9 Best CBD capsule brands reviewed (2023)
15th Mar 2020 Wellbeing
CBD oil and capsules have gone through an explosive growth in popularity in recent years
From an unknown compound often associated with illegal drugs, to a trending health supplement available in almost every major market, CBD’s popularity has been so unprecedented that it has quite literally begun to change laws worldwide.
While this has benefits for science, encouraging researchers all around the world to look more closely at CBD capsules and hemp oil, there is also a downside to such rapid growth in demand.
With regulatory bodies and government policy being in premature stages, and companies all around the world rushing to get a piece of the action, the range in quality between CBD capsules is absolutely huge, and shocking at the same time.
Even worse, it can be incredibly difficult, if not impossible, for the uninitiated to tell the difference between the genuinely high-quality CBD capsules and the cheap imitations, such as hemp seed oil (something that doesn’t contain CBD at all).
Not to worry, because we’ve done the research into the best CBD capsules in the UK, so you don’t have to!
But first:
What are CBD capsules and what do they do?
In recent decades, cannabis has mostly been considered an illegal, addictive drug with no redeeming qualities. However, more recent research has suggested that the plant does indeed have beneficial properties, including some that could potentially be harnessed for healthcare and wellbeing.
Let us explain:
Cannabis and hemp plants are filled with organic compounds known as cannabinoids. The hemp plant is thought to have over 112 cannabinoids, many of which are still mysterious in their effects.
However there are two main cannabinoids, which take up most of the volume of the hemp plant, with other cannabinoids being present in much smaller amounts.
These two primary cannabinoids are THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol), and CBD (Cannabidiol). THC is the substance that gets recreational cannabis smokers “high” and is illegal in the UK. However, CBD is completely different. It is non-addictive, non-psychoactive, completely legal, and more importantly has been suggested to hold numerous benefits for wellbeing and homeostasis.
CBD interacts directly with the human endocannabinoid system, which is a fundamental part of our body’s natural protection, having major influence over our immune systems, endocrine systems and more.
CBD has been found to hold benefits for anxiety, insomnia, stress, pain, and several other complaints. While studies are ongoing and accelerating due to increased public interest, the evidence thus far has suggested many positive effects.
Pure CBD oil itself has quite a strong earthy flavour that seems to be as controversial as Marmite, so some people prefer to stick to CBD capsules and tablets for ease of use. But with CBD being a trending topic right now, brands all over the globe are rushing to bring CBD products to market. Unfortunately, with CBD regulatory legislation still in its early stages, these brands and products vary wildly in CBD content, ingredient quality, and general ethics.
As a result, trying to find the best value CBD capsules in the UK can feel a little bit like a minefield, with different cannabinoids, manufacturing standards, hemp quality, different CBD volumes, and even different extraction processes to worry about.
Are CBD capsules legal in the UK?
Yes. The psychoactive and habit-forming nature of cannabis comes from THC, which is illegal in the UK. Legal CBD products have this compound removed and legally cannot contain more than 0.2% THC. This means no UK legal CBD products will get you high or pose a risk of addiction. With that said, THC is legal in some other countries, so use caution when importing CBD oil from elsewhere.
Any CBD product that is sold on UK shelves or UK websites will have less than 0.2% THC content, making it safe for use, even if you drive or operate heavy machinery for a living, or are regularly drug tested. This safety disappears when using CBD with higher THC content, as does the legal status of the product.
The 9 best CBD capsules in the UK (2023)
Not to worry though, because we’ve listed the best CBD capsules in the UK, all of which are legal and high quality! Any of the below will provide the results you’re looking for:
Evopure
Evopure is number one in our list and our pick for the best quality CBD capsules in the UK, period. It was a hard won spot, but it’s difficult to find anything the UK startup isn’t doing right. First, let’s go into the quality of the product itself.
Evopure’s hemp is sourced from sustainable EU farms and is one of the only UK CBD products that use solvent free CO2 extraction methods. This is both better for the environment, and produces better quality CBD than other methods since solvent based extraction can alter the natural state of the CBD, degrading the product.
But that’s not all. Evopure’s products are:
- Made from 100% organically grown hemp
- Broad spectrum, meaning they make use of many of the cannabinoids, terpenes and flavonoids from the hemp plant, something that is considered to be much more beneficial than CBD alone.
- Packed full of naturally occurring vitamins, omega fatty acids and prebiotic Inulin to help improve CBD bioavailability.
- Completely free of preservatives, genetically modified ingredients and artificial colours
- Another thing Evopure does better than anybody else is provide clear lab testing results on their website along with batch ID numbers, allowing you to check the exact content of your own bottle.
