A little over 6 years ago, CBD was rapidly gaining popularity. With an overwhelming amount of product available to consumers, there was also room for many companies to take advantage of individuals who simply didn’t know better using various marketing ploys. In today’s blog, we’re going to take a look at 5 controversial claims and common misconceptions surrounding CBD so you can make the right decision when looking for CBD products. The last one is sure to surprise you!
Myth 1
CBD and Hemp Seed Oil the Same Thing
FALSE
When searching for a CBD oil online, it’s very likely that you have come across products labeled as “hemp seed oil” and wondered if they are the same thing. Although they both originate from the same plant, they are very different in terms of application.
The hemp plant is considered by many to be one of, if not the most useful plant to mankind. We can use hemp to manufacture goods such as paper, clothing, biofuel, and bioplastics just to name a few. In the world of wellness, hemp is also known for containing high amounts of our favorite cannabinoid, CBD which is well known for its potential to reduce pain, anxiety and improve sleep quality.
While CBD is more known for its impact on sleep quality, inflammation, and anxiety, hemp seed oil, although from the same plant, carries different properties. In a 2014 review titled “Plants used to treat skin diseases,” scientists at the University of Kashmir in India tested 31 plants that have been used commonly to treat various skin related conditions. When tested the efficacy of hemp seed oil, they found that “Hemp seed oil is useful for treatment of eczema and host of other skin diseases.” In addition to this finding, they also observed that “the skin is strengthened and made better able to resist bacterial, viral and fungal infections.”
To help better visualize the key differences between CBD oil and hemp seed oil, I created this diagram.
Knowing this now, it’s important to research what is inside of these sorts of products so you can make sure that you are getting what you are paying for.
Check out the links below for additional information.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3931201/
Myth 2
CBD is Addictive
FALSE
With the heavy stigma that follows cannabis, many people wonder if CBD is going to make them feel “high” or if CBD is addictive. While many people use CBD everyday and some rely on using these products to eliminate their more serious symptoms, CBD is still not considered addictive.
A study published by ScienceDirect, an online medical journal that works with schools around the country to conduct research were able to prove just that., They ran tests on 31 frequent marijuana users in a double-blind, randomized, and placebo controlled environment with the goal of observing the potential abuse of THC as well as CBD. In the results, they observed that “Active smoked marijuana (THC) reliably produced increases in measures of abuse liability, including ratings of high, like drug effect, drug strength, willing to take again, and mellow.” When running these tests on CBD, they found that “CBD was well tolerated and there were no serious adverse events related to the study medications.”
In other words, CBD does NOT cause a high and has an extremely low potential for abuse. When you compare CBD’s potential of abuse to other medications, CBD could even be an alternative to taking more addictive medications with adverse side effects.
Source: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0376871616310456?via%3Dihub
Myth 3
CBD Helps ED.
FALSE (but…)
In the past decade, lots of progress has been made in terms of researching CBD and cannabis and discovering the potential benefits it has in store. Although this is very good for people looking to be more educated on CBD, it has also put an idea into many people’s heads that CBD is a “cure-all” for every ailment.
Unfortunately, this is just not true.
While some men who experience erectile dysfunction report better performance while taking cannabis, there are no actual studies that proves CBD has an impact on organically occurring ED. However, a study published by the National Institute of Health revealed that “85.2% of men under 40 years of age had psychogenic ED as the primary etiology, compared with 14.8% who had an organic cause of ED.” Keeping this in mind and also understanding CBD’s potential to reduce anxiety, it’s understandable that CBD could help certain individuals struggling with ED that is caused psychologically. To reiterate though, there are no studies available that support the claim that CBD is a treatment option for men with ED.
Sources:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9326597/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31313338/
Myth 4
“I can’t take CBD because
I’m regularly drug tested..”
FALSE
A common misconception with CBD products is that all CBD is going to contain certain amounts of THC. Although CBD is derived from the hemp plant where THC is also found, this doesn't mean all CBD has THC.
First of all it is very important to make sure your products have been 3rd party lab tested. This way you can see the exact compounds present in your CBD as well as making sure your product does not contain anything harmful to humans such as lead, mercury, and other heavy metals.
All CBD products can be split into 3 categories, full spectrum, broad spectrum, and isolate. With full spectrum CBD, you are utilizing all of the 100+ cannabinoids and compounds present inside the hemp plant. This includes THC in trace amounts of .3% or less. Even though the THC present is in such a low amount, it is certainly enough to possibly show up on a drug test.
When looking for a CBD product to help with your sleep, pain, and anxiety without THC, looking towards broad spectrum and isolate-based products are the safer alternative. With these products, you can still have high amounts of CBD present just without any unwanted THC. For some examples of these products, check out our Active CBD Oil Broad Spectrum Tinctures and Broad Spectrum Capsules.
Myth 5
Dr. Oz Sells CBD
FALSE
Working for a CBD company, I have heard the same thing time and time again from first time customers. “Do you have the Dr. Oz CBD gummies here?” While Dr. Oz has endorsed certain supplements in the past, CBD was never on that list.
In a segment on the Dr. Phil show, Dr. Oz visited a CBD testing facility to learn more about CBD products. While there, the scientist who runs the tests for CBD/THC products explained what they do to test these sorts of products. Dr. Oz seemed to express a level of distrust towards CBD after hearing about certain products failing lab tests due to high amounts of heavy metals present. Oz goes on to say “They don’t care about the people…they just want their money.”
Although this may be true for certain CBD companies, this is exactly why it’s important to do research on who you are purchasing your CBD products from. In reality, someone realized that simply using Dr. Phil's name was enough to capitalize on the lack of research some first time CBD users may be doing. Here at Discover CBD we strive for transparency and provide 3rd party lab test results for all products so you don’t have to worry about heavy metals and toxins making you feel even worse.
Although this segment was uploaded 3 years ago, Oz has still has yet to formally endorse a CBD product, leaving this myth BUSTED.
I hope after reading this blog and checking out some of the products and resources I have linked throughout the blog, you feel a little more confident in how to find and choose the right CBD products from a reputable company. To dig even deeper, checkout some of our other recent blogs and If you ever have any questions regarding CBD in general or any of our products you can always reach out to us.
