Cannabidiol (CBD) is a natural compound found in the hemp plant. Cannabis plants are sometimes called hemp depending on their levels of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), another cannabinoid. However, the difference is that CBD does not cause neurological effects as marijuana.
CBD products with less than 0.3% THC, or CBD sourced from organically grown hemp are said to be helpful in mental health. Unlike medical marijuana, this cannabis plant’s product does not contain high amounts of THC. Thus, it is not addictive nor harmful to your body.
Experts suggest that CBD’s potential benefits for depression have to do with its positive effects on serotonin receptors in the brain. Low serotonin levels are believed to be related to depression. If you want to use CBD for the improvement of your mental health, this review will discuss the top 7 CBD oils for anxiety and depression.
Anxiety and the Endocannabinoid System
Is using CBD for anxiety a myth? The endocannabinoid is a distributed system in the human brain and nervous system. The dominant receptor in this system is CB1. Scientific studies show that when the Endocannabinoid system is disturbed, it leads to homeostasis. At that time, the body will be greatly affected in terms of mood, sleep, energy, eating habits.
In particular, endocannabinoid disorders are also the main cause of depression in humans. Based on the results of several studies that suggest a relationship between CB1 and the active ingredient in medical marijuana – CBD, scientists have sought to treat anxiety, depression with CBD and initially have had positive effects
Editor’s Choice
CBDfx
- Wide selection of products
- Full-spectrum
- Different flavors
Best CBD Oil for Anxiety: 7 CBD in Depression & Sleep
- CBDfx – Top Pick
- Spruce CBD – Best Overall
- CBD Pure – Best Value
- Royal CBD
- Joy Organics
- Penguin CBD
- American Shaman
1. CBDfx
Pros
- Third-party lab test
- Full-spectrum
Cons
- Mid-range potencies only
- Broad-spectrum not available
Click here to get the best deal on CBDfx
Being number one of our choice, CBDfx offers different CBD products like CBD oils, CBD gummies, capsules, CBD for pets, edibles, drinks, topicals, and vaping products. While their paving products are in a form of CBD isolate, their oil tinctures are in full-spectrum
As they started, they were only offering non-flavored CBD oils. Four flavors are present: original, Lemon Lime Mint, Lychee Lemon Kiwi, and Blueberry Pineapple Lemon. For those who like the old style of CBD, they must choose the original flavor.
Aside from different flavor options, their CBD oil also comes with different potency levels, ranging from 500 to 1500 mg of CBD per bottle. All their CBD oils are blended with MCT oil. Of course, third-party lab-testing is present, with lab results available on their website.
2. Spruce CBD
Pros
- High potencies
- Co2 Extraction
Cons
- Lower potency is not available
- No broad-spectrum products
Click here to get the best deal on SpruceCBD
If you are looking for CBD oil for depression and anxiety, one of the best options is Spruce CBD. It is owned by one family and is considered a family business. Similarly, they also source their hemp extract from family-owned farms in North Carolina and Kentucky.
They are best known for their CBD products with high potencies, which may range from 25 mg to 80 mg of CBD per serving. Their most popular product is a full-spectrum CBD oil, containing 80 mg of CBD per dose. As for the extraction method, they use the most effective and safest method, CO2 extraction. Like other brands, they also submit their CBD products to a third-party lab test and make the results available to the public.
3. CBD Pure
Pros
- Full-spectrum
- Products available in local retail stores
Cons
- No flavor options
- Low potency of CBD only
Click here to get the best deal on CBD Pure
CBD Pure is mostly known for their full-spectrum CBD oil. The best way to avail their CBD for depression and anxiety is through their website, but you can also find their product in local retail stores.
As for the CBD quality, they get their hemp extract from certified farms in the US, specifically from Colorado and Washington. Also, they employ Current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP) and use CO2 extraction methods to ensure that you get the highest quality CBD products. Most importantly, they send their product to a third-party lab for thorough examination of possible pesticides, heavy metals, and other harmful substances present in the product. To access the result, simply head to their website, and enter the code indicated in the product label.
All their CBD oils are unflavored. But this should not turn you off because it only means more quality and effectiveness. The potency may range from 100-600 mg of CBD per bottle, perfect for those who are just new to CBD.
