Chronic Obtrusive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a serious lung disease affecting more than 15 million Americans.
It’s also the third most common cause of death by disease in the United States.
Conventional medications can help short-term, but their long-term use is associated with troublesome side effects, such as weight gain, weakened bones (osteoporosis), and mood swings.
It’s no wonder people are looking for a safer and more effective alternative for treating COPD.
CBD has several properties that may come in handy for COPD patients, mainly its bronchodilatory and anti-inflammatory effects.
In this article, we’ll focus on exploring the best CBD gummies for COPD. Gummies are the most convenient way of using CBD because they combine a fixed dose per serving with an enjoyable form of consumption.
But before we make it to our ranking, let’s summarize the use of CBD for COPD.
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Best CBD Gummies for COPD (Highlights)
- CBD offers a wide range of health benefits, including anti-inflammatory, painkilling, and vasodilating effects.
- People taking CBD gummies for COPD claim that CBD helps with inflammation and vessel constrictions.
- Although CBD gummies won’t cure COPD or stop it, they can help you manage the symptoms with little to no side effects.
- CBD can interact with medications for COPD, so you need to watch out for potential interactions between CBD gummies and your meds. Consult your doctor if you take any medications for COPD.
- Hemp-derived CBD gummies are federally legal; you can buy them in all 50 states. On the other hand, marijuana-derived gummies require a doctor’s prescription or a friendly market for recreational marijuana.
Best CBD Gummies for COPD: The Top 5 Brands
1. Royal CBD
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Royal CBD is one of the most reputable brands in the hemp space. The company was launched by a team of biohackers and hemp advocates in 2018 with a mission to raise the quality bar for new companies entering the market.
After 4 years on the market, Royal CBD occupies the top of the ladder and is now one of the most talked-about manufacturers of hemp supplements.
The Royal CBD gummies are available in four options:
- Broad Spectrum CBD Gummies – 25 mg of CBD
- Full-Spectrum CBD Gummies – 25 mg of CBD + 0.3% THC
- Sleep Gummies – CBD + CBN + Melatonin
- Relief Gummies – CBD + CBC
- Immunity Gummies – CBD + Vitamin C + Zinc
Aside from delicious juicy flavors, these gummies come with exceptionally designed formulas that address different health goals. The Immunity and Full-Spectrum CBD gummies are considerable picks if you’re looking for the best CBD gummies for COPD.
These gummies are made from organic hemp, extracted with CO2, and lab-tested at different production stages to ensure consistent potency and purity throughout the batches.
2. Gold Bee
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Gold Bee is a craft company specializing in full-spectrum and broad-spectrum CBD products infused with superfoods, such as organic MCT oil and raw honey from Brazillian rainforests.
The Gold Bee CBD gummies come in four types:
- Vegan CBD Gummies – 25 mg CBD
- Energy Gummies – 50 mg CBG + 25 mg CBD
- Sleep Gummies – CBD + CBN + Melatonin
These are undoubtedly the best-tasting low-sugar gummies for weight loss we’ve tried to date. The strawberry flavor in the Energy variant is lip-smacking.
They’re also the only vegan gummies whose texture resembles those made with gelatin.
We recommend subscribing to Gold Bee’s newsletter to receive information about new batches because the gummies are sometimes out of stock.
3. Area 52
Get 15% off all Area 52 products. Use code “CFAH” at checkout.
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Area 52 makes different types of cannabinoid-based supplements. The brand entered the hemp market in 2020 with its award-winning delta 8 THC products.
Soon after that success, the Area 52 team introduced a new line of “real full-spectrum gummies” containing a 5:1 ratio of CBD to THC (25 mg: 5 mg) — but still under 0.3% as required by the 2018 Farm Bill.
The additional amount of THC strengthens the entourage effect, making CBD more effective than most low-THC products. And the best part about using Area 52 gummies for COPD is that they don’t get you high; you can reap the benefits from the whole-plant synergy while still being able to do your chores.
4. CBDistillery
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CBDistillery is one of the industry trailblazers and one of the largest suppliers of CBD in the U.S. Its mission is to provide education and high-quality CBD products to everyone.
The CBDistillery gummies are made with full-spectrum CBD, so they leave a distinct hempy aftertaste (not the best experience). They also contain 30 mg of CBD per serving, making them a considerable pick for users who need high doses of CBD in their routine.
However, this potency is difficult to dose, especially if you’re used to more traditional dosages such as 10 mg or 25 mg CBD per gummy. The gummies are also more expensive than competitor brands.
