A common question that many people have about CBD products is whether or not CBD is safe. The quick answer is yes, high-quality CBD is perfectly safe, but you have to make sure that you are getting it from a reputable source. Below we will discuss how to find high-quality CBD, any potential side effects, and safety precautions to take into consideration when using CBD.

How to know you’re buying from the right source for CBD

Something important to note about CBD is that the CBD itself is always perfectly safe, assuming it was formulated properly, in a GMP facility, and all purity standards of manufacturing were adhered to. You should note that it is during the extraction process and production when CBD can become exposed to harmful chemicals such as pesticides and heavy metals. This is why it is absolutely necessary to make sure that you are buying your CBD from a reputable source. So how do you know that your CBD is coming from a credible place? Consider the following when shopping.

Safety certifications

When buying CBD, reputable brands will showcase multiple safety certifications including NSF and cGMP certifications. The National Sanitation Foundation or NSF will certify hemp and CBD products by testing for accuracy in the stated levels of CBD in given products. A cGMP certification stands for Current Good Manufacturing Processes and certifies CBD products by evaluating the safety and effectiveness of the products and looking at consistency and control utilized during the manufacturing process. These certifications ensure you have a product that has the correct potency and purity to provide the optimal CBD experience.

Brand transparency

Reputable CBD brands will offer individual batch analyses for their products and make their certificates of analysis easily accessible on their site. What this means is that any product you buy from a given CBD company should include a specific lab analysis on the website that shows the concentrations of different components found in the product. If a CBD brand is performing these tests, they will make it known. And you should insist on seeing it!  So if you’re unable to find this information about a CBD product you’ve purchased, you might be wise to avoid using it, since you don’t know what’s truly in it. Always look at the facts.

Brand transparency is one of the easiest ways to know that you are buying CBD from a reputable source. We do not recommend buying CBD from a smoke shop or convenience store or gas station generally because these products could easily contain heavy metals or additives that are not clearly displayed on the ingredient label. These are usually the cheapest products available, and there’s a reason why. You should also ensure that the CBD company you choose to buy from clearly states any additional cannabinoids and terpenes that are in the product. Transparency about extraction processes, farming methods, hemp sourcing, and lab testing is a clear sign that a CBD brand is producing safe, high-quality CBD.

Potential side effects of CBD

Many people wonder if CBD could potentially cause any side effects. As with any dietary supplement, every person will react differently to it. There is the potential that some patients could experience mild GI symptoms from CBD such as nausea, stomach discomfort, or diarrhea but a very low percentage of users actually experience these side effects. Often when consumers do experience side effects of CBD, they typically resolve quickly once their body gets used to the product or the consumer reduces the amount of CBD they are taking temporarily. Of course, we recommend discussing CBD with your doctor before adding it to your wellness regimen.

Other safety precautions for CBD

Another important safety precaution to take into consideration when using CBD is the fact that it could potentially interact with some prescription medications. Unfortunately, many people are on pharmaceutical drugs that they take daily and CBD could potentially cause an increased or decreased concentration of a medication in the body.

Low dose CBD (around 20-40 milligrams) can inhibit enzymes that metabolize drugs; a crucial step in preparing drugs to leave the body. This might cause increased concentrations of that drug inside of the body.

This is why it is so important to consult with your doctor before incorporating CBD into your routine to ensure that none of your current medications could interact with it!

Also, always start with an extremely low dose of CBD and go slow with it. Slowly increase the dose until you achieve the desired effects.

Higher doses of CBD have a different effect on the body than do lower doses of CBD. High doses of CBD could actually activate enzymes and speed up their degrading process, causing lower concentrations of certain medications to be present in the body. So it’s like two opposing effects, low doses of CBD may increase drug concentrations, while higher doses of CBD may decrease drug concentrations. Talk with your doctor if you are taking prescription medications for any chronic health condition.

The most important steps for any new CBD users to take are the following:

  • Only buy CBD oil from reputable brands that offer proof of certification and individual batch analyses.
  • If you’re currently on any medications, consult with your doctor before beginning the use of CBD.
  • Be aware that some side effects may be possible, but they are rare and often mild.
  • Start low and go slow. Take a very small dose of CBD when first starting out to gauge how your body tolerates it. Slowly increase your dose until you achieve the desired outcomes.

Overall, many CBD brands are doing it right and offering high-quality, reputable products. If you just take the necessary safety precautions then you’re well on your way to enjoying all of the amazing benefits that CBD has to offer, safely and effectively.

CBD Health Collection prides itself on producing the finest quality products in the industry. We invite you to shop all CBD products here.