Are All CBD Gummies The Same? A Buyer’s Guide
CBD

Are All CBD Gummies The Same? A Buyer’s Guide

When you pick up a package of yummy gummy candies at the checkout counter, you probably don’t give much thought to them once you’ve chosen the flavor and checked their price. That’s understandable; aside from those two variables, there’s not much difference between different packages of regular gummies.

If you’re ready to buy CBD gummies, though, you’ll need to put more thought into your purchase — because all CBD gummies aren’t the same.

Sure, you’ll want to check the prices and choose a flavor. But you’ll also have to think about the amount and type of CBD in each gummy, and whether you want ones with added ingredients. If you’re vegetarian or vegan, what type of thickener was used to manufacture the candies also matters.

Dosage is most important, because gummies can contain anywhere from 5 to 200 milligrams of CBD apiece and the package labels can sometimes be tricky to understand. The type of CBD is important as well; full-spectrum gummies are most effective, but they also contain a small amount of psychoactive THC (which isn’t enough to get you high).

Some producers create gummies that contain potential wellness ingredients like vitamins, turmeric, or melatonin, and they may use artificial flavorings instead of natural ones. Most gummies are made with animal-sourced gelatin as their thickening agent, but vegans or vegetarians will want to find options using agar-agar or a similar option instead.

Finally, quality matters. Low-price CBD gummies from substandard producers may be easier on the wallet, but they’re unlikely to provide the same benefits as high-quality gummies from reputable companies that may charge a little more.

Clearly, not all CBD gummies are the same. Let’s learn more about the differences.

What’s In CBD Gummies?

CBD gummies, of course, are traditional gummies that contain CBD (cannabidiol). They most often contain flavourings and colourings to give them their fruity flavor and appearance, and other  wellness ingredients may be added as well.

Here’s a detailed look at those components.

Cannabidiol

CBD is one of the two major cannabinoids found in hemp. (Cannabinoids are natural plant compounds.) It’s also found in cannabis, but cannabidiol used to make CBD products is sourced from hemp for an important reason: cannabis plants contain large amounts of psychoactive THC and very little CBD, while hemp has lots of CBD and very small levels of THC.

In short, cannabidiol extracted from hemp won’t be intoxicating. It’s also more cost-effective for producers to source their CBD from hemp plants, which contain bountiful amounts of it.

CBD products in general, and CBD gummies in particular, have become extremely popular because of cannabidiol’s potential wellness benefits. We’ll discuss them shortly.

When creating CBD gummies, manufacturers make “regular” gummy candies and then infuse them with cannabidiol in crystallized form; the most common approach is to dissolve the CBD in the candy mixture before it’s hardened in molds.

Gummy Ingredients

Recipes vary from producer to producer, but gummies are usually created by combining water and sweeteners like sucrose or corn syrup with a thickening agent. Gelatin is producers’ thickener of choice, but since gelatin is sourced from animals like pigs or cows, alternatives like agar-agar sourced from seaweed, pectin, or carrageenan are used to make vegan gummies.

The vast majority of gummies, whether or not they contain CBD, have natural or artificial colourings and flavourings added. Citric or malic acid is often added as well to create a “sharper” flavour.

More and more companies now make CBD gummies with added ingredients intended to boost the gummies’ wellness benefits (and to make them more marketable in a crowded market). Vitamins, turmeric, apple cider vinegar, and melatonin are just some of the extra options you’ll see when purchasing CBD gummies.

Naturally, many consumers make their purchase decision based on flavour or added wellness ingredients, but there are more important considerations to understand.

Types of CBD

Most people don’t stop to read the package label when they buy a package of gummies. If they’re CBD gummies, though, reading the label is crucial. It’s the only way to know if you’re purchasing full-spectrum CBD, broad-spectrum CBD, or CBD isolate.

Let’s go back to the CBD that’s extracted from hemp and used to make gummies. If nothing except impurities has been removed from the cannabidiol, it’s known as full-spectrum CBD. That’s because it contains the “full spectrum” of plant compounds found in hemp; terpenes, other cannabinoids, and the small amount of THC we’ve mentioned come along with the CBD.

That’s a plus. All of those compounds work together in what’s called an “entourage effect” that maximizes the effectiveness of cannabidiol in the body. Scientists don’t fully understand why the entourage effect works, but its importance has been documented. In a nutshell, full-spectrum CBD is the most effective type of cannabidiol.

Some people are allergic to THC or react badly to it, however. Others may be afraid that having any THC in their bodies — even if it’s not enough to cause intoxication — might lead to a failed cannabis drug test. (That’s not likely, but it’s possible.) Those folks can’t take the risk of using full-spectrum CBD gummies because of the THC they contain.

Producers give them two other options.

