The 6 Strongest CBD Oils Of 2023 That Pack The Most Potent Punch
A quick look at the strongest CBD oils
- Best organic: Cornbread Hemp Whole Flower USDA Organic CBD Oil
- Best full-spectrum: Spruce Lab Grade CBD Oil
- Best flavored: Charlotte’s Web Max Strength CBD Oil
- Most affordable: Lazarus Naturals Full-Spectrum High-Potency CBD Oil
- Best broad-spectrum: Joy Organics Organic Broad Spectrum CBD Tincture
- Best CBD isolate: Medterra Isolate CBD Oil
Finding the right dosage of hemp CBD to reap the benefits of the calm-evoking supplement can be a struggle—and factors like your individual needs and product formula can affect the right amount for you. For example, the strength of a hemp CBD oil can make a huge difference in the overall impact of the product, and the strongest CBD oils pack the biggest punch.
These potent formulas have the same serving size as other oils (one milliliter) but have up to 50+ mg of hemp CBD per serving.
In comparison, a gentle dose has less than 20 mg of hemp CBD, while a moderate dose includes around 20 to 40 mg of the botanical supplement. (FYI, research suggests1 25 mg of hemp CBD is an effective potency to reap the plant's benefits.)
Of course, just because a hemp CBD oil is categorized as strong, it doesn't mean the formula is worth the splurge. Other ingredients, as well as hemp plant sourcing, can all affect the quality of the final product.
To ensure you're getting the best options on the market, we've rounded up the strongest CBD oils that combine high botanical concentrations with sustainable farming practices, natural and organic ingredients, and readily available testing results.
mindbodygreen's picks for the strongest CBD oils
Best organic: Cornbread Hemp Whole Flower USDA Organic CBD Oil
Pros:
- Made from whole flower
- USDA certified organic
- Smart packaging with marked dropper
- Available in different volumes and strengths
Cons:
- No gentle dose option
- Not suitable for those with tree nut allergies (coconut)
Type:
Full-spectrumFull Bottle:
1500 mgServing Size:
50 mg hemp CBD per servingServings:
30All the CBD oils we recommend have a clean ingredient list, but this tincture from Cornbread Hemp earned this spot specifically due to its high quality ingredients and extraction process.
The high-potency CBD oil is made from whole hemp flowers, which contain the highest concentration of cannabinoids, and no stalks or leaves. The hemp is extracted from the flowers with an organic sugarcane alcohol, and the oil itself undergoes minimal processing to retain all of the beneficial compounds, including flavonoids and fatty acids, that can get filtered out with extensive refining.
Best full-spectrum: Spruce Lab Grade CBD Oil
Pros:
- Made from an heirloom hemp strain
- Sourced from small family farms
- Organic hemp seed or coconut carrier oil options
Cons:
- Bitter flavor profile
- Contains trace levels of THC (if that’s not your thing)
- More expensive than others
Type:
Full-spectrumFull Bottle:
2400 mgServing Size:
Strong80 mg hemp CBD per servingServings:
30At 80 mg of hemp CBD per serving, Spruce offers one of the strongest oils you can buy. It’s made from a heirloom strain of hemp brought to the U.S. in the War of 1812 that’s currently grown on sustainable, family-owned farms. As a result, it has a unique combination of terpenes that make it especially effective, per the brand.
Spruce uses a moonshine extraction method, which results in a high concentration of CBD and terpenes with a low level of THC. (Don’t worry, all the moonshine gets filtered out.) When buying a bottle, you have your choice of carrier oil: an organic MCT-rich coconut oil or organic hemp seed oil. Regardless, you can expect the hemp CBD oil to taste fairly bitter due to the higher concentration of phytocannabinoids and absence of flavoring additives.
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Best flavored: Charlotte’s Web Max Strength CBD Oil
Pros:
- Organic hemp
- Natural flavors
Cons:
- No unflavored option
- Some users don’t like how it tastes
Type:
Full-spectrumFull Bottle:
1800 mgServing Size:
Strong60mg hemp CBD per servingServings:
30Added flavoring can make taking hemp CBD tinctures more pleasant, but many additives are made with less-than-ideal ingredients. Charlotte’s Web stands out because the company uses premium organic, natural flavors and never adds dyes or artificial colors to its products.
There are three flavors—mint chocolate, lemon twist, and orange blossom—and two sizes to choose from. Each bottle provides 60 mg of full-spectrum hemp CBD per serving and is USDA certified organic.
