Best CBD oil for anxiety and depression: Top 3 brands for 2020

Presented by The Weed News Company

Stress isn’t inherently negative. It’s designed to help us get out of or avoid dangerous situations — like coming face to face with a hungry tiger.

These forms of stress are only meant to be temporary. Once the danger is avoided, we return to normal and stress and anxiety disappear.

In the modern era, there are new causes of stress that our bodies aren’t adapted to handle.

Tight deadlines at work, financial concerns, and excessive use of our phones and computers are new causes of stress we can’t manage very well.

These newer forms of stress can go on for extended periods. They persist for days, weeks, months, or years — eventually leading to a collapse of our stress-response network.

When our stress-response system fails, we fall into cycles of chronic and severe anxiety and depression. At this point, we need medications or supplements to help break the cycle and get our health back on track.

One of the most popular and effective natural anxiety supplements today is CBD oil

This humble cannabis-extract has a powerful effect on our neurological systems — helping to keep us calm and relaxed, boost our mood, improve productivity, and restore our innate ability to resist daily stress.

Here are the three top-rated CBD oils on the market in 2020 for managing chronic anxiety and depression.

Best CBD oils for anxiety & depression: 2020 roundup

• Royal CBD – Award-winning, best CBD oil for anxiety & depression
• Gold Bee – Runner-up, quality product at a good price
• Blessed CBD – Potent CBD, but only ships to the U.K,

1. Royal CBD Oil — Best full spectrum hemp extract

Product Details:

Most experts agree full-spectrum CBD products offer significantly better anxiety support than CBD isolates. This is because other compounds in the hemp plant support the effects of CBD and offer their own anxiety and mood-supportive benefits.

This is why Royal CBD is our top pick for anxiety or depression. These oils are made from a high-grade full-spectrum hemp extract that contains a wide range of active cannabinoids, terpenes, and other hemp-derivatives. Many of these compounds have been proven to offer separate anti-anxiety and anti-depressant benefits.

For example, Royal CBD oil is particularly rich in limonene — one of the primary anti-depressant compounds in the hemp plant. These oils are also rich in caryophyllene, pinene, and linalool — all of which have been independently proven to support healthy neurotransmitter production and improve mood.

Royal CBD oils come in four different potency options:

• 250 mg — low-potency, suitable for mild anxiety levels
• 500 mg — medium-potency, suitable for mild to moderate anxiety or depression
• 1000 mg — high-potency, most popular option overall, ideal for moderate anxiety or depression
• 2500 mg — ultra-high potency, best value overall, effective for all levels of anxiety or depression

All Royal CBD oils come in a selection of flavors to help cut the natural taste of hemp. You can get these oils in peppermint, vanilla, berry (raspberry), or a natural, unflavored version.

2. Gold Bee CBD Oil —  Best organic CBD oil

Product Details:

Gold Bee CBD oils aren’t as potent as Royal CBD (up to 1200 mg per bottle). However, this company meets the same meticulous level of quality control as our top-rated brand.

All Gold Bee CBD products are independently verified to confirm the concentration of CBD is exactly as advertised on the bottle. The company also orders unbiased third-party testing to check the terpene levels of its oils — which is particularly impressive.

Some of the most notable terpenes found in Gold Bee CBD oils are humulene and lavandin — both of which activate a neurotransmitter in the brain known as GABA.

GABA is an important neuroinhibitory compound that helps slow down electrical activity and reduce anxiety symptoms.

Gold Bee oils also contain other terpenes, such as limonene of pinene that offer anti-depressant effects.

Gold Bee oils come in three potency options:

• 300 mg — low-potency, suitable for mild anxiety
• 600 mg — medium potency, suitable for moderate anxiety and depression
• 1200 mg — high-potency, most popular, ideal for most anxiety and depression

These oils are very potent for their class. The high terpene levels and purity of these oils make them stronger than other products with comparable CBD content. The 1200 mg bottle of oil feels similar to the effects of a 1500 mg bottle of oil, yet comes with the benefits of a lower cost.

