My husband and I have been in the cannabis and plant medicine space for over four decades collectively. We know the cannabis and hemp plants intimately, are experts in formulation, and with this knowledge comes one undeniable truth: Not all CBD products are the same.
If you’re like most people, you’ve probably wondered the same: Am I really getting the most out of my CBD? The truth is, many products on the market are underpowered, overpriced, and underwhelming. To the everyday consumer, low-potency CBD might seem like a good idea, even the norm, but it’s also the reason why so many find themselves disappointed with its results. If you’re still buying into the idea that low-potency CBD is worth your hard-earned cash, I’m about to burst your bubble (and probably save you some money in the process).
How Does Bioavailability Work?
Here’s the truth: if your CBD bottle reads anything less than 1000 mg total in a 30 mL tincture bottle, you’re likely wasting your money. Bioavailability—the amount of substance that your body actually absorbs—is the most important part of CBD. High-potency CBD maximizes bioavailability, especially in products like oil tinctures that absorb directly into the bloodstream.
It’s also worth noting that CBD isn’t always absorbed well. For example, when you ingest CBD in the form of a gummy or a capsule, it has to pass through your digestive system, where much of its potency is lost. By the time it reaches your bloodstream, only a small fraction of the original dose will be absorbed.
When you take CBD sublingually (under the tongue), it’s able to bypass the digestive system and enter your bloodstream directly. This method greatly increases bioavailability, so more CBD is absorbed into your body, and you get more out of what you pay for.
High-potency CBD products are also usually made with a greater attention to quality. In general, they contain fewer fillers, fewer gimmicks, and more of the good stuff.
THC vs. CBD: What’s the Difference?
Confused about the difference between THC and CBD? You’re not the only one, so let’s clear it up. THC is psychoactive. It’s the part of the cannabis plant that gets you high. CBD, however, is non-psychoactive. CBD won’t alter your state of mind, no matter how much you take. If you’re someone who’s worried about the effects of higher doses, know that CBD will give you all the therapeutic benefits without any of the mental cloudiness associated with THC.
Beware the “Fluff Amounts” of CBD
Most stores carry what I like to call “fluff amounts” of CBD—products with such low potency that they’re essentially useless. These low-potency products are generally aimed at consumers who are new to CBD and don’t know what to look for yet. They offer a false sense of value. In the end, you pay more, get less, and see little to no results.
The other problem is that many companies don’t understand the science behind CBD dosing. They treat it like it’s THC and offer similar dosages despite the fact that CBD requires much higher amounts to actually work. As a result, consumers end up with products that barely scratch the surface of what CBD can do.
Expert Insights: Kyle Jones and Future Compounds
To learn more about high potency CBD, I spoke with my friend Kyle Jones, founder of Future Compounds, who has spent over a decade in the cannabis industry, long before it was mainstream or even legal in many places. “I’ve always felt there was something greater about cannabis than just getting people high,” Kyle tells me. Starting his journey in cultivation, Kyle quickly became a pioneer in extraction and helped develop some of the industry’s first extraction technologies. His passion for the science of cannabis led him to co-found Future4200.com with partner Dustin Powers, a forum for scientific discussions around cannabis processing.
“When I started consulting and building labs, I realized how much misinformation was out there,” he says. “People on the forum were saying, ‘We trust you. If you make products, we want to buy them.’” This led to the founding of Future Compounds, a company focused on producing super-refined CBD and hemp products with clean, effective ingredients.
At Future Compounds, quality and potency are non-negotiable. We trust their products so much that we’ve purchased them in bulk to create our own formulations. What we love most about them is that they take dosing seriously. Not only are all of their products lab-tested, but they’re also based on research-backed potency. For beginners, Kyle recommends their 150 mg gummies. For those needing more relief, their tinctures are packed with 25,000 mg of CBD per bottle. And for extreme cases, their coconut oil contains a whopping 100,000 mg per container.
How Much CBD Do You Actually Need?
Research suggests that therapeutic doses of CBD range from 200–600 mg, far more than the “fluff amounts” most products offer. The FDA’s approval of Epidiolex, a CBD-based medication for epilepsy, proved that CBD can be highly effective—but at much higher doses than most people realize.
Kyle summed it up for us: “The problem is that many companies aren’t doing the research. They’re offering products with doses that won’t make a difference, and consumers are left thinking CBD doesn’t work. That’s why we build every product around what the science tells us.”
Now, I’m not saying all low-potency CBD is garbage. It might work for the occasional user or someone dipping their toes into the world of cannabinoids. But for those of us who need real results, it’s time to stop settling for less. Low potency might seem like a safe starting point, but in reality, it’s a pricey distraction from what actually works: a product with enough CBD to deliver therapeutic benefits without requiring you to drown in half the bottle.
If you’re serious about exploring CBD’s potential, don’t settle for mediocre products. Invest in high-potency CBD, and let it do what it was designed to do: work.
Where to Buy Future Compounds Products
Want to experience the difference for yourself? You can order Future Compounds’ high-potency CBD products directly from their website, futurecompounds.com.
Originally published in the print edition of Vegas Wellness Magazine.
Flip through the January 2025 issue here.
