Strongest CBD Oils: Our 4 Top Picks

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One of the big mistakes people make when using CBD oil? Using too little.

As a CBD journalist, I often chat with folks who have used CBD and seen no changes. Often, it’s because they’re using less than 5 milligrams (mg) of CBD per day — a super low dose.

As you may know, CBD is extracted from hemp plants. This naturally occurring chemical is a popular health product, often used to manage pain, inflammation, skin concerns, anxiety, and more.

But, just as a quarter of a Tylenol tablet is unlikely to get rid of a headache, a super low dose of CBD oil probably won’t get you the results you’re looking for.

With CBD, the general rule for dosage is to “start low and go slow.” In other words, start with a small amount and gradually increase it as needed. Because our bodies and symptoms are all unique, there’s no universal dosage — so some of us may need a stronger dose than others.

That’s where potent CBD oils come in.

Whether you’re recovering from an injury, keeping a flare-up at bay, or just having one of those days, strong CBD oil may be your best bet. We’ve compiled a list of the best, strongest CBD oils on the market for those who need a little more oomph.

Although it’s subjective, we’d say a strong CBD oil is one that contains at least 50 mg of CBD per milliliter (mL).

For CBD oil, we’d rate potency levels as follows:

• less than 15 mg/mL = low potency
• 15–50 mg/mL = average potency
• more than 50 mg/mL = high potency

The great thing about CBD oil is that it’s relatively easy to adjust your dosage. You can always take half a drop, two drops, or five drops to get the desired milligrams per dose.

If you’re looking to get more CBD on a daily basis, a small measurement of potent CBD oil could be a better choice than a few drops of low potency CBD oil. It typically works out to be cheaper and more convenient.

But if you’re totally new to CBD, it may be best to choose a lower potency CBD oil.

Here’s a beginner’s guide to using CBD.

We didn’t just look for the strongest CBD oils on the market — we looked at quality, value, and transparency too.

We only include products that:

• are third-party tested by an ISO 17025-compliant lab
• are made with U.S.-grown hemp
• contain passing levels of pesticides, heavy metals, residual solvents, and molds

We also strongly consider:

• transparency around how the hemp is grown and processed
• company certifications
• manufacturing processes
• quality of ingredients
• customer reviews
• company reputation

Below are our picks for some of the best potent CBD products on the market.

Best broad-spectrum CBD oil

Level Select Level 3 CBD Oil Drops (Mint flavor, 5,000 mg)

• Price range: $$
• CBD per serving: 80 mg per 0.5 mL
• Total CBD: 5,000 mg
• COA: available online

Want a strong dose of CBD? Level Select Level 3 CBD Oil Drops contain 5,000 mg of broad-spectrum CBD in a 60-mL bottle. It’s not the strongest CBD oil on this list, but it’s the biggest bottle.

With endorsements from a number of pro athletes, Level Select is an athlete-focused brand. And because THC is banned by certain sports regulatory bodies, it makes sense for athletes to choose broad-spectrum products, which may contain only traces of THC.

If you’re keen to save a few bucks, Level Select has a 35% off subscribe-and-save program as well as a loyalty and rewards program for recurring customers. Additionally, they offer a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Best CBD + CBG oil

BATCH Gold Reserve Blend

• Price range: $$
• CBD per serving: 132 mg CBD and 67 mg CBG per mL
• Total CBD: 4,000 mg of CBD and 2,000 mg of CBG
• COA: available online

While CBD is the most well-known cannabinoid, its cousin cannabigerol (CBG) is quickly gaining popularity. CBG may have anti-inflammatory effects. So, if you’re looking to benefit from both CBD and CBG, this high dose, full-spectrum oil is definitely worth a try.

BATCH Gold Reserve Blend offers 4,000 mg of CBD and 2,000 mg of CBG per bottle. It contains terpenes such as limonene, caryophyllene, and pinene and has a slightly citrus-like taste. BATCH’s products are created from organic Wisconsin-grown hemp.

Their subscribe-and-save option gives you 25% off your order, but this product already offers great value for money. At just over $0.02 per milligram, BATCH’s Gold Reserve Blend works out to be one of the cheaper CBD and CBG oils on the market.

Best full-spectrum oil

Aspen Green Bliss Full Spectrum Tropical CBD Oil

• Price range: $$
• CBD per serving: 110 mg CBD and 5 mg THC per mL
• Total CBD: 3,300 mg
• COA: available online

This is the strongest CBD product on our list! This full-spectrum CBD oil from Aspen Green contains 110 mg of CBD and cannabidivarin (CBDV) and 5 mg of THC and tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV) per mL.

THC is intoxicating — in other words, it makes you feel high — and may have some health benefits.

Word to the wise: Although this product contains a low dosage of THC, you may feel psychoactive effects after consuming it. Avoid taking it before you need to drive. Don’t be surprised if you feel a little tired, hungry, or giggly, especially if you use a high dose! It may also cause a positive result on a drug test.

This product is vegan and organic. Aspen Green offers 30% off to customers who use their subscribe-and-save program. They also have a super generous discount program, offering 35–60% off for veterans, active-duty military personnel, first responders, medical staff, teachers, students, and disadvantaged groups.

Best flavored CBD oil

FOCL Broad Spectrum CBD Drops, Orange Cream

• Price range: $
• CBD per serving: 100 mg per mL
• Total CBD: 3,000 mg
• COA: available online

I’m a huge fan of CBD. But the taste? Ick. While some people enjoy the herbaceous taste of CBD oil, I’d rather chew grass.

Flavored CBD oils are much easier on your taste buds. Our favorite flavored potent CBD oil is FOCL Broad Spectrum CBD Drops, which come in Citrus, Mint, and Orange Cream flavors. The Orange Cream flavor gets especially good reviews.