  • Broad-spectrum CBD gummies contain extracted cannabidiol that has had its THC content removed, although traces of the cannabinoid may still remain. The gummies are slightly less effective than full-spectrum ones because the absence of THC makes the entourage effect slightly less powerful.
  • CBD isolate gummies contain pure CBD; the cannabidiol they’re infused with is full-spectrum CBD that’s had all other plant compounds removed. It’s the least effective choice because there’s no entourage effect, but there’s 0% THC in CBD isolate products.

It makes sense, of course, for people who don’t want to or can’t consume THC to purchase isolate or broad-spectrum CBD gummies.

But those who grab a package of isolate gummies without understanding exactly what they’re purchasing may be doing themselves a disservice. Full-spectrum CBD gummies are the best choice for the vast majority of users.

CBD Doses

CBD products are essentially unregulated in Britain, America, and other Western nations, so producers can label them almost any way they’d like. That can be a real problem for customers, especially when it comes to the amount of cannabidiol contained in the products.

A large number of producers clearly label their gummy products with the amount of CBD in each candy. Others don’t; their label emphasizes the total amount of cannabidiol in the entire bottle or package, which may not be dishonest but it can be misleading.

Customers who see 500mg on one label and 50mg on another may choose the 500mg bottle because it seems to be more potent. In reality, 500mg of CBD in a bottle of 50 gummies means that each gummy contains only 10mg. A package labelled 50mg may contain 10 gummies that contain 50mg apiece.

Vigilance is required when buying CBD gummies. It’s not always easy to know what you’re buying unless you pay careful attention.

That’s not the biggest problem, though.

What Dose to Choose?

Gummies are usually available in doses ranging from 5mg to 200mg, and the widely varying amount of cannabidiol they contain means they’re definitely not the same. So even after a consumer is sure how much CBD is in the gummies they’re considering, which ones should they buy?

CBD hasn’t been approved by any nation as a medical treatment, since the apparent benefits of cannabidiol have only been shown in preliminary research. For that reason, there’s no established dosage guidance available from the medical world or government authorities.

There are tidbits of information that some people use to decide on dosages — but they’re not proven guidance.

The UK’s Food Standards Agency says people should consume no more than 10 milligrams a day. Many experts recommend a starting dose between 10-25mg. Research has found CBD appears to be effective in doses anywhere between 25mg and 600mg. Needless to say, that’s not much help.

Many packages of gummies come with dosing instructions, but to be honest, they don’t mean much, either. CBD companies don’t know anything about individuals’ body weight, metabolisms or other prescriptions they take, nor do they know why customers are using cannabidiol. All of those factors play roles in determining what a “proper” dose might be.

In short, 10mg might be perfect for one user, while 25mg might be a better choice for another. The doses, and the effects they may have, are definitely not the same. And there’s a final issue to consider.

The Effectiveness of CBD Gummies

The 10mg of cannabidiol contained in a CBD gummy isn’t equivalent to 10mg of cannabidiol consumed by dropping CBD oil under the tongue. Gummies are a much less efficient way of using CBD.

Here’s why. After they’re consumed, CBD gummies end up in the gastrointestinal system where they’re digested. It can be 30-60 minutes before digestion is completed and the CBD is released into the bloodstream. The bigger problem is that much of the cannabidiol is lost in the digestive process, so a 10mg CBD gummy actually provides users with a lot less than 10mg of usable CBD.

By contrast, CBD oil administered under the tongue is absorbed almost immediately by the tissues located there, and then sent right into the bloodstream. The cannabidiol takes effect much more quickly and much less of it is lost. Vaping works the same way, with the vapor’s CBD absorbed immediately by tissues in the lungs.

Bottom line: a CBD gummy provides much less cannabidiol than you’d expect, so you might have to purchase gummies with a higher dose than you’d planned to buy.

How to Decide Which CBD Gummies to Buy

We’ve established that not all CBD gummies are the same. That leaves users with a difficult decision to make: which gummies should they purchase?

Here’s a gameplan that might help with the decision.

  1. Consult with your doctor or another healthcare professional to determine whether CBD is right for you, and ask the doctor to suggest a dose after considering any drugs you take. (Some interact negatively with cannabidiol.) Be sure to mention that you’ll be using gummies, so that can be factored into the dosage.
  2. Decide whether you want full-spectrum, broad-spectrum, or CBD isolate gummies. Full-spectrum is the best choice for most users because of its maximum effectiveness.
  3. Spend time to be sure you’re choosing gummies that deliver the desired dosage, not ones that mislead consumers with their packaging. If you’re vegan or vegetarian, pay special attention to the ingredient list to be sure they don’t contain gelatin.
  4. Only purchase from trustworthy producers or vendors. That can be difficult to ascertain, so do some research, check reviews, and beware of way-below-market pricing.
  5. The best advice for any CBD user (or for that matter, users of any drug or substance) is to start low — and increase slow, if you find that the dose you’re taking isn’t delivering results.

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*It is important to note that the benefits of these products have not been conclusively proven. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease, and the NHS has not made any guarantees about the efficacy of such products.