The only way to determine the legitimacy of CBD products is by knowing how to read CBD third-party lab reports. Due to the lack of a specific regulatory body in the industry, it is important to do your own analysis based on these reports. But for a newbie, reading an independent 3rd-party lab report can be a big challenge. To help you do this, here is an overview of what you need to look out for.
What Compounds to Look for in a CBD 3rd-Party Lab Report
For you to know how to read CBD third-party lab reports, you have to know what compounds to look for. The main compounds found in a lab report featuring full-spectrum CBD oil include:
- CBD(Cannabidiol)
- Other cannabinoids
- Microbes
- Chemical Solvent
- Growth Hormones, Pesticides, and Herbicides
CBD (Cannabidiol)
Of course, this would obviously be the first and most important chemical compound. You are definitely looking for a CBD lap report. Hence this should be the rockstar that you first consider.
Other Cannabinoids
Full-spectrum CBD contains CBD as well as other plant compounds from the industrial hemp plant. In most third-party lab results, you should look for CBC, CBG, CBN, CBDA, THC, and THCA. These are some of the most prominent cannabinoids that work with CBD for the entourage effect.
Microbes
Microbes consist of millions of microbial organisms of different species. They have both good and bad effects on the human body. However, no one wants to want to consume a product with live organisms. So, if the 3rd-party lab report indicates that there are microbes, then you should refrain from buying such a product.
Chemical Solvents
The presence of chemical solvents in a 3rd-party report could potentially highlight that the CBD product contains toxic compounds. You need to keep an eye for the presence of glycols in the form of propylene glycol (PG) and polyethylene glycol (PEG). These are toxic chemicals, and you should stay away from them. Besides that, you should avoid CBD products with carcinogenic aldehydes such as acetaldehyde and formaldehyde.
Growth Hormones, Pesticides, and Herbicides
These compounds, in addition to fertilizers, can result in unwanted health effects. It’s worth noting that the best CBD oil products are usually non-GMO and 100% organic.
How to Read CBD Third Party Lab Reports
Now that you know what to look for, you need to read and interpret the CBD third-party lab reports. For an inexperienced CBD user, this can be a big challenge for inexperienced users.
- Cannabinoid profile
- Potency testing
- Terpene’s profile
- Presence of Pesticides, Microbes, Heavy Metals, and Other Compounds
Cannabinoid Profile
It involves checking the part of the lab report that highlights all the cannabinoids detected in the CBD product. This ranges from CBD to THC to CBN, among others. Note that each cannabinoid will be in a separate line of items. A product with only CBD in its cannabinoid is an isolate, while that one with CBD and other cannabinoids, including THC, is full-spectrum CBD.
Potency Testing
It’s been established that the “Max CBD “concentration in terms of potency testing is 45.11 mg/ml. This potency simply means that the CBD product contains 45.11 mg of CBD per ml. to find the total number of CBD in mg in the product, simply multiply this concentration with the glass size in ml. this means that if you have a 10 ml CBD bottle, then the total CBD content will be 45.11 mg/ml x 10 ml= 451.1 mg
Terpenes Profile
Terpenes are naturally-occurring oils found in plants. In cannabis, they are responsible for giving the plant its flavor diversity and aromatic profile. It’s worth noting that there are several types of terpenes, and each has its unique properties. As a result, each plays an important in determining the effectiveness of the whole plant extract.
If you are buying a CBD oil isolate product, then it won’t contain terpenes. Meanwhile, broad- and full-spectrum CBD oil products will have terpenes.
Presence of Pesticides, Microbes, Heavy Metals, and Other Compounds
A comprehensive lab report should highlight the presence of other contaminants such as:
- Pesticides and herbicides
- Heavy metals, i.e., lead, mercury, and arsenic
- Residual solvents, i.e., butane, hexane, and propane.
- Microbes, including mold and bacteria
How Do I Know if the Lab Reports are Legit?
Since the CBD industry is widely unregulated, knowing the legitimacy of an independent 3rd-party lab test is important. In most cases, the most reputable brands on the market use easily verifiable labs such as Steephill and ProVerde. Besides that, the best companies in the CBD industry usually post their lab reports on their official websites, and these reports usually include the latest. You will find that the lab name, as well as the contact information, has been indicated on the report.
You can also check some red flags that can help you determine the legitimacy of a product, including:
- The company name and the name on the lab report are different
- There is no sample ID or test results indicated on the lab report
- Visibly edited parts
- No lab name and or contact information
- Long overdue lab test report that was done many months ago.
Why is Third Party Lab Testing Important
Like it’s stated above, the medical cannabis industry is widely unregulated. There is no specific regulatory body for CBD cannabis products. Besides that, there is no universal dosage recommendation. It’s therefore important that you know how to read CBD third-party lab reports. This will help you understand what to look out for, including the concentration of different compounds that make up the whole product.
Conclusion
Knowing how to read CBD third-party lab reports will help you avoid low-quality products. You will be able to buy CBD oil that offers value for money. Besides that, you will understand the potency of the different compounds in CBD oil and if it suits your needs. While interpreting lab reports can be quite overwhelming at first, you will get used to it with time. With the above-mentioned information, you can easily understand what you should look out for.