Cannabidiol (CBD) is a hemp-derived cannabinoid commonly prescribed for pain, anxiety, insomnia, and a host of other medical issues. CBD is one of the 100+ cannabinoids in cannabis and the most popular therapeutically beneficial extract from the plant.
Like all cannabis goods, cannabidiol-infused products contain specific CBD concentrations. Other terms for concentration include ‘potency’ and ‘strength.’
It doesn’t matter about the medical conditions you’re planning to take CBD for. It’s important to know what constitutes CBD concentration.
But how do you measure the concentration of CBD in a product? This article sheds more light on that question.
How Is CBD Concentration Measured?
The cannabis market teems with all manner of cannabidiol goods. CBD products are equally available in numerous formulations. These products also differ in terms of their composition of other cannabinoids.
For instance, you may come across products labeled ‘isolates,’ ‘broad-spectrum CBD,’ and ‘CBD bath bombs.’ It’s reassuring to know that whichever category you choose, you’ll still be able to enjoy cannabidiol’s immense health benefits.
But even as you hit the stores and sample your favorite cannabidiol goods, it would help to know how CBD concentration is determined.
Now, the potency of CBD in a product is measured in milligrams. The concentration is often expressed in terms of the product’s total volume. In most cases, the ratio will be given in milligrams (mg) per milliliter (ml).
By way of illustration, let’s assume that a 10-milliliter bottle of CBD oral tinctures contains 1000 milligrams of cannabidiol. The concentration of CBD in this product would be determined by dividing the milligrams by milliliters, which gives 100 mg/ml.
However, there are two crucial things to note here;
First, not all CBD products will come in liquid form. We have numerous cannabidiol-based products that assume the solid form, such as gummies, candies, balms, and even ground hemp powder.
The potency of cannabidiol in CBD products sold in solid form may be determined in two ways, including;
Expressing the milligrams in terms of the product’s total mass
For instance, let’s assume a CBD-enriched ointment has a total mass of 10 grams but only contains 50 milligrams of cannabidiol.
The strength of CBD in this product would be measured by dividing 50 milligrams by 10 grams, which gives 5 milligrams/gram.
Expressing the milligrams in terms of the product’s total count
CBD-infused edible products like gummies, candies, and cookies are often sold in packets that could contain up to 100 pieces. Each of these products comes with a predetermined CBD concentration. However, the packets usually have the total CBD strength for the entire product (the sum of all the pieces).
In this case, you can determine the potency of CBD in a single gummy or candy by dividing the milligrams by the total product count.
For instance, if a packet of 50 gummies contains a total CBD concentration of 100 milligrams, then the potency of CBD in each gummy would be calculated by dividing 100 milligrams by 50 gummies, which gives 2 mg/count.
The second crucial thing to remember is that the CBD potency is quite different from the CBD potency in a single serving.
The fact that a product contains a CBD concentration of 50 mg/ml or 50mg/g doesn’t necessarily imply that you’ll be dosing 50 milligrams of cannabidiol in each serving. That will only make sense if you consume one milliliter or one gram of the compound per serving. If you choose to consume 10 milliliters or 10 grams per serving, that would definitely up your doses to 500 milligrams of CBD per serving.
Why Is This Information Important?
The significance of knowing how to determine the concentration of CBD in a product cannot be overemphasized.
First, this information will help you establish that cannabidiol is present in a CBD good that you’re about to buy. It eliminates the risks of being duped into purchasing a product deceptively marketed as containing CBD.
Another reason you’d want to know how to measure the strength of CBD in a product is that it determines your doses. Let’s assume that your ideal CBD dosage is 10 mg per serving, and you happen to have purchased a bottle of cannabidiol tinctures containing a CBD strength of 20 mg/ml. The implication here is that you’ll be consuming twice your regular CBD dose with each ml administered. Therefore, to keep to your ideal CBD dose, you’ll need to halve your servings to 0.5 milliliters.
There’s also the element of cost. The average price per milligram of CBD ranges between $0.08 and $0.15. Of course, this depends on several aspects. But all other factors held constant; cannabidiol products with higher CBD potency come with higher price tags than their lower-potency counterparts.
Last but not least, the potency of CBD in a product can help you predict the compound’s overall effects. Note that CBD is non-psychoactive. The compound doesn’t produce any mind-altering effects. So, the only way to judge CBD’s effects is if the substance manages to relieve the specific ailments you’re using it for. However, some risks come with consuming higher-potency CBD products. The side effects could range from nausea and dry mouth to fatigue and drowsiness, to mention but a few.
Summary
Knowing the concentration of cannabidiol in a product is only half the work. The other half involves using that potency to determine your doses and the product’s overall effects and price.
