HOW TO STORE CBD OIL (MUST READ IF YOU USE CBD OIL)

CBD oil is a product of the cannabis or hemp plant. It is manufactured by mixing an organic carrier oil preheated to 70°F with a natural hemp-based CBD extract. There are three primary types of CBD oil; isolate oil, broad-spectrum CBD, and full-spectrum CBD oil. CBD isolate oils purely consist of cannabidiol.

Spectrum CBD oil contains other whole-plant hemp compounds, including other cannabinoids such as CBN, CBG, and THC, the psychedelic compound of cannabis associated with the 'high' sensation of marijuana. According to Vigil et al. (2020), Full-spectrum CBD oil contains terpenes like myrcene and pinene. Broad-spectrum CBD oil contains most components found in full-spectrum CBD oil, except THC. CBD oil is a precious wellness supplement that is expensive to obtain. Therefore, you have to store your CBD oil appropriately to ensure you use it sparingly for as long as possible while still keeping it effective. Read on to know how to store your CBD oil for a longer, effective shelf-life.

Factors to Consider When Storing CBD Oil

Rupasinghe et al. (2020) outlined the factors to consider when storing CBD that could be useful for CBD users. The first step to properly storing CBD oil is ensuring you have a good quality product. The better the quality of CBD oil, the longer the shelf life. Poor quality CBD oil expires faster, and its components deteriorate faster, especially due to possible contaminants in the extracts. Therefore, proper storage tips will work out best if you have a quality CBD product. Hazekamp (2018)outlined the benefits of having third-party testing for CBD products before purchase. So, when shopping for CBD oil, look for products with evidence of certified third-party testing for quality and safety by an ISO-certified independent lab. Verification of this can be backed by the availability of a Certificate Of Analysis (COA), listing all compounds contained in the product and their respective amounts. Trusted brands ensure transparency. Look for CBD oils with credible hemp sources displayed on the product label. It is also advisable to follow popular public opinion and obtain widely credited CBD oils. Avoid buying cheap CBD oils, which are mostly a waste of your money. Quality CBD oil is highly-priced due to the time and expense of detailed manufacturing. Cheap CBD oil is therefore probably haphazardly manufactured. They have a short shelf-life and are less effective and can result in adverse side effects for the user.

The extraction method used in the manufacture of CBD oil also plays a part in the effective storage of the final product. Premium CBD oils are often manufactured with CBD extracted using the CO2 method. This method is regarded as the cleanest, non-volatile, and most detailed method available. Albeit time-consuming and expensive due to sophisticated equipment, this method is highly efficient. Products with CO2 extracted CBD often have an impressive shelf-life lasting up to 2 years or more. Some extraction methods, such as ethanol and solvent extraction, often used for home CBD brews, often result in highly perishable CBD oils with the shortest shelf-life. Proper extraction methods are essential for the effective storage of CBD oil.

The ingredients in CBD oil also determine effective shelf life. This is why haphazardly manufactured CBD oil is often short-lived. Contamination of the CBD extracts by components such as chlorophyll can quickly deteriorate CBD oil. Highly refined CBD products tend to last longer due to pure ingredients.

How to Store CBD oil for Consistent Effectiveness

Several factors contribute to the deterioration and eventual ineffectiveness of CBD oil. Four main established factors affect CBD oil effectiveness. These are temperature, light, air, and time. Below are some useful tips on properly storing your CBD oil to keep it effective for longer observance of these factors.

Temperature

CBD oil is best stored in subtle room temperatures of around 21°C. Exposure of CBD oil to higher temperatures for long may compromise natural beneficial compounds and terpenes, leading to eventual weakening or loss of these components. This renders your CBD oil ineffective. Additionally, the CBD boiling point is 356 F. Exposing your CBD oil to temperatures above that automatically leads to losing all essential compounds in your product. You must store your CBD oil in cool places within favorable room temperature to maintain a friendly environment for inherent cannabinoids and terpenes.

Storing CBD oil under low temperatures can be a good way to increase shelf life. Storing the CBD oil in a refrigerator can help prolong shelf life, especially for home CBD brews. However, low temperatures can cause the CBD oil to become cloudy bottled CBD oil. The CBD extract is separated from the oil and is no longer a uniform infusion. This can cause inaccuracy of dosage, as the mixture is uneven. Fortunately, this can be remedied by subjecting the oil to room temperature for a while, and the infusion will eventually return to normal. Notably, storing CBD oil in extremely low temperatures is strongly discouraged. This is mainly because frozen CBD oil becomes dense, making it impossible to administer proper dropper dispensing of CBD oil doses.

Air

According to Meehan-Atrash et al. (2019), exposure to CBD oil to the air for a long leads to a gradual degradation and inefficiency of integral terpenes and cannabinoids. This exposure is technically unavoidable, as you frequently have to open the product bottle to dispense regular doses. However, this can be minimized to prolong shelf-life. Ensure you store your CBD oil in air-tight containers every time you use it. Close the bottle immediately after withdrawing your dose, and avoid leaving the container unnecessarily open. This will ensure minimal exposure to air for as long as possible.

Light

Direct light expels useful components in CBD oil. CBD left in direct sunlight or artificial UV or LED light environment for prolonged periods often changes in color, a sign of component alteration. As a result, CBD oil is always packaged in colored or tinted blue or amber bottles. This is not aesthetic but a protective measure to shield the product from direct sunlight and artificially lit environments. Therefore, ensure you store your CBD oil in dark, enclosed places like cupboards, drawers, and closed shelves for effective storage.

Time

Time is an uncontrollable factor in the storage of CBD oil. Despite how carefully you store your CBD oil, ensure you utilize it within the time frame stipulated on the product label. The expiry date denotes the designated shelf life of CBD oil. Even quality CBD oil expires with time. You can tell expired CBD oil by a change in its characteristic taste. Expired CBD oil does not necessarily have adverse health effects. However, it is totally ineffective and therefore useless. Use the CBD oil adequately before it reaches its expiry date, so it doesn't go to waste.

Conclusion

CBD oil offers multiple potential health and wellness benefits if used correctly. It is also quite expensive a supplement to obtain. Poor storage of CBD oil leads to a degradation of the precious commodity, hence a waste of valuable money. Quality CBD oil lasts as long as 2 years or more. Various factors influence the shelf life of CBD oil, including quality, components, and extraction process used in the manufacturing procedure. CBD oil lasts longer with consistent potency if properly protected from extreme temperature, air, and light. Freezing CBD oil is not advisable. Ensure to store your CBD oil in the dark, air-tight containers and keep them in the dark, cool and dry environments, notably away from the reach of children.

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