Dangers of Low-Quality CBD

CBD oil is one of the hottest trends in the health and wellness market. Purported to alleviate the symptoms of everything from anxiety to fibromyalgia and chemotherapy side effects, CBD oil offers a promising solution for patients who haven't found relief from conventional medical treatments.

With all the hype, it's no wonder that so many companies got into the CBD game. You can now find CBD products like oils and tinctures in nearly every store you enter, including your neighborhood convenience store. Not all CBD products are created equal, however, and choosing the cheaper product may come with some significant consequences.

What Is CBD?

CBD stands for cannabidiol, which is one of the active ingredients of cannabis. CBD is derived directly from the hemp plant, which is a cousin of the marijuana plant. It's a crucial component of medical marijuana, and though it shares a relationship with marijuana, it lacks the necessary substances to create a "high."

According to the World Health Organization, CBD shows no potential for abuse or dependence, and there have never been any health risks associated with the use of pure CBD for therapeutic purposes.

Though the federal government puts CBD in the same class as marijuana, all 50 states have legalized the use of CBD with specific restrictions. In 2015, the Food and Drug Administration altered regulatory requirements to permit researchers to conduct CBD studies and trials.

CBD Therapy

Like many alternative health treatments, CBD has a long history as a cure or treatment for a variety of health issues. The difference with CBD is that numerous studies have shown its benefits, particularly with childhood epilepsy syndromes, inflammatory pain, and neuropathic pain, all conditions that have been historically difficult to treat successfully. Many people use CBD for anxiety, insomnia, and poor sleep, with anecdotal evidence of its benefits.

CBD Side Effects

Another benefit of using CBD over conventional medical treatments is the minimal side effects. Choosing prescription drugs to treat illnesses and health conditions often comes with a trade-off in the form of another unpleasant or uncomfortable symptom or condition. With CBD, the side effects are mild and uncommon.

Side effects of CBD include fatigue, nausea, and irritability. CBD can also affect certain prescription drugs, such as the blood thinner warfarin.

That's in its pure, high-quality form, however. One of the challenges of CBD is that it's classified as a supplement, not an FDA-approved medication. As a result, the FDA doesn't regulate its preparation, purity, or safety, much like other over-the-counter supplements. This means there's no guarantee of active ingredients, no verified dosage, no recommended therapeutic dosage, and the possibility of contaminants.

High-Quality vs. Low-Quality CBD

Source

High-quality CBD products use hemp oil that comes from farmed sources in the U.S. Low-quality CBD products may use imported hemp oil that comes from farms in places like China or Eastern Europe. These farmers have no obligation to health or transparency about the hemp farming or processing, so you could potentially use a product that was treated with hazardous pesticides or was grown in soil that's contaminated with heavy metals. In the U.S., hemp farmers are licensed and the seeds are inspected, giving you more peace of mind about where your CBD comes from.

Organic Farming

The highest-quality CBD products are derived from organically grown hemp. Like the issues with sourcing, non-organic farming may expose the hemp to heavy metals, environmental toxins, hazardous chemicals, or dangerous pesticides, all of which may end up in the final product. Low-quality CBD products are also derived from low-dose THC marijuana strains that require harsh chemicals to isolate the compound, removing many of the essential nutrients. Without the necessary cannabinoids and terpenes, the CBD is less effective.

Extraction

High-quality CBD is extracted using supercritical carbon dioxide extraction to maintain the purity of the product. Supercritical CO2 extraction retains all of the nutrients in the plant, giving you the full potential of the end product. This not only improves the product itself, but it's an eco-friendly and non-toxic process that protects the environment.

Full Spectrum

High-quality CBD is manufactured using the entire plant, which is known as full, or broad-spectrum. Low-quality CBD often uses isolates, which are cheaper derivatives of the plant extracts. When you get CBD from the whole plant, you're getting all the benefits of the hemp itself, such as flavonoids, terpenes, and other cannabinoids.

Risks of Low-Quality CBD

In addition to providing a poor product with little quality control, low-quality CBD also carries some significant risks beyond pesticides and heavy metals. CBD that's harvested using outdated extraction techniques could leave some THC behind, which can inadvertently flag a drug test or lead to unwanted and unexpected psychotropic effects on an unknowing user.

It's also possible to get CBD that isn't CBD, especially on the internet. Some CBD products are little more than synthetic CBD salt or nicotine juice. Without any quality control or regulation, you don't know what you're getting.