They even provide top quality written content including recipes and guides into the science behind CBD, and donate one per cent of all sales to environmental non profits as an earth positive CBD company.
Evopure’s CBD oil pills, and indeed their CBD oil, are some of the best value and quality in the UK. If it wasn’t for their environment-first outlook, they would almost certainly be first or second on this list anyway, simply from the quality of the product.
However, their dedication to sustainability, to accountability, and to pushing CBD education onto the general populace pushes them over the edge into being our undisputed champion—and our top choice for the best CBD tablets in the country.
Hempura CBD Capsules
Hempura are very well known in the UK, and for good reason. They are the brand giving Evopure the best run for their money in terms of quality, and offer lab results and broad spectrum cannabinoid content in a similar manner.
They have been around for a few years and are one of the most established CBD brands in the UK. While this is shown in their wider range of products, it does also somewhat hurt their customer service and make them come across as a little less human than some of the smaller brands on this list.
The quality is still excellent, however, and the CBD used in Hempura’s capsules comes from organic hemp grown in Eastern Europe. If you’re looking for a UK-based, trustworthy and experienced supplier of CBD capsules, you can do a lot worse than Hempura.
Love CBD Entourage Capsules
Love CBD’s capsules are very unique. While the name would have you assuming the capsules are full spectrum, the term is generally used to refer to the full range of cannabinoids being present in the naturally occurring ratios in which they’re present in the hemp plant.
Whereas Love CBD does contain all of the cannabinoids, they have added a high dose of CBDa. They claim that this adds additional benefits and many of their customers agree, but we do generally prefer to stick to what nature and science have suggested.
This minor downside aside, though, Love CBD provides an excellent quality source of CBD tablets from a UK family-run business, and offers vegan friendly, organically grown hemp capsules with a high dose and affordable price, which wins them a strong recommendation from us.
CbdMD CBD Oil Capsules
CbdMD’s CBD capsules are another popular and recommended option. They also offer a decent range of other high quality CBD products. For the capsules specifically, all traces of THC are removed in order to avoid any potential psychoactive or unwanted effects, but the remainder of the cannabinoids are left untouched in their naturally occurring ratios.
This, along with the choice of 4 different doses, wins CbdMD a hearty recommendation for those who are interested in the benefits of CBD but concerned about the potential side effects of THC.
CBDistillery THC Free CBD Isolate Capsules
CBDistillery’s capsules are made from CBD isolate and, like several others on this list, are completely THC free. “CBD isolate” essentially means that they contain CBD only, with all other cannabinoids, terpenes and flavonoids removed.
While this means they are likely less beneficial for specific complaints (e.g. they are very unlikely to be considered the best CBD capsules for pain), it also means they are considerably cheaper and come with a huge 1800mg of CBD per bottle.
While they are technically a US company and the hemp used is grown in Colorado, the lack of THC makes the capsules completely legal in the UK and they are a popular option on UK store shelves.
For those looking for the best possible results for a specific health complaint, or those who prioritise sustainable and ethical growing, we would put Evopure over CBDistillery every time, due to the lack of a broad spectrum option and the fact they use ethanol extraction. But for those who are looking to try CBD out for the first time in a high dose for a low cost, you will struggle to get more bang for your buck than these CBD isolate softgel capsules.
Synerva CBD Capsules
Synerva is an interesting one as they use a unique CBD oil that’s been extracted from a special strain of hemp. This particular hemp strain is grown for high CBD content, with low content of other cannabinoids. It’s also suspended in a carrier oil made from coconut oil, and an extra boost of the terpene β-caryophyllene.
We mostly recommend broad spectrum CBD capsules for a reason, and this change in ratio is not what we’d usually suggest you go for. However, these are still high quality capsules made from high grade CBD, and if you are simply looking to test out what CBD can do for you, they can be a great option.
CannabiGold 10mg CBD Capsules
CannabiGold’s capsules deserve a warning since they are marketed as “full spectrum”. While this is technically true since it contains all of the cannabinoids that naturally occur in the hemp plant, it’s a little sneaky. To most people, “full spectrum” also means that these ingredients are present in the naturally occuring ratios found in the hemp plant.
This is important when so many cannabinoids are still relatively unknown, since changing the ratios could drastically change the effects. It’s a little like changing the composition of an apple in an attempt to make it more healthy–there is no need, nature knows best.
With that said, CannabiGold still provides good quality CBD capsules in the UK with a very high dose of CBD, and that’s nothing to shake a stick at if you aren’t bothered about true “full spectrum” status.
Charlotte’s Web “Extra Strength” CBD Capsules
Charlotte’s Web provides an extra high dose option with 18mg of CBD in every capsule. They also utilise CO2 extraction and have recently stopped offering their dry tablet-style capsules in favour of a more natural liquid capsule containing pure CBD oil.
