If you have read a CBD lab report, you may have noticed two lines: CBD and CBDA. They are closely related. CBDA is the form the hemp plant makes, and CBD is what it becomes after heat.
What is CBDA?
CBDA (cannabidiolic acid) is the acidic form of CBD. Living hemp plants do not make much CBD directly. They make CBDA, which builds up in the flowers and leaves.
How CBDA becomes CBD
When CBDA is heated, it loses a small part of its molecule (a carboxyl group) and releases carbon dioxide. This process is called decarboxylation, and the result is CBD. It happens during drying and curing, and much more quickly during extraction and processing, when hemp is heated on purpose.
How they appear on a lab report
Labs report CBD and CBDA separately, then calculate “Total CBD” with this formula:
Total CBD = CBD + (CBDA × 0.877)
The 0.877 factor accounts for the weight CBDA loses when it converts. A raw hemp extract may show a lot of CBDA. A finished product made with CBD isolate will usually show CBD and list CBDA as “ND” (not detected), because the CBDA was converted and refined out. See our guide to reading a CBD lab report.
Why products use one or the other
- CBD products are the most common. CBD is stable and easy to measure, and it is what most labels mean by “CBD.”
- CBDA products are less common and are usually made with raw, unheated extract. CBDA is less stable and slowly converts to CBD over time, especially with heat or light.
Research on both compounds is ongoing, and neither is approved by the FDA as a treatment for any condition.
Our products
Discount Pharms CBD gummies and Airlie CBD topicals are made with hemp CBD isolate. Their lab reports are on each product page.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Our products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. This article is general information, not medical or legal advice. Talk to your doctor before using CBD, especially if you are pregnant, nursing or take medication.