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Analysis of CBD Products Shows Price Drop and Lower Levels of THC
White Plains, New York, September 18, 2020 — The recent analysis by ConsumerLab of CBD and hemp extract products revealed a 70% drop in the lowest cost to get CBD since 2018 as well as fewer products containing detectable amounts of THC, a psychoactive compound in hemp. The results were published in a Review on ConsumerLab.com and are discussed in an accompanying video.
ConsumerLab purchased and tested CBD oils, pills, gummies, topicals, and a pet product. Products were tested for levels of CBD, THC and other cannabinoids, as well as for toxic heavy metals. The amount of CBD in the products was found to range 2.5 mg to 51.3 mg per serving. The cost to obtain 10 mg of CBD was as little as 24 cents to as much as $2.67. In 2018, the lowest cost to obtain this amount of CBD among tested products was 80 cents. THC was detectable in only three products, two of which contained only 0.15 mg per serving and one contained 1.2 mg. In 2018, THC was detected in most products.
"The CBD market has changed in a short period of time. The availability of lower cost products is likely driven by the entry of traditional supplement companies and a greater supply of CBD due to the legalization of hemp growing by the 2018 Farm Act," noted Tod Cooperman, M.D., President of ConsumerLab. "The increased availability of CBD that is, essentially, THC-free, may be due to consumer demand for products less likely to cause a positive drug test, as there had been reported incidents of this earlier on," added Dr. Cooperman.
CBD (cannabidiol) and hemp extract products are increasingly popular, despite the U.S. FDA's position that CBD is a drug and not a dietary supplement. In fact, many products include "Supplement Facts" panels on their labels. CBD showed the greatest growth in popularity among supplements in the past year, according to ConsumerLab's annual survey of over 10,000 vitamin and supplement users. Reducing pain was, by far, the most commonly reported use for CBD, followed by improving sleep, reducing anxiety, and reducing depression or improving mood, although clinical evidence for these uses is extremely limited, as discussed in the Review. The Review also discusses dosage, explains the best way to take CBD to improve absorption, as well as potential side effects and drug interactions.
ConsumerLab's CBD & Hemp Extract Supplements, Lotions, and Balms Review includes test results and comparisons for 18 products. Ten products were selected for testing by ConsumerLab: Bluebird Botanicals Hemp Extract Classic, CBDFX Gummies 300 mg, Charlotte's Web 17 mg, Curaleaf Hemp Lotion, Elixinol Organic Balance, Green Roads Relax Bears 300 mg, Lord Jones Hemp-Derived CBD Tincture, Manitoba Harvest CBD, Nature's Love Topical ReLeaf Salve, NuLeaf Naturals CBD Maximum Strength - 240 mg CBD per bottle. Eight other products were tested and approved through CL's voluntary Quality Certification Program: Garden of Life Dr. Formulated CBD + Sleep, Garden of Life Dr. Formulated CBD 30 mg - Softgel, Garden of Life Dr. Formulated CBD 50 mg - Liquid, Plus CBD Oil Hemp Softgel 15 mg, Plus CBD Oil Hemp Softgel 5 mg, Swanson CBD 15 mg, Swanson CBD Full Spectrum 150 mg Balm, and Swanson Extra Strength CBD Full Spectrum 25 mg Oil Drops.
Among the products that were Approved based on the accuracy of their labeling for CBD and TCH and lack of heavy metal contamination, ConsumerLab selected an overall Top Pick based on quality and value, as well as Top Picks for low, medium and higher strength products, topical products (balm, lotion, and salve), and products marketed for pets.
Founded in 1999, ConsumerLab.com is a leading provider of consumer information and independent evaluations of products that affect health and nutrition. Membership to ConsumerLab.com is available online and provides immediate access to continually updated reviews of nearly every popular type of dietary supplement and health food, answers to reader questions, and product recalls and warnings. ConsumerLab also provides independent product testing through its voluntary Quality Certification Program. The company is privately held and based in New York. It has no ownership from, or interest in, companies that manufacture, distribute, or sell consumer products.
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ConsumerLab purchased and tested CBD oils, pills, gummies, topicals, and a pet product. Products were tested for levels of CBD, THC and other cannabinoids, as well as for toxic heavy metals. The amount of CBD in the products was found to range 2.5 mg to 51.3 mg per serving. The cost to obtain 10 mg of CBD was as little as 24 cents to as much as $2.67. In 2018, the lowest cost to obtain this amount of CBD among tested products was 80 cents. THC was detectable in only three products, two of which contained only 0.15 mg per serving and one contained 1.2 mg. In 2018, THC was detected in most products.
"The CBD market has changed in a short period of time. The availability of lower cost products is likely driven by the entry of traditional supplement companies and a greater supply of CBD due to the legalization of hemp growing by the 2018 Farm Act," noted Tod Cooperman, M.D., President of ConsumerLab. "The increased availability of CBD that is, essentially, THC-free, may be due to consumer demand for products less likely to cause a positive drug test, as there had been reported incidents of this earlier on," added Dr. Cooperman.
CBD (cannabidiol) and hemp extract products are increasingly popular, despite the U.S. FDA's position that CBD is a drug and not a dietary supplement. In fact, many products include "Supplement Facts" panels on their labels. CBD showed the greatest growth in popularity among supplements in the past year, according to ConsumerLab's annual survey of over 10,000 vitamin and supplement users. Reducing pain was, by far, the most commonly reported use for CBD, followed by improving sleep, reducing anxiety, and reducing depression or improving mood, although clinical evidence for these uses is extremely limited, as discussed in the Review. The Review also discusses dosage, explains the best way to take CBD to improve absorption, as well as potential side effects and drug interactions.
ConsumerLab's CBD & Hemp Extract Supplements, Lotions, and Balms Review includes test results and comparisons for 18 products. Ten products were selected for testing by ConsumerLab: Bluebird Botanicals Hemp Extract Classic, CBDFX Gummies 300 mg, Charlotte's Web 17 mg, Curaleaf Hemp Lotion, Elixinol Organic Balance, Green Roads Relax Bears 300 mg, Lord Jones Hemp-Derived CBD Tincture, Manitoba Harvest CBD, Nature's Love Topical ReLeaf Salve, NuLeaf Naturals CBD Maximum Strength - 240 mg CBD per bottle. Eight other products were tested and approved through CL's voluntary Quality Certification Program: Garden of Life Dr. Formulated CBD + Sleep, Garden of Life Dr. Formulated CBD 30 mg - Softgel, Garden of Life Dr. Formulated CBD 50 mg - Liquid, Plus CBD Oil Hemp Softgel 15 mg, Plus CBD Oil Hemp Softgel 5 mg, Swanson CBD 15 mg, Swanson CBD Full Spectrum 150 mg Balm, and Swanson Extra Strength CBD Full Spectrum 25 mg Oil Drops.
Among the products that were Approved based on the accuracy of their labeling for CBD and TCH and lack of heavy metal contamination, ConsumerLab selected an overall Top Pick based on quality and value, as well as Top Picks for low, medium and higher strength products, topical products (balm, lotion, and salve), and products marketed for pets.
Founded in 1999, ConsumerLab.com is a leading provider of consumer information and independent evaluations of products that affect health and nutrition. Membership to ConsumerLab.com is available online and provides immediate access to continually updated reviews of nearly every popular type of dietary supplement and health food, answers to reader questions, and product recalls and warnings. ConsumerLab also provides independent product testing through its voluntary Quality Certification Program. The company is privately held and based in New York. It has no ownership from, or interest in, companies that manufacture, distribute, or sell consumer products.
CBD: What to Look For and How Products Have Changed
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