Sustainability & Packaging: Charlotte’s Web has its own small family farms in Colorado where it grows organic hemp. Once harvested, the hemp is transferred to the company’s FDA-registered facility, where all products are manufactured and packaged.
Transparency: All of the brand’s CBD products are third-party tested for purity and potency, and verified for current good manufacturing practices (cGMPs). COAs are available on the website by entering the serial number for the specific product you want to verify.
Most affordable: Lazarus Naturals Full-Spectrum High-Potency CBD Oil
Pros:
- Grows its own hemp
- Fully organic ingredients
Cons:
- Some users don’t like the flavor
- Unflavored may be bitter
- Potential allergen (coconut oil)
Type:
Full-spectrumFull Bottle:
1500 mgServing Size:
Strong50 mg hemp CBD per servingServings:
30Lazarus Naturals offers a full-spectrum, high-potency hemp CBD at an affordable price. In fact, this bottle comes out to around $0.03 per milligram, which is significantly lower than many of the brand’s competitors (and makes it a great cheap option, especially considering it’s earned USDA certified organic status).
All hemp is grown on the brand’s own farms, and the ingredient list—which includes organic full-spectrum hemp extract, organic hemp seed oil, and organic coconut MCT oil—is fully organic. There are three bottle sizes to choose between (15 ml, 30 ml, and 120 ml), all with the same strong dosage.
Sustainability & Packaging: Lazarus Naturals oversees the entire production process, from growing and harvesting the item to packaging each item in good manufacturing process (GMP) facilities. The organic hemp used in the brand’s CBD products is grown in central Oregon.
Transparency: Every batch of CBD is third-party tested for solvents, heavy metals, pesticides, microbial contaminants, and potency. Test results are easily accessible on the site.
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Best broad-spectrum: Joy Organics Organic Broad Spectrum CBD Tincture
Pros:
- Extracted from whole flowers and leaves
- USDA certified organic formula
Cons:
- Some users don't love the taste
Type:
Broad-spectrumFull Bottle:
2250 mgServing Size:
Strong75 mg hemp CBD per servingServings:
30If you prefer broad-spectrum hemp–which has all of the minor cannabinoids and terpenes but no traces of THC—this tincture should be your top pick. The streamlined formula features two certified organic ingredients: broad-spectrum hemp extract and extra-virgin olive oil.
While it comes in four different bottle sizes, the serving always includes 75mg of hemp CBD. Not only will the COA provide clear evidence of the potency of the product, but it also confirms that the oil comes back at 0.0% THC.
Sustainability & Packaging: Joys Organics sources proprietary strains of hemp from USDA-certified organic farmers. All oils are made only with the hemp flowers and leaves, which have the highest concentration of CBD, and no stalks or stems.
Transparency: All of Joy Organics’ lab reports and COAs are available directly on the site. You can easily navigate to the reports via each product page.
Best CBD isolate: Medterra Isolate CBD Oil
Pros:
- Comes in two sizes
- Made from non-GMO hemp
Cons:
- Not organic
- No entourage effect
- Not suitable for those with tree nut allergies (coconut)
Type:
IsolateFull Bottle:
6000 mgServing Size:
Strong100mg hemp CBD per servingServings:
60If you want to explore the world of hemp CBD but feel uneasy about the trace levels of THC, try starting with a CBD isolate. Our top pick is this Medterra CBD tincture made from non-GMO hemp, along with an organic MCT carrier oil. While it doesn’t give the entourage effect, the oil contains 100 mg of hemp CBD per serving—the highest on our list.
The brand uses a proprietary extraction process to filter its CBD isolate oils, and the company guarantees that each bottle has zero THC (which you can cross reference in the COA). It also comes in a massive 6,000mg value size for savvy shoppers hoping to save.
Sustainability & Packaging: Medterra’s CBD is sourced from farms in Kentucky and grown under the Kentucky Hemp Pilot Program, which means the company follows strict regulations for standards and quality.
Transparency: All of Medterra’s products are third-party tested and approved before they become available to the customer. Lab tests and COAs are posted on the site and easily accessible through each product page.
