HOW PRODUCTS WERE EVALUATED:
How Products Were Selected:
Products were selected to represent those commonly available nationally in the U.S. ConsumerLab.com purchased products on the open market through retail stores, on-line retailers and direct sales companies. Products were not accepted directly from manufacturers.Testing Methods:
Products containing hemp oil and extract were analyzed in one or more independent laboratories for the following:- Quantification of cannabidiol (CBD), THC and analogs shown in the table below and representing total cannabinoids (phytocannabinoids), by High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) using state certified methodologies (State of California and State of Colorado).
CBD, THC and analogs quantified as total cannabinoids (phytocannabinoids)Analyte Abbreviation Cannabichromene CBC Cannabidiol CBD Cannabidiolic Acid CBDa Cannabidivarin CBDV Cannabigerol CBG Cannabigerolic Acid CBGa Cannabinol CBN Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol Δ9-THC Δ8-Tetrahydrocannabinol Δ8-THC Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinolic Acid THCa Tetrahydrocannabivarin THCV - Quantitative analysis of lead, cadmium and arsenic by Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectroscopy (ICP-MS) for products claiming to contain whole herbs or 250 mg or more of minerals per daily serving or which were tested through CL's Quality Certification Program.
- Disintegration of non-chewable, non-capsule and non-time-release formulations using United States Pharmacopeia (USP) <2040> recommendations.
Any product not passing testing was sent to a second independent laboratory to repeat testing for the criterion on which it did not pass.
ConsumerLab.com may modify or use other appropriate test methods if necessary to test special product formulations.
Identities of the products were not disclosed to the laboratories performing the testing.
Passing Score:*
To be "Approved" by Consumerlab.com, a product had to meet the following requirements:
- CBD: Products claiming cannabidiol (CBD, as defined to include 87.7% of CBDa) and/or other cannabinoids must contain a minimum of 100% of the claimed amount(s) and 1) no more than 135% of the claimed amount(s) in a daily serving providing up to and including 2 mg of CBD and 2) no more than 125% of the claimed amount(s) in a daily serving providing more than 2 mg of CBD. Products having no label claim must contain at least 5 mg of CBD per suggested daily oral serving and at least 1 mg per suggested single topical application.
- Δ9-THC: The amount of THC (as defined to include 87% of THCa) found must not exceed 5.5% of the amount of CBD found, e.g., no more than 0.55 mg of THC per 10 mg of CBD. (Limit based on THC/CBD ratios calculated from limits in state laws permitting CBD for medical use. The ratio varies by state from about to 2% to 18%.)
- Heavy Metals: Products claiming to contain whole herbs or 250 mg or more of minerals per daily serving or which were tested through CL's Quality Certification Program must not exceed the following limits:
Lead**:- Products marketed for use by children may not exceed the State of California's Prop 65 limits for lead in dietary supplements of 0.5 mcg per recommended daily serving with an additional allowance of 0.8 mcg if the product contains more than 1,000 mg/day of calcium.
- Products with a single serving weights of less than 5 grams which are not marketed for use by children, may not exceed the State of California's Prop 65 limits for lead in dietary supplements of 0.5 mcg per recommended daily serving with an additional allowance of 0.4 mcg if containing 250-999 mg/day of elemental calcium, magnesium and potassium, 0.8 mcg if containing 1,000 mg/day of any combination of these minerals. An additional 0.5 mcg is provided if containing 250-999 mg/day of whole herb (not extract) ingredient or 1.0 mcg if containing 1000 mg/day or more of whole herb (not extract). However, total lead allowance will not exceed 2 mcg.
- Products with single serving weights of 5 grams or more which are not marketed for children may not exceed 2.5 mcg per serving nor 4.0 mcg per daily serving.
- If marketed for use by children, may not exceed 3.0 micrograms of cadmium per recommended daily serving (based on Canada's limit for a child weighing 75 lbs.). If not marketed for use by children, may not exceed 4.1 micrograms of cadmium per recommended daily serving (based on the State of California's Prop 65 limit).
- Contain less than 10 micrograms of total arsenic and no more than 5 micrograms of inorganic arsenic per daily serving (EPA limit and state of New Jersey limits - based on 1 liter of water).
- If in pill form, product must meet recommended USP <2040> parameters for disintegration of dietary supplements (excluding capsule, chewable, sublingual and time-release products).
- Must be in compliance with FDA labeling requirements for dietary supplements notwithstanding the fact that CBD products are currently not considered dietary supplements by the FDA.
* Based on State of California's Prop 65 limit. California requires supplements exceeding this limit to bear a warning label regarding lead.