They are very pricey compared to the other options listed here, and are another “full spectrum but not really” competitor, but if you’re willing to pay the extra cost to get as big a dose of CBD as you possibly can, this is probably the best option for you.
Love Hemp CBD Softgel Capsules
Love Hemp is another excellent UK based option for CBD capsules. They offer both low potency (10mg) and high potency (25mg) capsules and have been getting positive reviews from shoppers.
Their hemp is from non-GMO farms in the USA and they also provide a decent range of complimentary products including CBD infused creams, drinking water and more.
With that said, for non-vegetarians, they are a great British manufacturer of CBD capsules and tablets that is more than worthy of your hard earned money.
What can I use CBD capsules for?
Thanks to the aforementioned interactions with the endocannabinoid system, CBD oil has been found to offer positive results for helping to manage:
- Pain
- Insomnia
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Inflammation
- Acne
- Heart Health
- Brain Health
- Addiction
- Diabetes
Anxiety
CBD has been found to help reduce anxiety, and anxiety related issues such as insomnia.
Studies into CBD's impact on generalised anxiety disorder have found positive results, including a National Institute on Drug Abuse study that found CBD reduced stress in rats.
There have also been positive human trials with more specific types of anxiety including social anxiety disorder and PTSD.
More recent trials have even found that CBD can help reduce symptoms caused by PTSD, including nightmares, negative memories etc.
Pain relief
Some people who suffer from chronic pain related conditions such as arthritis or fibromyalgia use CBD to help reduce their pain symptoms. CBD is also often used for less serious or chronic forms of pain including DOMs from exercise and minor injuries.
Evidence has been found that CBD interacts with the endocannabinoid system to stimulate reduced pain, reduced inflammation, and an overall reduction in discomfort stemming from numerous different health complaints.
It is considered a popular alternative for those looking to avoid potentially addictive or dangerous pain medications. While studies are early and more evidence is needed, there have been multiple promising studies including a 2018 review which found that CBD was effective in managing pain with close to zero side effects.
Sleep
A poor night's sleep can be caused by many things that are thought to be improved by CBD—including stress, anxiety and chronic pain.
However, evidence also suggests that CBD can help encourage a natural sleep from those experiencing general insomnia caused by none of the above.
A 2019 study used 72 subjects, 47 of whom suffered from anxiety and 25 of whom experienced general sleep issues.
Just under 80 per cent of the anxiety sufferers experienced a reduction in symptoms, and 66.7 per cent of the insomnia patients experienced an improved sleep.
Another study from 2014 found that CBD improved REM sleep in subjects suffering from REM sleep disorders. While further human trials are needed, there is evidence that CBD can both improve general sleep, and reduce the symptoms of issues that commonly affect sleep.
CBD oil vs CBD capsules: Which is best?
As long as they are both high quality products from reputable companies, CBD oil and CBD pills will contain a similar dose of the same substance. As a result, there isn't a significant difference when it comes to dosage or results.
However, people do tend to have a personal preference for multiple reasons. Firstly, real, natural CBD oil has a strong earthy taste that can be a bit "hate it or love it". Some people love the fact it tastes so natural and plant-like, whereas others find it off-putting.
If you like the taste of CBD oil, it is by far the best way to take CBD, as it can be dropped into the mouth for high bioavailability, or added to food, or dropped into smoothies, giving you complete and easy control of when and how to take your CBD oil. This is of course also the best option for people who are unable to take or dislike taking tablets.
However, CBD capsules are a great option for people who dislike the taste of natural CBD oil, as it allows you to get your daily CBD dose with no flavour at all.
What should I look for when buying CBD capsules?
To sum up, we’ve outlined 4 key elements to look out for when buying the best CBD capsules in the UK market:
- Hemp seed oil is completely different to hemp oil, does not contain CBD and is useless as anything but a healthy cooking oil. Any brand attempting to sell it as CBD oil or hemp oil is likely not worthy of your trust or hard-earned cash.
- Many brands out there unfortunately lie about their CBD content. This is hard to detect or stop since regulations are still in their early stages, but you can spot it with a little knowledge. Generally, based on the cost of growing and harvesting hemp, products that offer more than ten per cent CBD content for under £20, or more than five per cent CBD content for under £15 are very unlikely to be genuine.
- “CBD isolate” is 100 per cent CBD that contains none of the other beneficial cannabinoids terpenes or flavonoids, and therefore is also best avoided.
- With hemp farms popping up all around the world and demand likely to increase in the coming years, supporting a brand that prioritises ethical growing and environmental responsibility is a must.
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