5. Charlotte’s Web
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Similar to CBDistillery, Charlotte’s Web is one of the pioneering companies in the CBD market. The brand was founded by the Stanley Brothers, who popularized CBD in the USA by helping a young girl named Charlotte Figi significantly curb her epilepsy attacks.
Since the story made it to mainstream news, Charlotte’s Web has become a CBD powerhouse. Despite a few setbacks, such as warning letters from the FDA, it remains one of the most reputable companies among cannabis users.
Charlotte’s Web has recently introduced its reformulated gummies, including Sleep, Recovery, and Calm versions.
The Sleep gummies come with 5 mg of full-spectrum CBD and 1.5 mg of melatonin per piece, supporting deep and restorative sleep.
The Calm version is infused with a lemon balm that boosts the relaxing properties of CBD while lifting up your mood and increasing energy levels.
The Recovery gummies contain a blend of ginger and turmeric to promote healthy immune responses.
Unfortunately, at 5 mg of CBD per piece, these gummies may be cost-prohibitive for users who need a stronger dose in their routine due to their symptoms or metabolic rate.
How We Chose the Best CBD Gummies for COPD
Choosing the best CBD gummies for COPD requires a serious amount of research. We’ve spent over 50 hours analyzing the most popular hemp brands and their products. After cutting down our options to the 10 most reputable suppliers, we’ve narrowed them to the top 5 companies that offer the best value for money.
The following criteria helped us speed up the process and create a decent evaluation framework:
- Hemp Source – hemp absorbs and accumulates all substances from its environment, including nutrients and toxins. The best CBD gummies for COPD are made with organic hemp because such material has high levels of nutrients and is free from toxic compounds. Organic farmers grow their plants in fertile soil without using chemical fertilizers or pesticides, providing top-shelf sourcing material.
- Quality of Ingredients – the quality of the other ingredients is as important as the hemp source because it can make or break your experience with CBD gummies. We selected only the brands that use 100% natural ingredients and are open about their manufacturing practices.
- Brand Reputation and Transparency – the best CBD gummies come from reputable companies that provide up-to-date certificates of analysis (CoAs) and have a well-established reputation in the cannabis community. The companies from our list of the best CBD gummies for COPD make not only high-quality edibles but also have caring customer service that goes above and beyond to help new users select the right product for the first time or guide them on how to use CBD to squeeze the most out of their supplementation.
- Charity Donations – Successful CBD brands often give back to the communities that made them achieve their success. We love companies that are engaged in charitable initiatives and make CBD more accessible to low-income communities or people unable to find a job due to their health status.
- Price/Quality Ratio – high-quality CBD gummies can be expensive, but some companies overcharge people for generic formulas of mediocre quality. We always dive deep into the product formula and analyze the price/quality ratio to ensure you’re getting the best deals on CBD gummies. All brands from our ranking offer reward programs, discounts, and subscription pricing to help you save even more money on their products.
Where to Buy CBD Gummies for COPD
Don’t take our word for it; just visit your gym, pharmacy, or a local organic grocery store, and you’ll see plenty of CBD products on the shelves.
However, the problem with in-store vendors is that too many unregulated products are either mislabeled or contaminated with dangerous levels of pesticides, heavy metals, and other toxins.
Not to mention that CBD gummies in local stores are priced higher than the products you can find online because local vendors can’t cut out the middleman.
If you’re looking for a better place to find high-quality full-spectrum CBD gummies for COPD, we recommend finding a trustworthy online retailer.
Buying CBD gummies online gives you access to lab reports, user reviews, online rankings, forums, and social media platforms where you can verify the credibility of your potential supplier.
Buying CBD online also offers other perks. For example, you can compare hundreds of different products and prices in the comfort of your home.
Earlier, we mentioned that online stores offer better price deals on high-quality CBD gummies. Not only is the baseline price lower, but you can also take advantage of coupon codes, subscription purchases, bulk pricing, and reward programs to buy your favorite products for less.
How to Shop for CBD Gummies
Is this your first time buying CBD gummies for COPD? Follow these features to weed out substandard products:
- Certificates of Analysis (CoA): CBD gummies that have passed third-party lab testing receive a CoA. This lab report holds the tested sample’s quality parameters, including its cannabinoid profile, THC levels, terpenes, and potential contaminants, such as pesticides, metals, solvents, or mold. CoAs should be available for customers on the company’s website or upon request before placing an order. If your company doesn’t provide batch-specific CoAs, that’s a serious warning sign.
