Smell (Irrelevant to effects)
Upon opening a bottle of cbdMD CBD Oil Tincture Drops 3,000mg Orange Flavor, we noted a gentle, sweet, softly tangy orange scent, similar to orange candy (like those sugared fruit slice gummies in giant jars at candy shops). It’s not unpleasant, but it’s not great either — just middle-of-the-road orange flavor, closer to orange juice than the zest we were expecting. We’ll see how it tastes.
Taste (Irrelevant to effects)
The flavor of the oil is pleasantly understated, with more of a zesty component than we anticipated based on the scent. It still tastes of orange candy in that it doesn’t taste totally natural, per se (compared to, say, an extract derived from the zest alone, the orangiest part of the orange that imparts the truest flavor). We’re not hating it, but it isn’t our favorite flavor, either — we think that, of the options available from cbdMD, the berry is the standout.
Consistency
First, we need to point out an awesome packaging decision the brand made: cbdMD nailed it by putting this CBD oil in a childproof bottle. While it’s not possible to overdose on CBD, it is still medicine, and we believe that as such, it should be responsibly packaged. We applaud cbdMD for this packaging decision, and we hope to see more providers follow suit in the near future.
That said, we noticed that the dropper included in this product was unmarked, unlike the 300 mg and 750 mg droppers that were marked off in .25 mL increments. We loved that concept from a dosing convenience perspective, as it allows the consumer to fine-tune their CBD consumptionin a precise, consistent manner, and we wish it was consistent across all bottles (especially because it seems most applicable for higher dosage strengths). Perhaps it was unintended, but it’s something we felt was worth noting.
Now, to the oil itself: it’s clear and free-flowing, with a very subtle warm, ambery tint to it — it’s barely detectable, but it will stain fabrics because of its oily composition, so be mindful when dosing. It draws up easily into the dropper for dosing and doesn’t adhere to the mucosa of the mouth when consumed, minimizing the aftertaste and preventing the flavored burps commonly associated with some CBD oils (we are not fond of revisiting our CBD dose that way).
Effects (Onset, Duration, Intensity)
True to most consumable CBD products, we felt the effects of this CBD oilanywhere from 30 to 60 minutes after dosing, depending on our individual compositions and what/how recently we’d eaten that day. At this dose (100 mg per mL dose), we felt relief from even severe symptoms throughout the day — up to 10 hours for some of us, with an average period of relief lasting from 7-8 hours.
This product was effective against severe pain and inflammation and imparted a pronounced improvement in mood — and a little drowsiness in some of our consumers used to lower doses. We noticed a reduction in symptoms of anxiety, including racing thoughts, tension, restlessness, and the gastrointestinal unrest often associated with the condition.
These benefits extended to social situations as well for those of us with social anxiety — we felt more at ease, even in crowds, and felt less nervousness and associated negative thoughts. If you have the condition, you’re likely familiar with these thought cycles: worrying that everyone is judging you or dislikes you, finds you annoying, or is pitying you. While we recommend Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help redirect these thoughts, CBD can make a measurable difference in the frequency and severity of these thoughts in triggering situations.
All in all, we like this CBD oil for a long-lasting “maintenance dose” of CBD to alleviate symptoms throughout the day. This dosage strength was strong enough for each of our testers to feel lasting, complete relief from symptoms. That said, if you’re using CBD to aggressively treat an illness like cancer or MS, you may need to take higher doses to manage your condition effectively.
If this is you, don’t worry — CBD dosing is not an exact science, and it can take some time to find what works for you. Don’t be afraid to experiment, and do some research to point you in the right direction. Check out our resources to read more about CBD dosing, choosing the right products, and replacing your current pharmaceutical regimen with beneficial cannabinoids like CBD.
You could consume this product in larger quantities or more frequently throughout the day to alleviate your symptoms, but you could also purchase a stronger dosage strength, which is more efficient from both a product conservation and cost-saving perspective — and cbdMD has exceedingly high dosage strengths available — up to 7500 mg per ounce (250 mg per mL dose).
Best used for
We like this product best as a long-acting maintenance dose of CBD to fight chronic pain and inflammation, aid in recovery from injury or illness, provide immune-boosting and regulatory benefits, alleviate social and generalized anxiety symptoms, and much more. At this dosage strength, it’s best used for more severe symptoms like chronic pain, joint stiffness, inflammation, muscle spasms, tremors, anxiety, and depression. The antipsychotic properties of CBD mean that a high dose like this may have the potential to help treat mood disorders and other mental illnesses with psychotic features.
We found this oil to be effective for all of the symptoms we normally use CBD to treat, from pain and inflammation to symptoms of anxiety and depression to mood disorders and tremors. A majority of consumers will find relief at this dosage strength, but higher dosages are available from cbdMD for more intensive dosing as needed.