What is CBD? Sure, it's cannabidiol, one of the non-psychoactive compounds from the Cannabis sativa plant. But what's the difference between one CBD oil and another?
The Certificate of Analysis (COA) on the bottle is a helpful comparison guide. It shows the results of the lab test that verified the ingredients. The tests should be run by an independent party—a third-party lab.
Once you begin comparison-shopping for CBD oil, you'll get a feel for what third-party lab reports are, and why they matter. The COA on the label reflects the lab results, showing that:
- CBD is present in the product. That is, you're not buying snake oil decorated with a leaf logo!
- No hazardous chemicals or pesticides are lurking in your CBD oil. "Wait, what?" You might ask, "Can that really happen?" Yes, it can.
- The oil is full-spectrum, rather than one, isolated compound. In most cases, customers are not seeking an isolate, but want the range of benefits in a whole-plant, full-spectrum oil.
- The profile of the CBD is desirable. More on this below.
Because all of these factors can be read in the product's COA, this is a brief guide to how to read CBD third party lab reports, and, more specifically, what's in MtivaCBD's.
Cannabinoids in the Spotlight
Consider MtivaCBD's 1000 mg, full-spectrum hemp extract, containing full-spectrum CBD oil. CBD is the most studied non-psychoactive cannabinoid. It is known to support a wide range of internal processes.
Mtiva full-spectrum CBD oil also contains less than the allowable limit of the cannabinoid THC, which means it's a legally accepted CBD product for the U.S. consumer market.
Other cannabinoids present are CBGa, CBC, CBN, and CBDV. You hear a lot less about these compounds. Yet each of these cannabinoids has interesting properties. Our bodies respond to each cannabinoid in unique ways, thanks to our internal receptors—all part of the body's endocannabinoid system. Specific cannabinoids are selected to correlate with specific receptors in the body:
- CBGa is CBD in its original form, before deacidification. It is receiving attention in important cancer research.
- Additional studies have brought CBC into a promising line of cancer research as well.
- CBN is being studied for possible effects in bone tissue growth. Because this property could change the game in health science, we're watching the research closely.
- The American Epilepsy Society regards CBDV as potentially important in social interactions, and the treatment of drug-resistant seizures and autism.
Keeping it Clean
As you can see from the analysis, the maximum percentage of CBD in the bottle is up to 3.9. This is a moderate strength CBD oil.
What's more important than the percentage with CBD? The quality. How can you discern it? Look on the label to find that your CBD oil is organically grown, from a known, licensed hemp farm (in MtivaCBD's case, our own), with neither additives nor preservatives.
Of course, be sure you do not see any growth hormones, pesticides, fertilizers, or herbicides in the CBD oil's third party lab results. High-quality CBD oils are free of these byproducts.
Just as important, note that the CBD is extracted cleanly, using the CO2 extraction method.
Terpenes in the Spotlight
Like cannabinoids, terpenes have their own distinct properties. The third party lab results show what terpenes are present. The most desirable hemp plants have high levels of pinene, myrcene, caryophyllene, and limonene. Mtiva's farm-grown hemp expresses all these terpenes.
Eric Baron works with the Center for Neuro-Restoration at the Cleveland Clinic. In the journal Headache (July 2018), Baron published an important article that examines notable hemp terpenes and effects. Note: Most of the article discusses preclinical studies, so continued research must be carried out in human populations. Note also that these effects occurred in research on terpenes in highly concentrated form. In short, this information should not be understood as making any health claims about CBD oil.
The research on terpenes is developing, but Dr. Baron's and similar research suggests:
- Limonene correlates to the receptors that regulate pain and depression.
- Pinene (α-pinene) is a fresh, woody terpene studied for its antioxidant, anti‐inflammatory traits, its anti‐bacterial potential, and for potentially countering melanoma.
- Beta-caryophyllene is a prominent element in hops. β-caryophyllene is being studied for pain-relieving and anti‐cancer properties.
- Myrcene has long appeared in folk medicines. It's sought out for claimed anti-anxiety, anti-depression, muscle relaxing, and pain-easing properties.
What Else the Label Tells You
Finally, as we mentioned earlier, test results will show if there are chemical solvents lurking in your CBD oil. Avoid glycols such as polyethylene glycol or propylene glycol.
Now you know a little more about how our full-spectrum CBD oil, grown organically on our own licensed farm, respects you and your safety. Contact us if you'd like to know more.
Sources:
https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/CBD-Products-Tested-505762921.html
https://www.marijuanabreak.com/cbd-third-party-lab-reports
https://intrinsichemp.com/cbd-cbda-cbn-cbg-cbc-cbdv-differences/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4009504/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1774787/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17205329
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30152161
https://www.leafly.com/news/science-tech/myrcene-terpene