- Price: CBD products can be expensive, but that doesn’t mean you can find cost-effective products that will ensure you can take your daily doses for as long as you need. Focus on calculating the price per milligram of CBD. Compare different formulas using that figure and decide which one provides the best value for your money. Sometimes, you can use the aforementioned reward programs or subscription orders to cut the price further down.
- Potency: the potency of your CBD gummies is another driving factor for their efficacy. How strong your CBD gummies are will affect your feelings after each dose. Your body chemistry is different than anybody else’s, so you’ll need to try different dosages before finding your optimal zone. High-potency gummies are more expensive, but they often cost less per mg of CBD, helping you save money in the long run. You can also cut them in halves if you have strong willpower and want to microdose CBD this way.
- Flavors: let’s be honest, some CBD gummies have a terrible taste because they’re either infused with artificial flavorings and sweeteners or leave too much of a hempy aftertaste. The best CBD gummies for COPD are made with all-natural ingredients, juices, and concentrates for coloring and flavoring. They’re also made with gelatin or fruit pectin to create that classic chewy texture that resembles your childhood experience.
How to Use CBD Gummies for COPD
It’s dead simple. All you need to do is follow the manufacturer’s instructions, take a recommended serving, wait up to 90 minutes, and assess how you feel.
If you don’t notice any relief from your symptoms, gradually increase the dose once you hit the bull’s eye.
It’s best to start with a low dose, such as 5-10 mg – and go up from there.
Patience pays off when it comes to CBD supplementation. It may take at least two weeks until CBD levels your cannabinoid deficiencies, so don’t be discouraged if you don’t feel any changes in your well-being right away.
CBD & COPD: Essentials
There’s a common saying in doctors that no medical professional knows their patient’s condition than the patient themselves.
Here’s what you need to know about using CBD gummies for COPD: how it can help, where the limit is, and whether or not CBD is safe long-term.
What Is COPD?
COPD is short for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. It’s a chronic lung condition causing breathing difficulties in patients that gets worse over time.
The main trigger of COPD is inflammation in the lungs, leading to the thickening of their tissues. It also compromises your body’s ability to exchange oxygen in the lungs. This, in turn, leads to constricted airflow in the lungs, reducing the influx of oxygen to the tissues.
As a result, the body can’t get rid of carbon dioxide efficiently.
Breathing difficulties are the major symptom of COPD. They can block you from staying active, working efficiently, and living a happy life.
Inflammation in the lungs stems from excessive exposure to irritants that damage the airways and lung tissue. Smoking is the most common irritant and the main reason why tobacco users are at a higher risk of suffering from COPD.
However, nonsmokers can develop COPD as well. Additional risk factors include air pollution, radiation, or an uncommon genetic mutation called alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency.
Neglected COPD can trigger dangerous complications, such as lung infections from insufficient oxygen levels in the blood.
How Is COPD Diagnosed?
Doctors take into account the following symptoms to diagnose COPD:
- Chronic cough
- Chest tightness
- Frequent lung infections
- Loss of energy
- Mucus buildup
- Swollen feet, legs, or ankles
- Blue-ish lips (cyanosis)
Your doctors may then ask you to run lung function tests to determine if you have COPD.
This is known as spirometry.
It’s a simple breathing test that can diagnose COPD and define the severity of your condition.
Spirometry tests require you to take a deep breath and push the air as hard as you can into a tube; the tube is connected to a machine called a spirometer. Then you take a consolidating medicine that opens your airways — and blow the air again.
The test will measure:
- Forced Vital Capacity (FVC) – the amount of air you breathe out
- Forced Expiratory Volume (FEV) – the amount of air that came within the first second
The doctor will analyze the result and deliver a third figure that determines the performance of your lungs. If the number is lower than 70%, you have COPD.
Other tests that can help diagnose COPD include:
- 6-minute walk test
- Alpha-1-antitrypsin (AAt) deficiency test
- Chest X-ray or CT
- Tests that compare the concentrations of oxygen and carbon dioxide in your blood.
What Is CBD?
There are around 540 chemicals in the cannabis plant, but the two you may know the most are tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). THC is the main intoxicating ingredient in marijuana — the type of cannabis that gets you high.
CBD doesn’t have intoxicating properties; it’s also considered safe and non-habit-forming.
The lion’s share of CBD products on the market are derived from hemp. This subvariety of cannabis contains significant amounts of CBD and only trace levels of THC (no more than 0.3%).
