5 Things You Must Know When Buying CBD

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As a nutrition practice with clinical nutritionists, a pharmacist, and a former researcher who worked on endocannabinoid (CBD) research on-staff, nothing matters more to us than the safety of the community and of our products. Which is why it’s disturbing to us how unsafe the CBD market can be. Since becoming federally legal in 2018, we’ve worked hard to educate and provide the Concord community with safe CBD options and advice. As part of our dedication to education, we’ve compiled a list of 5 things everyone should know about CBD.

1. There’s no oversight in CBD manufacturing

When you buy a bottle of ibuprofen or cold medicine, you know exactly what you’re getting. That’s because the FDA regulates over-the-counter medications. They all have to adhere to strict standards. But CBD products don’t fall under the same oversight. In fact, there’s little to no oversight. This means the labels might not, and probably won’t, reflect the actual strength or ingredients. A cannabis researcher, Marcel Bonn-Miller, tested more than 80 CBD products in 2017 and he discovered that 70% had CBD levels contrary to what the label claimed. When buying CBD, you must be sure you’re purchasing from a reputable company who willingly submits their products to oversight and testing.

2. Does it interact with your medications?

The answer? Yes it can. CBD can interact with medications by interfering with how they work or making them stronger. It all depends on what medications you’re taking. You should always take CBD under the guidance of a healthcare professional trained regarding proper use, dosing, and interaction screening. In addition, you should always let your prescribing doctor know if you’re using CBD.

3. Different forms behave differently

Oils, gummies, capsules, oh my! There are an overwhelming number of choices. But these choices have different purposes. Need the most bang for your buck? CBD oils are the ones your body uses the best. Place them under the tongue for 1 minute to absorb it right into your bloodstream. Capsules and gummies lose some of their strength in the digestion process and there is a delay before they start working. However, chewables and capsules might be easier for those on-the-go or who don’t like the flavor of the oils. Topicals? Best for localized issues, like immediate help with a painful joint. When choosing your ideal CBD product, you need to decide what it’s for, your budget, and what’s easiest on you. Professional advice is essential in this decision making process.

4. Quality matters

Yes, technically this is on the list twice. But that’s because it’s… so… important. You have to know exactly what you’re getting. We discussed testing earlier, and we have two more examples to hit this point home. First, one organization tested 30 CBD vape products and discovered synthetic cannabinoids in 10 of them. Synthetic cannabinoids in vape products became national news a couple years ago due to the extreme lung damage and hospitalizations that occured. The second example, and by far the most worrying, was done by police in Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Texas, Tennessee, Utah, and Virginia. Out of 350 various CBD products they tested, 128 had synthetic CBD and 3 tested positive for fentanyl. The best way to avoid contaminated or improperly labeled products is to choose a company that does third-party testing, publishes the certificate of analysis (COA), and has a batch number. These show up on the QR-code on the product so you can track the testing of your specific batch.

5. Where you buy CBD matters

It’s important to receive comprehensive CBD guidance and education from the retailer. They should make it easy for you to know where it comes from, if it’s safe, what dose you should take, and whether it interferes with your medications.

If all of this is overwhelming, there’s good news: we make it easy for you. At the Natural Wellness Corner, we carry Ananda Professional Full-Spectrum Hemp CBD. They were the first company to provide QR-code specific third-party batch testing and to receive IND approval from the FDA. In addition, we have a pharmacist on staff, Marty Donovan, who can properly guide you through dosing, forms, and drug-interactions. You can click here to learn more, or stop by our 239 Loudon Road, Concord, NH location to try it, and there’s a full money back guarantee!

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