4. Royal CBD
Pros
- MCT oil is the carrier oil
- CO2 Extraction and third-party lab test
- Top product on Thedailyworld & Bellevuereporter.
Cons
- Limited flavor options
- No broad-spectrum CBD
Click here to get the best deal on Royal CBD
If you are looking for more kinds of full-spectrum CBD oil, you can try one from Royal CBD. The company is based in California, with lots of positive reviews from ordinary users, and it is medically reviewed by experts.
According to one article written by Nina Julia, she used CBD oil from Royal CBD to aid her general anxiety disorder (GAD), as well as her social anxiety. The good thing about their CBD products is that all are full-spectrum, using CO2 extraction methods. Afterward, the hemp extract is being dissolved using MCT oil. Moreover, you can use different potencies, ranging from 250 mg to 2500 mg per bottle.
Also, if you are looking for thrilling flavors, berry and mint flavors are available. OF course, every CBD oil goes through the process of third-party lab testing. Each result is also available on their website.
5. Joy Organics
Pros
- Advanced filtering technology
- THC-free
Cons
- No full-spectrum option
- Mid-range potencies only
Click here to get the best deal on Joy Organics
Joy Smith founded Joy Organics. She experienced anxiety and depression herself. Based on her experience, CBD has helped her as she goes through her healing process. That was the start of her passion for selling CBD oils.
Nowadays, Joy Organics is known for its high-quality CBD oils for anxiety disorders, which do not contain any trace of THC. Its potency may range from 450 mg to 900 mg of CBD per bottle. However, they also sell different CBD products like CBD topicals.
Keep in mind that their CBD oils are in broad-spectrum CBD, perfect for those who do not want THC in their body. To ensure that there is no trace of THC left in all CBD products, they practice the use of advanced filtering technology.
As to the important things of choosing CBD oils, Joy Organics ensures that all their CBD oils undergo third-party lab tests, ensuring the quality and purity of the products. All the results of every product’s lab-testing session are accessible directly on their website. Therefore, you can check its potency, and whether there are no harmful chemical substances left in the product or not. Furthermore, the hemp extract to which they get their CBD products is sourced from local farms in Colorado.
6. Penguin CBD
Pros
- Wide selection of products
- Wide flavor options
Cons
- Broad-spectrum only
Click here to get the best deal on Penguin CBD
The idea of the company name Penguin CBD literally influenced by penguins. They are always calm and cool, no matter what happens. The company’s founders want you to experience this feeling, believing that CBD for sleep, anxiety, and major depressive disorders works.
Some say that Penguin CBD has a limited product selection, but aside from CBD oil, they also offer CBD gummies, CBD capsules, and CBD cream. For CBD oils, they are one of the CBD stores selling the best broad-spectrum CBD. It comes with different potencies ranging from 250 mg to 2500 mg of CBD per bottle.
If you want to shop for flavors, most of their CBD products are available in mint, cookies and cream, strawberry, citrus, and natural flavor. There are also no worries about the quality of each CBD oil. Aside from sending all products into a third-party lab test and making it available to the public, they source their hemp oil from farms in Oregon. Another good thing is its carrier oil is MCT oil. When hemp and MCT oil are combined, it creates a harmonious effect.
7. American Shaman
Pros
- Full-spectrum CBD
- Growing product selection
Cons
- Little information on the website
- No broad-spectrum CBD oil
Click here to get the best deal on American Shaman
For the CBD oil products to be legal, it needs to follow certain conditions. First, these should be hemp-derived CBD products. Second, it should contain less than 0.3% THC. Like other CBD brands mentioned above, American Shaman follows these standards.
Aside from that, it also follows our standards when choosing CBD oil. First, its source of industrial hemp is from farms located in the US. Second, it uses CO2 extraction methods to ensure the safety and the quality of their CBD products. Third, they send all their products to a third-party lab test, and results are accessible on their website.
American Shaman’s CBD oil is in full spectrum. Plus, they also offer water-soluble CBD. Currently, there is no official list of CBD strengths, but their product selection is continuously growing.
How We Chose These CBD Oils
There are many different brands of CBD online. But not all of them are legit nor offering high-quality products. For this review, here are the factors we considered when choosing these seen CBD brands.