Hemp-derived CBD gummies won’t get you high, no matter how many you eat. That’s because there’s not enough THC in them to cause a cognitive change.
They’re also legal at the federal level, meaning you can buy them in all 50 states.
Although the FDA is yet to investigate the safety and efficacy of CBD for conditions other than multiple sclerosis and epilepsy, current studies suggest CBD could help with anxiety, addiction, depression, pain, sleep disorders, autoimmune conditions, and neurodegeneration.
How Does CBD Help With COPD?
Treatments for COPD are long-lasting, and their lengths depend on a range of individual factors.
Many people tout oxygen therapy during COPD’s early stages to slow its progression.
Doctors may use surgical interventions at a severe stage, such as a lung transplant.
Scientists are searching for new tools that could help manage this complex condition. Patients with COPD for whom conventional treatments failed to provide relief are looking for natural alternatives — such as CBD gummies.
Although the research in this field is in its infancy, CBD has been widely studied for its bronchodilating and anti-inflammatory effects on the lungs.
Here’s what you need to know about using CBD for COPD.
CBD for Airway Inflammation
A 2009 review of studies found that CBD was a novel anti-inflammatory drug. A 2014 clinical study showed that CBD could improve lung function and reduce inflammation in animals.
The study authors reported that “the present and previous data suggest that in the future, cannabidiol might become a useful therapeutic for the attenuation and treatment of inflammatory lung diseases.”
Another 2015 study on rodents demonstrated that CBD could curb inflammation in the lungs, reducing breathing difficulties in the subjects.
There are also studies pointing to cannabis extracts as potentially effective compounds in regulating human airway cell genes involved in inflammation. The extract examined in the study contained CBD, CBDA, THC, and THCA.
THCA and CBDA are raw (inactive) versions of THC and CBD. While they don’t produce the characteristic effects of their active analogs, they offer remarkable antioxidative and anti-inflammatory properties.
During the COVID pandemic, CBD and terpenes were extensively studied in terms of their impact on the cytokine storm in the lungs. Cytokine storm is one of the most severe COVID complications, wreaking havoc on the lungs. A blend of CBD and terpenes produced better results than a commonly used corticosteroid, shedding new light on the anti-inflammatory effects of CBD in the lungs.
CBD as a Bronchodilator
Several studies have recently highlighted CBD as a bronchodilating agent. In other words, CBD helps the body open up its respiratory airways, reducing constriction and improving airflow into the lungs.
Researchers have discovered these effects when analyzing the impact of cannabinoids like CBD on asthma. However, the bronchodilatory effects of CBD may prove helpful for patients with acute COPD symptoms.
By improving airflow, CBD could help COPD sufferers manage their oxygen exchange and reduce shortness of breath.
What Studies Are Saying About Using CBD for COPD
According to some early studies on the potential benefits of CBD for COPD, the cannabinoid can change certain biological reactions that cause COPD.
People with COPD have highly inflamed lungs. The inflammation continues to damage the lung tissue, leading to irreversible blockages in air pathways.
In a 2020 study published in the Journal of Cannabis Research, a combination of CBD and THC reduced inflammation when exposed to human lung cells in the lab.
However, there are some pessimistic voices coming out from other experts, such as Andrew Martin, MD, chair of pulmonary medicine at Deborah Heart and Lung Center in Browns Mills, NJ. Heart says that:
“The problem with this kind of study is that they only offer hints that CBD might relieve breathing problems. Unfortunately, some experimental medicines that look promising in the lab end up having no effect when given to the real people.”
That’s what happened to researchers who ran a study in 1984 on the efficacy of isolated CBD on COPD. In the study, high doses of CBD given to male subjects failed to relax their lungs and open their airways.
Another small study from 2011 found that COPD patients who received Sativex — an oral spray containing a 1:1 ratio between CBD and THC — didn’t report improved scores on lung capacity and lung-efficiency tests.
Finally, we have a study from 2018 where the authors examined people with advanced COPD inhaling vaporized cannabis to evaluate its effects on their respiratory function during pedaling exercise cycles. The product didn’t provide any significant results, but it contained only a small amount of CBD. Patients reported they felt less anxious, but not all subjects enjoyed the high.
How Many CBD Gummies Should I Take for COPD?
There’s no straight guideline for dosing CBD for COPD because the studies on this subject are scarce.