Only people with the most severe forms of anxiety or depression may need to seek out a stronger CBD oil than Gold Bee has to offer.

3. Blessed CBD Oil

Product Details:

Blessed CBD oils are some of the most popular CBD oils in Europe — and for good reason.

These oils tick all the boxes for the characteristics that make a CBD oil useful for managing symptoms associated with anxiety and depression.

Each bottle contains a high potency of full-spectrum, organically-grown hemp extract. These oils are rich in various terpenes, cannabinoids, and other phytochemicals.

The organic status of the hemp used to make these oils are of particular importance. Synthetic nutrients and harsh pesticides used on non-organic farms can damage the trichomes on the hemp flowers — which is where most of the active ingredients are made.

For this reason, we always recommend you opt for organic hemp oils from reputable brands like Blessed CBD.

Blessed CBD oils are available in three different potencies:

• 500 mg — medium-potency, suitable for mild to moderate anxiety or depression
• 1000 mg — high-potency, most popular, suitable for most anxiety and depression symptoms
• 1800 mg — ultra-high potency, ideal for just about any level of anxiety or depression

The only downside to Blessed CBD is that they’re a U.K. brand only — meaning you won’t be able to order these oils if you live in the U.S. We’ve included this brand as an option for our international readers. None of the other brands on our list ship internationally.

CBD & Anxiety: How it works

Anxiety is the mental manifestation of stress.

As stress levels rise, hormones like cortisol cause electrical activity in the brain to increase. This makes us feel more awake and alert, but can also impact our ability to sleep, stay focused at work or school, or think clearly. It can also lead to panic attacks that can have debilitating side effects until the attack subsides.

Anxiety is primarily driven by two neurotransmitters in the brain — glutamate and norepinephrine. Both of these compounds work together to increase electrical activity and produce what we perceive as stress and anxiety.

Putting a stop to anxiety symptoms means slowing down this excessive electrical stimulation in the brain — which is exactly how CBD works.

CBD has been shown to support anxiety symptoms by reducing the effects of glutamate and norepinephrine. It blocks glutamate from activating its receptors and increases the activity of a separate neurotransmitter known as GABA.

GABA is important because it’s the primary inhibitory compound in the brain. It works in direct opposition to glutamate and norepinephrine, causing electrical activity to slow down. It’s responsible for reversing the stress response.

Through this effect, CBD has been shown to offer powerful anxiety-relief.

CBD & depression: How it works

Depression is a common side-effect of anxiety. Changes in electrical activity and neurotransmitter balance in the brain can dramatically change our mood.

Other key neurotransmitters, including dopamine and serotonin, fall out of balance from causes like chronic stress, insufficient sleep, or as a side-effect from certain prescription anxiety medications.

CBD has been shown to reduce depression by restoring neurochemical balance in the brain.

Scientific studies have consistently shown that cannabidiol extracts can reduce or eliminate common signs of depression.

These effects don’t happen overnight. CBD works best when used over long periods of time alongside other lifestyle changes — such as meditation, stress-management techniques, a healthy diet, regular exercise, and socializing with friends and family.

Final thoughts: Tips on choosing the best CBD for anxiety & depression

There are plenty of health supplements that can help with anxiety or depression — chamomile, kava, kratom, L-theanine, passionflower, and magnesium — just to name a few.

Few of these supplements can compete with the powerful calming action of a high-grade CBD oil.

This all-natural health supplement provides a robust set of benefits that are specific for regulating mood, easing stress levels, and supporting a more restorative sleep.

When shopping for CBD oils, it’s best to look for a product that employs a full-spectrum hemp extract, is made from organic hemp, and provides clear evidence of independent testing.

We recommend the high potency range from Royal CBD as the best anti-anxiety and anti-depressant CBD oil overall. The most popular option is the low-cost 1000 mg bottle of oil.

If you want the strongest CBD oil available, go for the 2500 mg option instead — you’ll be hard-pressed to find anything more potent.

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