1. The hemp source
If you buy CBD from any brand, their CBD extract should come from organic hemp. So, the hemp source is important because not all companies get their hemp extracts from licensed farms, or farms that use a healthy way of growing plants. However, the most important thing is that CBD quality is more guaranteed if companies source their hemp from the farms of the US or EU. This is because farms in these locations are strictly monitored and regulated.
As for our side, we understand that you need CBD oil with organic hemp as the main ingredients. Thus, we selected the companies whose hemp sources are farms located in the US.
2. The CBD form or formula
CBD form is important because each creates a difference in the effects on your body. There are three different types of CBD according to formulas. These are full-spectrum, broad-spectrum, and CBD isolate.
Full-spectrum hemp or full-spectrum CBD oils are CBD that contains all the hemp plant compounds. On the other hand, broad-spectrum CBD, also known as THC-free contains all the plant compounds except THC. Lastly, the CBD isolate contains only the cannabidiol (CBD) compound or pure CBD. You can also consider this pure CBD as a THC-free CBD.
In this review, we only included those companies offering full-spectrum and broad-spectrum CBD because these two formulae are best for anxiety and depression.
3. Potency
Different people may react to different doses of CBD. Thus, potency range also becomes important. In this review, we selected companies offering CBD oil with varying strengths so that you can choose what suits you best. For most users, they recommend starting with the lowest dose possible, especially if you are a beginner. So, these companies allow different users to choose a product based on their preferences.
4. Extraction
CO2 extraction is widely used by different CBD brands for extracting their hemp. This is because it is the safest extraction method, for this reason, we collected these companies as the best.
5. Lab test results
Third-party lab test is important to further ensure the quality of the CBD oil. This allows the company to release products that do not contain harmful substances. Any product that does not pass the test is automatically discarded.
Why Are People Choosing CBD As An Alternative for Anxiety?
When you have depression or anxiety, the most acceptable advice is to follow the doctor’s prescription. Often, the treatment also includes therapy But, CBD also has a positive effect on most people, including those who have mental health conditions.
But, the most known reason people use CBD as an alternative is the risk of having too many side effects. CBD, as long as you do not overdose it will not result in any harmful bodily reaction. Also, avoid using CBD right away without consulting your health provider, especially if you take other medicines as well. CBD may have unwanted reactions with other prescriptions.
Can CBD Legit Help With Anxiety?
Like mammals, humans also have an endocannabinoid system. Its role is sending out and receiving messages or signals between receptors, cannabinoids, and endocannabinoids. This can help stimulate certain sensations such as hunger, pain, sleepiness, and emotion.
Sometimes, there is an imbalance happening in our endocannabinoid system. That is when CBD comes in. Like antidepressants and antianxiety medication, CBD tries to activate neurotransmitters, putting everything in balance.
In a study conducted in 2010, subjects were taken for a brain scan, before and after taking CBD. Later, researchers found out that CBD has great potential in treating anxiety disorders. Subjects found their feelings started to calm, and their blood flow was also positively affected.
In a study conducted in the following year, researchers found out that CBD may also treat social anxiety disorder. Out of 24 participants, some are given 600mg of CBD, and others are given placebo approaches. The ones given CBD were able to cope more effectively.
Meanwhile, there is a general review of studies in 2015. Researchers found that CBD can help in managing symptoms of PTSD (Post-traumatic Disorder) and several types of anxiety-like depression, generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and social anxiety disorder. Furthermore, many articles on Healthcanal.com showed a positive effect of CBD in a child suffering from anxiety, because of a traumatic experience.
Final Thoughts: Should You Use CBD for Anxiety?
The long-term efficacy of CBD in people with depression, anxiety, and other mental health conditions is still ongoing. However, certain studies are stating that CBD oil for anxiety and depression truly works.
Indeed, when you compare CBD to other traditionally prescribed medications, CBD exhibits little to no side effects. If there is any, lowering the dose usually solves the problem.
So, if you decide to use CBD oils, it is always best to grab one from a reputable and highly established CBD brand. If you want to get the best cbd oils for anxiety, it is time to check the seven companies we reviewed.