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Comparing the strongest CBD oils
Product | Price | Size | Type | Dosage per serving | Servings |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cornbread Hemp Whole Flower USDA Organic CBD Oil | $110 | 1500 mg | Full-spectrum | 50 mg hemp CBD per serving | 30 |
Spruce Lab Grade CBD Oil | $270 | 2400 mg | Full-spectrum | 80 mg hemp CBD per serving | 30 |
Charlotte’s Web Max Strength CBD Oil | $120 | 1800 mg | Full-spectrum | 60mg hemp CBD per serving | 30 |
Lazarus Naturals Full-Spectrum High-Potency CBD Oil | $40 | 1500 mg | Full-spectrum | 50 mg hemp CBD per serving | 30 |
Joy Organics Organic Broad Spectrum CBD Tincture | $104 | 2250 mg | Broad-spectrum | 75 mg hemp CBD per serving | 30 |
Medterra Isolate CBD Oil | $140 | 6000 mg | Isolate | 100mg hemp CBD per serving | 60 |
How we picked the strongest CBD oils
- Testing: Third-party testing and accessible certificates of analysis (COAs) are helpful tools to ensure that you're getting what you paid for, as they confirm the product really provides the potency and purity promised. All the companies on this list make that information readily available on their websites.
- Potency: We defined strong hemp CBD as anything with at least 50 mg of hemp CBD per serving. That's the minimum cutoff for this list, but some contain higher doses.
- Ingredients: Ingredient quality is of the utmost importance for any supplement critique. All hemp CBD oils we recommend have clean ingredient lists and are organic, whenever possible.
- Trust & Reputation: We chose companies that are honest with their customers and don't make false health claims or have any open complaints via the Better Business Bureau (BBB).
mindbodygreen's CBD potency guidelines
Gentle: Under 20 mg
Moderate: 20 to 39 mg
Strong: 40+ mg
Comparing CBD isolate, broad-spectrum, & full-spectrum hemp
There are three types of hemp CBD extracts: isolate, broad-spectrum, and full-spectrum.
As the name suggests, CBD isolate only contains cannabidiol and removes other cannabinoids and terpenes from hemp—so you'll still get the benefits of hemp CBD but no entourage effect.
Broad-spectrum oil contains hemp CBD, terpenes, and most of the other minor cannabinoids within the plant with the exception of THC. In most cases, the THC is filtered out after the oil is extracted, and the batch is then third-party tested to ensure it falls under the standard of "broad-spectrum" (i.e., 0% THC).
Full-spectrum hemp CBD contains every cannabinoid and all the terpenes that are naturally found in hemp, including THC. However, by the legal definition of hemp, there's less than 0.3% THC by dry weight (i.e., trace levels), which is not enough to give a psychoactive effect.
This format allows you to take full advantage of the "entourage effect2," which is the combined benefit of consuming all of the plant compounds together. Because of this, many health experts consider full-spectrum hemp the gold standard.
What is the best CBD potency for me?
The right dosage of CBD really depends on several factors, like why you're taking it and your body type and weight.
While no clinical or research consensus exists for hemp oil cannabinoid concentration, including CBD, a strong potency is thought to hover around 40 mg or more of CBD per serving. What feels "strong" to one person may not to another.
When you first start taking hemp CBD, it's best to start at lower doses and gradually work your way up to your desired amount over the course of several weeks. It's a great idea to partner with a health care practitioner who can help personalize your hemp regimen.
Frequently asked questions
Is CBD oil safe?
Hemp CBD oil is safe for most adults. While you might experience some mild side effects, it's generally well tolerated. To ensure safety, make sure you're buying a high-quality hemp CBD with clean ingredients that's been third-party tested for contaminants when possible.
Does CBD oil have side effects?
Hemp CBD oil can have some side effects. When they do occur, the most common are sleepiness and drowsiness. Other possible side effects include changes in appetite, digestion, or mood. It may also interact with certain medications, so you should always discuss with a doctor before starting the plant supplement.
Does CBD oil make you high?
Hemp does not make you feel high, and thus, hemp CBD oil does not make you feel high. Full-spectrum CBD from U.S. hemp legally cannot contain more than 0.03% THC by dry weight. These negligible levels are not a high enough concentration to produce psychoactive effects. Broad-spectrum oils and CBD isolates are completely devoid of THC.
The takeaway
These high-dose tinctures have at least 50 mg of hemp CBD per serving and are ideal for anyone who's been taking CBD for a while and is ready to take things up a notch.
Heads up: Because they have higher concentrations of active ingredients, they're a little more expensive but still offer great value for your buck.