Maybe you've bought CBD oils before and are trying the new CBDA product, and want to make sure you dont lose potency over time. Is there any difference between CBD oils and CBDA oils?
While CBDA can lose potency over time like CBD, it is more sensitive to light exposure and high heat. With proper storage you can keep CBDA for up to two years and with minimal change
Article Highlights
- Keep your CBDA oil product out of sunlight and in a cool and dark place.
- If your CBDA oil is exposed to sunlight for an extended period of time, it will convert to CBD.
- CBDA should come in a brown bottle or other light inhibiting container to reduce exposure to UV rays from the sun.
What is CBDA?
The hemp plant creates over 100 different cannabinoids, mostly in the flower, and all are in the "acidic form". But what are acidic cannabinoids like CBDA (cannabidiolic acid)?
CBDA oil is the precursor to CBD oil (cannabidiol), converting to its neutral form when exposed to heat during extraction and processing. In fact, all cannabinoids in the hemp plant are derived from the mother cannabinoid CBGA (cannabigerolic acid).
CBDA is more difficult to purify than CBD oil because you cant use heat in the process. But CBDA has amazing new benefits as well, including enhanced absorption!
Why proper storage is important and how to best store CBDA
When stored correctly, cannabinoids are safe and stable for long term storage. However, they can go bad if stored improperly, or if left out for years.- Both CBDA and CBD oil expire if exposed to prolonged and direct sunlight, such as sitting on a windowsill.
- Some natural flavors that are present in the hemp oil may go bad before the CBDA or CBD oil does.
- If your CBDA or CBD oils expire, it will not cause harm, it just wont do much for you.
- Store CBDA and CBD oil in a cool and dark place for best long shelf life optimization.
If your CBDA oil is left out in the sunlight for an extended period of time (months), you now have CBD oil. While you wont get the benefit of CBDA oil, you will get some benefits from CBD oil.
Brown bottle trick
At Natural Dos, we put all our CBDA in light insensitive containers, such as brown bottles or metal tins. Make sure your CBDA oil or CBD oil comes in a container that can keep light out for maintaining long term shelf life.
Does CBDA need to be refrigerated?
You can refrigerate or freeze CBDA or CBD oil, and this will help extend the shelf life of CBDA or CBD oil. However, if your CBDA product is in a tincture form, it may make the solution thick and cloudy. Just leave the tincture out at room temperature for an hour and it will be back to normal.
Cooling your CBDA or CBD products will not damage them, just let them warm up to room temperature. Don't heat or microwave them to speed up the process.
If you live in an exceptionally hot climate, we would recommend that you keep your CBDA oil stored properly in a refrigerator. Extreme temperatures on the hot side can certainly cause your CBDA to convert to CBD!
Does CBDA oil degrade like CBD oil?
No.
When exposed to direct sunlight or hot temperatures, CBDA decarboxylates into CBD. This chemical term refers to the process where CBDA losses a carboxylic acid in the form of CO2, thus forming the CBD compound.
This process is different for CBD products, since the CBD oil will oxidize to a form that does not have health benefits.
How long can you store CBDA oil?
It is a fact of life that all organic compounds will break down over time. The speed of breakdown is determined by the amount of heat and oxygen interacting with your CBD or CBDA product.
This is why people use vacuum seal for long term storage, and/or keeping their flower or CBDA product out of sunlight and heat.
Most CBDA product's shelf life is 1-2 years depending on how well you store CBDA oil. The major catalyst for CBDA conversion to CBD is exposure to heat, such as heating vents, left outside in the sun, in the car during the summer.
How long is my CBDA oil good for once I open it?
You will run out of your product well before any changes occur to it. However, to maximize your shelf life, store the CBDA oil in a cool and dark place until you are finished with it.
Make sure to secure the lid after using the CBDA oil every time to minimize further degradation from air exposure.
What is the shelf life of CBDA?
CBDA stored in a cool and dry place can last up to two years. It is more likely that the natural flavors in a tincture would go bad before the CBDA does.
If you want to maximize your shelf life of CBDA, you can refrigerate CBDA oil. Storing CBDA oil at room temperature is still a very stable and long term option.
Signs of expired CBDA oil
If you think your CBDA product is expired, check for these top signs:- The color of the tincture has turned dark, or is much darker than the original light orange colors.
- There is an odd smell, as some of the flavors may have oxidized and gone bad.
- Product expiry date is past due. Always check the expiration date!
- Your not feeling the same effect from your product.
Finding top CBDA oil products
We may be biased, but Natural Dos carries high quality CBDA products, at high doses.
All our CBDA products are third party lab tested, and come with a 180 day money back guarantee.
If you are looking for CBDA products, make sure to check for a certificate of analysis (CoA) that shows the testing results. If you are not familiar with how to interpret a CoA, see our article on how to read a CoA.
Types of CBDA products
There are a number of different CBDA products, which, generally speaking, are made with two different types of CBDA oil:- Natural Spectrum CBDA oil: this is a full spectrum CBDA oil popularized by Natural Dos, and contains all the acidic cannabinoids found in the hemp plant.
- CBDA isolate: this type of CBDA is purified and seperated from the other cannabinoids found in the hemp plant. You lose the entourage effect without including other cannabinoids.
- CBDA tinctures: Natural Dos tinctures are made with MCT oil, some people use hemp seed oil, mixed with CBDA oil and typically an extract for flavor, such as mint or orange.
- CBDA gummies: Natural Dos tropical vegan gummies are made with all natural ingredients, and CBDA oil. Always infused, never sprayed!
- CBDA breath mints: Made with organic powdered sugar, CBDA oil, peppermint extract and other natural ingredients, these taste great and leave you relaxed with great breath.
- CBDA capsules: Always a popular form, these can pack a punch due to the high amounts of CBDA oil we can put in them.