This vegan, cruelty-free formula works out to about $0.03 per milligram of CBD, making it quite affordable. But if you’re trying to stretch your budget even more, FOCL offers a subscribe-and-save option, a bulk-purchase option, and free shipping on all orders.

They also offer a 60-day money-back guarantee — fairly generous for a CBD company — so if it doesn’t work for you, you can return the product.

If the taste of hemp grows on you, you can always opt for FOCL’s “natural” flavor.

Scrolling through CBD websites and comparing products can be pretty tedious, especially if you don’t know what you’re looking for. Here are a few things to consider when shopping for potent CBD oil.

CBD type

You’ll notice that CBD is divided into three core types:

• Full-spectrum CBD contains more than just CBD — it contains the full spectrum of cannabinoids found in the hemp plant, not to mention flavonoids and terpenes (which give strains their unique scents and tastes). These products also contain THC, typically in small amounts unless otherwise stated.
• Broad-spectrum CBD is similar to full-spectrum CBD, except that all the THC is removed. Since THC is intoxicating — and can be detected on a drug test — many people avoid it.
• CBD isolate products contain CBD only. All other cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids are removed.

One type of CBD isn’t necessarily better than another. It’s all about your unique needs.

Since flavonoids, terpenes, and cannabinoids each come with their own health benefits, many people prefer full-spectrum CBD products. According to experts, CBD may be more potent when combined with other cannabinoids. This is called the entourage effect.

Full-spectrum CBD products usually contain less than 0.3% THC, which won’t make you feel high and is unlikely to show up on a drug test. However, many people want to err on the side of caution and avoid THC altogether. In that case, CBD isolate or broad-spectrum CBD may be better.

Ingredients

As with everything health-related, you want to be conscious of what you’re putting in your body.

CBD oils contain carrier oils such as MCT coconut oil, sunflower oil, and hemp seed oil. Often, they contain flavorings to mask the herby taste of hemp extract.

Before hitting “add to cart,” check and double-check the ingredients to ensure that the product doesn’t have any alarming ingredients, such as synthetic preservatives.

Testing

You’ll notice that many CBD products are labeled “third-party tested.” This means they’ve been tested by an independent lab to verify their contents.

Lab reports — also known as certificates of analysis (COAs) — tell you whether CBD products really contain what’s on the label. These reports also tell you whether the products contain any harmful contaminants, such as molds or pesticides. This is important info, so you should be able to read it online.

We don’t recommend any CBD products that don’t have an easy-to-access COA on the manufacturer’s website. No COA, no purchase.

Wanna get the most out of your potent CBD oil? Here’s the most effective way to use it:

1. Work out how much CBD you’d like to take. CBD oil typically comes in glass bottles with little droppers, which make it easier to measure out your oil. Generally, one full dropper = 1 mL.
2. Using the dropper, squeeze the desired amount under your tongue.
3. Hold it there for 30–60 seconds.
4. Swallow.

The effects of CBD oil aren’t immediate. It could take up to a few hours to fully hit your system, after which you might feel an improvement in your pain, anxiety, or whatever it is you’re treating.

Like a multivitamin or a health food, CBD works best when you use it continuously for quite some time. One dose, no matter how strong, is not an immediate cure-all.

Does strong CBD oil have side effects?

Yup, CBD can have side effects. Not everybody who uses CBD experiences them, and they’re typically mild, but it’s still important to be cautious.

With strong CBD oil, the side effects might be, well, stronger. A 2017 review of studies suggested that humans can tolerate up to about 1,500 mg of CBD per day — which is more than most of us could reasonably afford, anyway.

The side effects of CBD can include:

• diarrhea
• weight changes
• appetite changes
• fatigue

The side effects are typically mild, but I mean, mild diarrhea is still diarrhea. So keep that in mind when trying out CBD.

CBD may interact with certain medications, especially those that come with a grapefruit warning. If you can, it’s a good idea to chat with a doctor before using any new health product, including CBD.

Is CBD safe?

For the most part, yes! CBD is safe for human consumption. But it’s important to keep those potential side effects in mind.

What is considered the strongest CBD oil?

The strongest CBD oil on our list is BATCH Gold Reserve Blend, which contains a whopping 132 mg of CBD and 67 mg of CBG per mL. There may be stronger CBD oils out there, but this is the most potent of our recommendations.

What are the benefits of using strong CBD oil?

Stronger CBD = more noticeable health benefits.

CBD is used for:

• pain
• inflammation
• skin conditions
• anxiety
• sleeplessness
• seizure conditions

Of course, CBD doesn’t work for everyone, nor is it a cure-all. But if you find CBD to be helpful in small doses, it’s possible that strong CBD oil will deliver a more potent effect.

Another benefit of using strong CBD oil is that it’s typically cheaper per milligram of CBD — in other words, you get more bang for your buck.

CBD has a range of potential medical uses, but many people need a higher dose in order to really benefit from the magic of hemp. If you need a little extra support, a high potency CBD oil is definitely worth a try.

As with all health products, quality is everything. Be sure to buy CBD from reputable companies that have lab reports available to back up their products.

Is CBD legal?The 2018 Farm Bill removed hemp from the legal definition of marijuana in the Controlled Substances Act. This made some hemp-derived CBD products with less than 0.3% THC federally legal. However, CBD products containing more than 0.3% THC still fall under the legal definition of marijuana, making them federally illegal but legal under some state laws. Be sure to check state laws, especially when traveling. Also, keep in mind that the FDA has not approved nonprescription CBD products, and some products may be inaccurately labeled.