabidiol for these conditions.
1. CBD and the Serotonin Receptors
The symptoms of depression and anxiety are primarily modulated by serotonin, one of the brain’s most important neuroreceptors. Your nervous system needs plenty of serotonin to keep you happy and help you respond appropriately to stimuli.
According to abundant research, CBD stimulates the 5-HT1A receptors in your brain, which are your nervous system’s most abundant serotonin receptors. Here are a few studies supporting the idea that CBD might be able to help with anxiety and depression through its activity at the 5-HT1A receptors:
The 5-HT1A receptor in Major Depressive Disorder
This scientific review of the available evidence examined the critical role that the 5-HT1A receptor plays in the progression of major depressive disorder (MDD) and other types of depression. Specifically, this review covered the evidence that “serotonergic dysfunction” of the 5-HT1A receptor leads to symptoms of depression.
In this review of the available evidence, the authors begin by confirming that “a diverse body of evidence supports the involvement of the main inhibitory serotonergic receptor,” 5-HT1A. The authors point out that “5-HT1A receptors act developmentally to establish normal anxiety-like behaviors,” and they suggest that these receptors may also be involved in the development of generalized anxiety disorder and other types of anxiety.
Agonistic properties of cannabidiol at 5-HT1a receptors
This study from 2005 established that cannabidiol exerts agonistic properties at the 5-HT1A receptors, which means that cannabidiol stimulates these critical serotonin-producing neuroreceptors. It was one of the first studies to determine that CBD had potential medical uses despite not interacting with the conventional cannabinoid receptors.
This 2016 study confirmed that cannabidiol exerts agonistic properties at the 5-HT1A receptors, and the researchers went so far as to suggest that “CBD could represent a novel fast antidepressant drug.” This study also found that cannabidiol increases cortical signaling of glutamate, an amino acid that plays a critical role in the symptoms of depression.
This preclinical study provided more evidence that CBDcannabidiolmight exert profound effects at the 5-HT1A receptors. The facilitators of this study determined that, in animals, cannabidiol appears to reduce stress by stimulating the 5-HT1A receptors.
2. CBD and Anandamide
Anandamide, known as the “bliss molecule,” is a cannabinoid that the brain naturally produces. While chemically similar to THC, anandamide is non-psychoactive.
Scientists believe that low levels of anandamide may be linked to increased susceptibility to anxiety and stress. Interestingly, CBD might increase anandamide levels by preventing the breakdown of this critical endocannabinoid.
Here’s a study that indicates CBD might increase levels of anandamide in the brain:
Cannabidiol enhances anandamide signaling and alleviates psychotic symptoms of schizophrenia
In this study, researchers determined the effect of cannabidiol on anandamide levels in the brain. Low levels of anandamide has previously been correlated with symptoms of schizophrenia.
The facilitators of this study found that CBD improved anandamide levels. They were impressed with the “markedly superior side-effect profile” that CBD offered.
3. CBD and Hippocampal Neurogenesis
Located in the center of your brain, the hippocampus helps your body and mind attain homeostasis, a state of total balance. People with anxiety and depression often display abnormal hippocampal activity.
Considerable research has been conducted into the potential neuroregenerative (neuron-creating) properties of cannabidiol. According to at least one recent study, CBD might regenerate neurons in the hippocampus, helping your nervous system attain homeostasis and combat anxiety and depression.
Here’s a summary of the groundbreaking 2018 study that was conducted into CBD and hippocampal neurogenesis:
Prolonged Cannabidiol Treatment Effects on Hippocampal Subfield Volumes in Current Cannabis Users
In this 2018 study, researchers sought to determine the effects of CBD on the hippocampus. CBD didn’t exert any effects on the hippocampus as a whole.
It did, however, lead to considerable neurogenesis in the left subicular complex, which is the main output area of the hippocampus. These results led the researchers to believe that CBD might be useful for hippocampus-related psychiatric disorders.
