If you dabble with CBD oil or don’t take it every day, you may find that a single bottle can last quite a while. If your bottle of CBD oil is still going strong months after purchasing, you may be wondering if you need to worry about it expiring anytime soon.

The good news is that CBD has a relatively long shelf life, and there are actions you can take to help extend it even further.

What Is CBD?

CBD, or cannabidiol, is one of over 100 phytocannabinoids found in the cannabis plant. CBD is the main active component in hemp–a cannabis variety that contains the federally legal limit of THC, which is under 0.3% of the plant’s dry weight.

CBD is able to work within our body’s endocannabinoid system to help support our full-body wellbeing. CBD oil–which can be taken by placing a few drops directly under the tongue or by stirring into a favorite drink–can be used to calm the mind, ease feelings of tension and discomfort, and even support restful sleep.

While CBD oil works best if taken consistently, some people may only need to use CBD on occasion. If you are someone who only takes CBD when facing a rare night of restlessness or to soothe sore or tense muscles that only crop up here and there, you may find that a single bottle of CBD oil is lasting you quite a while.

So what do you need to know about CBD’s shelf life? How worried do you need to be about it going bad on you? And what can you do to extend your bottle’s shelf life? Read on to have all of your questions answered!

What Is CBD’s Shelf Life?

CBD’s shelf life typically falls anywhere between 14 months and two years. This means that a bottle of CBD oil should stay good for at least 14 months from when you purchase it and open it.

But, be aware of how you store your CBD when not in use! A number of factors could reduce or extend your CBD’s lifespan.

What Can Affect CBD’s Shelf Life?

Here are some of the factors you’ll want to keep in mind when it comes to your CBD’s shelf life:

Heat and Sunlight

While spending some time in the sun can do wonders for your mood, it’s best to leave the CBD inside, as direct sunlight and heat can degrade CBD’s bioactive ingredients, ultimately lowering its shelf life.

Moisture

Exposure to moisture can potentially lead to the growth of bacteria in CBD oils over time, reducing its shelf life.

Extraction Process Choice

The way CBD products are made can also affect their overall shelf life. The less processed your CBD is, the longer it can typically last. This is one of the many reasons you’ll want to seek out products that contain high-quality CBD.

When it comes to the process of extracting CBD from the cannabis plant, the CO2 extraction method is considered the best. This is because the cannabinoids remain stable during this process, whereas other extraction processes such as alcohol use can degrade the quality of the cannabinoids and affect their potency and shelf life.

Carrier Oil Choice and Other Included Ingredients

CBD oils combine CBD and a carrier oil that helps the body break down and absorb the CBD so that it can be used within the body. Some CBD oils also include other ingredients, such as herb compounds or essential oils that can add flavor or other potential benefits.

These oils and ingredients have their own shelf life, which can play a role in determining how long the product will last.

You’ll want to check the product’s certification of analysis to see all ingredients used, and also look at the expiration date to get a sense of how long the product should stay good for.

Can CBD Go Bad?

The risk associated with using expired CBD isn’t that it’ll go bad, but that it won’t work as well. The bioactive ingredients break down over time, which reduces the potency, meaning they can no longer provide the same levels of support within the endocannabinoid system.

How Can I Tell My CBD Is Expired? 

If your CBD is past its prime, here are some tell-tale signs:

1. Aroma: The aroma may have changed from the subtle earthiness associated with the cannabinoid to a less appealing “skunky” scent.
2. Appearance: If the oil in your bottle is starting to appear thicker or darker than before, this is unfortunately a sign that your CBD’s best days are probably behind it. If the oil looks cloudy, that may just mean it was in the cold for a while, but if the cloudiness doesn’t dissipate within a few minutes of sitting out at room temperature, that could be a sign that the CBD oil is starting to go.

Can Bad CBD Oil Make Me Sick?

Luckily, even expired CBD is unlikely to make you sick, especially if taken in small doses.

However, it’s best to play it safe and get rid of any CBD product that is expired, over two years old, or has any of the signs of CBD-gone-bad as listed above. Even if it doesn’t make you sick, it won’t provide you with the full benefits that active CBD has to offer.

You should also only use CBD products that have an expiration date on the label, as these are required for consumer products.

How To Store CBD To Help Extend Shelf Life

Want to make the most of your CBD? Here are a few ways to help keep your CBD fresh to help it last through the two-year range of the shelf life.

Keep Cool and Dry

Many CBD oils already come in tinted or opaque bottles to help protect the CBD from sunlight damage, but you can protect it even further by storing it in a cool, dry place. No need to refrigerate, though! CBD does well in room temperature (60-70 degrees F).

To ensure your CBD stays cool and dry, consider keeping it in a drawer or cabinet rather than out on a table or desk.

Over-exposure to moisture may lead to mold, so try to keep CBD away from humidity. A drawer in your bedroom is probably a safer spot than your bathroom’s medicine cabinet.

Because heat can potentially promote bacteria growth, store your CBD far from heating vents, radiators, and ovens. You also don’t want to keep CBD in a purse or pocket for extended periods of time to lower the risk of it becoming too warm.

Keep Airtight

Make sure to keep the bottle closed whenever you aren’t using it, and make sure the cap is on tight, as exposing your CBD to oxidation can reduce its shelf life.

You’ll also want to keep any tablets, softgels, or gummies in their original container to ensure they stay airtight.

It is also best to store your bottle upright, rather than horizontally.

Keep Clean

Avoid bringing outside bacteria into the oil by always handling with clean hands. If you are using a spoon rather than the bottle dropper to gather or mix CBD, make sure it is clean before using.

evo hemp’s CBD oil

At evo hemp, we use high-quality ingredients and sustainably source all of our CBD from Black and Indigenous farmers to provide you with long-lasting CBD products you can feel good about using–whether you take CBD every day or just once a month!

Check out our shop to find CBD oils, along with other high-quality CBD and hemp products so good you won’t even need to worry about the expiration date because it’ll be gone with how much you’ll want to use them!

Sources:

Farm Bill | USDA

Utilisation of Design of Experiments Approach to Optimise Supercritical Fluid Extraction of Medicinal Cannabis | Scientific Reports