How many CBD gummies you should take depend on a range of individual factors, such as:
- Age
- Weight
- Metabolism
- Your individual body chemistry
- Tolerance to CBD
- Type of CBD (full-spectrum or isolate)
- Severity of symptoms
- Potency of your CBD gummies
As with all health supplements, the best way to use CBD gummies is slowly incorporate them into your daily routine, using lower doses to avoid side effects.
Start with 1–5 mg of CBD for every pound of body weight and weight for about 60 minutes to see how that dose makes you feel. From there, gradually increase the dosage until you find the optimal number of gummies.
Most manufacturers provide their own dosage recommendations. You can use them as a starting point, but always keep in mind that someone else’s experience with the same dose won’t mirror your experience, so a little trial and error is unavoidable.
Is CBD Safe?
Yes, CBD is a natural and safe compound. It doesn’t get you high, isn’t habit-forming, and comes with a short list of mild side effects.
A 2017 review of the safety and efficacy of CBD based on clinical data concluded CBD is safe and well-tolerated by humans, even at doses as high as 1,500 mg administered daily for several weeks.
Common side effects of using CBD gummies for COPD include:
- Changes in appetite
- Dry mouth
- Dizziness
- Fatigue
- Diarrhea (rare)
CBD is a potent inhibitor of the CYP450 enzyme system that metabolizes the majority of pharmaceutical medications. Always talk to your doctor before you buy CBD oil if you take any medications for COPD. This way, you’ll be able to find the right dosage and timing for both substances to avoid cross-side effects.
Final Verdict: What Are the Best CBD Gummies for COPD?
CBD offers significant anti-inflammatory and bronchodilating properties. However, its efficacy in treating lung conditions like COPD is yet to be investigated under clinical conditions.
Current studies have yielded mixed results due to small study samples, different methodologies, and difficulties gauging the right ratio between specific cannabinoids.
Not to mention it’s still difficult to obtain high-quality cannabis extracts for research purposes.
If you want to try CBD gummies for COPD, you need to run a thorough research on your potential suppliers.
Feeling short on time? Feel free to use our recommendations. In our opinion, Royal CBD and Gold Bee make the best CBD gummies for COPD because they contain additional ingredients that enhance the anti-inflammatory and bronchodilating effects of CBD.
Alternatively, you can try Area 52 to test the real entourage effect from an extra amount of THC.
Have you tried CBD gummies for COPD? Share your experience in the comments!
Sources:
- Yale Medicine (2022). Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). Yalemedicine.org. Retrieved from: [1] https://www.yalemedicine.org/conditions/copd
- Burstein, S. H., & Zurier, R. B. (2009). Cannabinoids, endocannabinoids, and related analogs in inflammation. The AAPS journal, 11(1), 109–119. [2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2664885/
- Ribeiro, A., Almeida, V. I., Costola-de-Souza, C., Ferraz-de-Paula, V., Pinheiro, M. L., Vitoretti, L. B., Gimenes-Junior, J. A., Akamine, A. T., Crippa, J. A., Tavares-de-Lima, W., & Palermo-Neto, J. (2015). Cannabidiol improves lung function and inflammation in mice submitted to LPS-induced acute lung injury. Immunopharmacology and immunotoxicology, 37(1), 35–41. [3]
- Mamber, S.W., Gurel, V., Lins, J. et al. Effects of cannabis oil extract on immune response gene expression in human small airway epithelial cells (HSAEpC): implications for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). [4]
- Aswad, M., Hamza, H., Pechkovsky, A., Zikrach, A., Popov, T., Zohar, Y., Shahar, E., & Louria-Hayon, I. (2022). High-CBD Extract (CBD-X) Downregulates Cytokine Storm Systemically and Locally in Inflamed Lungs. Frontiers in immunology, 13, 875546. [5]
- Makwana, R., Venkatasamy, R., Spina, D., & Page, C. (2015). The effect of phytocannabinoids on airway hyper-responsiveness, airway inflammation, and cough. The Journal of pharmacology and experimental therapeutics, 353(1), 169–180. [6] https://jpet.aspetjournals.org/content/353/1/169
- Iffland, K., & Grotenhermen, F. (2017). An Update on Safety and Side Effects of Cannabidiol: A Review of Clinical Data and Relevant Animal Studies. Cannabis and cannabinoid research, 2(1), 139–154. [7]
- Doohan, P. T., Oldfield, L. D., Arnold, J. C., & Anderson, L. L. (2021). Cannabinoid Interactions with Cytochrome P450 Drug Metabolism: a Full-Spectrum Characterization. The AAPS journal, 23(4), 91. [8]