4. CBD and GABA
GABA is an inhibitory neurotransmitter, which means that it decreases activity in your nervous system. During an anxiety or panic attack, your nervous system goes into overdrive, and scientists suspect that lack of GABA may make symptoms of anxiety worse.
According to recent research, CBD might make GABA more effective. As a result, your brain may need less GABA to combat anxiety when you use CBD.
Let’s summarize a recent study related to the effects of CBD on GABA receptors:
The direct actions of cannabidiol and 2-arachidonoyl glycerol at GABAA receptors
In this study, researchers found that CBD interacts with the GABAa receptors, which are the nervous system’s most important GABA receptors. Through this interaction, CBD sensitizes your brain to GABA, making your nervous system require less of this critical neurotransmitter to function properly.
Best CBD Consumption Methods for Anxiety and Depression
There are quite a few different ways that you can ingest cannabidiol. Some ingestion methods will be more useful than others as you use CBD oil to improve your depression or anxiety symptoms.
Let’s review the four most common types of cannabidiol administration to determine which one is the most useful for your purposes.
Oral consumption
You can consume cannabidiol orally by using this cannabinoid in the form of a capsule or an edible. Each of these ingestion methods is highly convenient, but they don’t provide the most potent results.
That’s because the liver filters out a considerable portion of the CBD you ingest orally. While orally ingested cannabidiol offers long-lasting effects, the bioavailability of this ingestion method is relatively low.
Sublingual administration
You can also ingest cannabidiol sublingually in the form of a tincture. Sublingual means “under the tongue,” and using CBD sublingually involves applying a CBD tincture under your tongue before swallowing it.
Sublingual administration provides the long-lasting benefits of oral ingestion. It also allows CBD to enter your bloodstream almost instantly since the tissue under your tongue is highly permeable and is directly connected to the lingual artery.
Topical application
Examples of topical cannabidiol products include lotions, salves, and balms. Each of these product types delivers the effects of CBD to a localized area on your body.
Topical application isn’t the best way to send cannabidiol to your nervous system. People with anxiety would be encouraged to try ingesting CBD sublingually instead.
Pulmonary administration
“Pulmonary administration” refers to the process of ingesting a substance via inhalation. Examples of CBD product types that take advantage of pulmonary administration include CBD vapes and CBD flower.
Inhaling cannabidiol provides immediate, potent effects. However, these effects generally wear off within 45-60 minutes. If you want to experience long-term relief from depression and anxiety, therefore, you might want to ingest CBD in a different way.
How Much CBD Should You Take for Anxiety and Depression? (CBD Dosing Guide)
There is no officially recommended dose of CBD for depression and anxiety. With a little bit of trial and error, however, it’s possible to home in on the CBD dose that will provide you with the best possible effects.
Since cannabidiol is non-toxic and non-addictive, there’s practically no risk involved in finding the dose of CBD that’s perfect for your needs. Here are a few of the factors you should keep in mind as you determine how many mg of CBD you should use to help you relax and improve your mood:
● The severity of your symptoms
● The type of depression or anxiety CBD product you’re using
● How long you want to experience the benefits of CBD
● The experiences you’ve had with CBD so far
If you’re in the midst of a full-blown panic attack, for instance, you might want to choose a tincture or another type of CBD product that provides potent, immediate effects. If you’re experiencing the symptoms of ongoing, low-grade depression, however, you might want to try CBD capsules or edibles, which will provide long-term, milder effects.
Orally ingesting cannabidiol provides reduced bioavailability. As a result, you might want to use more mg of CBD per dose if you ingest CBD in the form of a capsule or edible.Applying CBD under your tongue offers high bioavailability. If you decide to ingest CBD in the form of a tincture, therefore, you might prefer to take a smaller dose.
To determine how cannabidiol affects you, start with a low dose. Then, gradually work your way up as needed.
If you’ve ever tried using CBD for depression or anxiety before, use your prior experiences as a rubric as you determine how much of this cannabinoid to use with each dose. Talk to your doctor if you have any questions about how much cannabidiol you should use.