CBD juice is different from oil, too. CBD juice may contain additives that help the product load into a vape tank more easily or add flavor, but the additives are unknown, untested, and unproven. There could be a potentially hazardous additive that you're completely unaware of, and what's worse, a medical professional would have difficulty identifying the substance and dose to treat you if a problem did arise.

In 2017, a group of people in Salt Lake City were admitted to the emergency room with seizures, confusion, or agitation after ingesting an unregulated CBD product. After a local pharmacist purchased the product and submitted it for testing, the tests revealed 4-cyano CUMYL-BUTINACA (4-CCB). This synthetic cannabinoid is a Schedule 1 drug that's been sold as a designer drug. Once metabolized, the drug produces cyanide and may result in hyperthermia, kidney failure, and rhabdomyolysis. Fortunately, the patients recovered, but 52 patients became sick from the CBD product.

In another incident, a researcher at Virginia Commonwealth University tested a CBD product after reports of users getting a "high" from it. The testing revealed another synthetic cannabinoid, 5-fluoro MDMB-PINACA, a compound that may trigger increased heart rate and blood pressure, paranoia, panic attacks, convulsions, organ damage, and even death.

There are plenty of stories like that across the country. In a 2017 study conducted by researchers at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, roughly two-thirds of the products found online were mislabeled and contained a higher concentration of CBD, a lower concentration, or no CBD at all.

Tips for Choosing High-Quality CBD

CBD oil can be tampered with, misrepresented, mislabeled, and poorly extracted, all of which can compromise its efficacy and safety.

Mislabeling

CBD product mislabeling is common, but the degree of risk varies. Improperly labeled ingredients or percentages may just mean you're wasting money on CBD oil with no CBD, but in the worst case, it could contain a substance with potentially harmful side effects. Before you purchase CBD, check the lab test results on the label or on the company's website. If there aren't any, that's a red flag to look elsewhere.

Low-Quality Ingredients

Every aspect of growth, harvesting, and extraction of CBD oil requires pure, quality ingredients. When you're shopping for CBD, research the ingredients and additives to make sure you're buying from a quality and reputable source.

Risky Processing

CBD contamination is a scary problem. Different processes for producing CBD products can leave the product vulnerable to chemicals and additives, which end up in your final product. Research the company and its processes to make sure you're aware of the risks.

Contamination

Along with pesticides, heavy metals, and illegal substances, CBD oil can also be contaminated by microbes. The hemp plants used to produce CBD oil can be infected with bacteria, mold, and other pathogens, including salmonella and E. coli.

Sealed Packaging

Even high-quality CBD is a health risk if it's unsealed. A CBD product without sealed packaging could indicate that the product was tampered with or is tainted, even if the product itself passed lab testing. You could also be unknowingly purchasing a bad CBD product that was switched to a more reputable brand package.

Additives

CBD flavorings are popular, ranging from fruit and candy to desserts and savory treats. Many marketers use this to boost the purported health benefits of the CBD and whatever additives are used. Unfortunately, the more additives the CBD has, the more likely it is to lose purity and safety. On top of that, the CBD market isn't yet aware of how CBD reacts with other chemicals, drugs, and ingredients, so there's no telling what hazards may occur from a bad combination.

Choose Quality

CBD has a long way to go regarding research, testing, and market safety, but it's gaining a lot of attention for its medicinal qualities. If you're considering CBD for your anxiety, chronic pain, neurological symptoms, or other health conditions, Buoy Hydration offers only the highest-quality CBD in their Easy Squeezy Hemp CBD hydration supplement. Our nano-emulsified, hemp-based and water-soluble CBD is top-shelf and produced in the U.S., so you can have a safe and effective option for your needs.

Try Buoy + CBD!

Dehydration is proven to increase pain and anxiety, and interfere with proper sleep - which are also all reasons why people use CBD. Coincidence? We don’t think so.

That’s why we made Buoy + CBD.

Buoy’s squeezable hydration + CBD supplement contains:

• Organic broad-spectrum CBD
• Trace mineral-dense electrolytes
• Vitamins B1, B5, B6
• Antioxidants

And, thankfully:

• 0 Sugar/Stevia
• 0 Calories
• 0% THC
• No artificial ingredients or harmful fillers/emulsifiers

To learn more about the benefits of hydration and CBD, and about the CBD Buoy uses in their hydration supplement, click here.

Always seek medical advice if you have any pre-existing conditions before trying CBD.