Frequently Asked Questions About CBD Oil
What is CBD?
CBD is short for Cannabidiol, which is one of the many chemical compounds found in hemp. To give you an idea, over 100 cannabinoids scientists have uncovered so far in the cannabis/hemp plant with unique health properties and functions as CBD.
What is the Difference Between Hemp and Marijuana?
Both hemp and marijuana are forms of cannabis. Hemp is cannabis in its male form, while marijuana is the female form of the plant. As a result, they contain many of the same compounds. The difference is, hemp plants don’t produce significant amounts of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).
The lack of THC in hemp means products made with this kind of cannabis don’t get you high. Instead, they allow you to take advantage of the cannabis plant’s many beneficial therapeutic compounds without worrying about unwanted side effects.
Depending on what type of product you use, those compounds could include:
- CBD
- CBN
- CBG
- CBDA
- THCV
- THCA
- Terpenes
- And more
What is the Difference Between Hemp Oil and CBD Oil?
Hemp oil and CBD oil are made from the same plants. However, only CBD oil contains significant amounts of beneficial cannabinoids, including cannabidiol. That’s because it’s made from hemp flowers and leaves, while hemp oil is made from seeds.
Hemp seeds contain all kinds of nutrients, but that doesn’t include CBD. Stick to using hemp oil as a culinary product and buy CBD oil for wellness support.
Before purchasing a “hemp oil” product, make sure to read the nutritional facts or the label to look to see if it says “Cannabidiol” or “CBD” somewhere. If it doesn’t, then most likely, that’s hemp seed oil.
Is CBD Legal?
CBD may be present in both hemp and marijuana, but on its own, it’s not a mind-altering chemical. Products made with hemp-based CBD are legal on a federal level in the United States as long as they contain less than 0.3% THC. There are, however, a few caveats.
It’s always legal to buy hemp-based CBD products, but only licensed farmers can cultivate the hemp required to make them. Stores can legally sell CBD products in all but three states, but they can’t make health claims about them.
Will CBD Cause Me to Fail a Drug Test?
There are more reasons to avoid cannabis products made from marijuana than just not wanting to get high. Even high-CBD strains of marijuana still contain significant THC concentrations, which means they will cause users to fail drug tests. Drug tests look for the presence of either THC or its metabolites because they indicate marijuana use, which can be illegal.
Since hemp-based CBD products contain little to no THC, they are unlikely to make you fail a drug test. Modern panels do not test for CBD. However, it is at least theoretically possible for the trace amounts of THC in full-spectrum products to cause you to test positive for marijuana.
If you’re subjected to frequent, extremely THC-sensitive drug testing, you can still use CBD products. You’ll just have to do some extra homework. Make sure you buy CBD isolates or broad-spectrum products that are guaranteed to be THC-free.
Will CBD Oil Cause THC to Show Up on a Drug Test?
Even if you use a full-spectrum CBD product, it’s highly improbable that it will cause you to test positive for THC. That said, it is possible. If you’re worried about this problem, you don’t have to avoid all CBD products. Just make sure you find a reputable vendor that can guarantee 0% THC concentrations.
You can check for yourself if your products contain any THC. The company should be willing to provide what’s known as a Certificate of Analysis (COA). In the CBD industry, COAs offer detailed documentation of independent product testing. They outline what concentrations of cannabinoids and other compounds are in the product.
Learning how to read a COA is worth the extra effort, even if you’re not worried about drug testing. These documents also offer proof that the product is free from potential contaminants, such as herbicides, pesticides, and residual solvents.
Does CBD Oil Expire?
Well-made CBD oil has a long shelf life, but CBD will expire eventually. High-quality CBD oil packaged in opaque bottles can be expected to last 12 to 24 months. Every bottle should have an expiration date, so it’s easy to see if your CBD oil is still good.
Since the compounds in CBD oil break down over time or on exposure to light, expired CBD won’t be as effective.
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