Disclaimer: None of the information in this article constitutes medical advice. All statements are merely the opinion of the writer(s). We recommend that patients follow their doctor’s guidance in regard to CBD.
PureKana is a popular cannabidiol (CBD) brand that sells CBD oil and CBD gummies, along with other CBD products. The brand claims that their products are “made with premium natural ingredients” and “lab tested for quality & safety.”
But are PureKana formulations actually superior to other CBD brands? Do their products contain any questionable additives like added sugar or flavoring agents? How does the price compare to similar products from other CBD brands?
In this article we’ll answer these questions and more by analyzing the ingredients in PureKana’s most popular products: their CBD oil and their CBD gummies. We'll first review some medical studies on CBD to determine if the compound has any proven health benefits.
Does CBD Actually Work?
CBD is typically used for three main reasons by consumers: to relieve stress, to reduce pain and to aid sleep. The compound has been studied for all three outcomes in clinical trials.
A medical review published in the Journal of the American Pharmacists Association analyzed the effectiveness of CBD for general anxiety and anxiety-related disorders. The researchers looked into data from 6 clinical trials on the topic and concluded that “CBD has a promising role as alternative therapy in the management of anxiety disorders.”
CBD was found to reduce anxiety scores for patients with generalized anxiety, and with social anxiety. No serious side effects were noted.
A more recent medical review published in 2020 found that CBD may have analgesic (pain-relieving) effects. The study authors reviewed data from various clinical trials on CBD used to treat different types of pain, such as arthritic pain, inflammatory pain and neuropathic pain.
The researchers stated that CBD “has the potential” to be an anti-inflammatory supplement, but that it’s too early to say so definitively. They described CBD as “a substance of great therapeutic potential.”
A meta-study published in the CNS Drugs journal examined the effects of cannabinoids (including CBD) on insomnia. Data from over 200 patients that enrolled in studies on cannabinoid supplementation and insomnia was analyzed.
The study authors found that cannabinoids improved sleep quality ratings after 4 weeks, and even more so after 8 weeks. At both points in time, the improvement of sleep quality was statistically significant.
Overall we consider CBD to be potentially effective for anxiety, chronic pain and sleep, but the research is still too early-stage to say so definitively. CBD has a very favorable safety profile.
PureKana CBD Oil Review
PureKana sells CBD oil in a wide variety of flavors. We would always recommend the unflavored version from a health perspective, because flavoring agents are loosely regulated and may pose toxicity concerns, according to a medical review published in a well-respected journal.
The good news is that the unflavored version of PureKana CBD oil has a clean formulation that we would approve of. The only active ingredient is full spectrum hemp extract and the carrier oil is MCT oil which is a safe and non-toxic choice. There are no questionable additives in this product.
PureKana publishes lab reports on each of their product pages proving that their CBD oil is free of pesticides, heavy metals and other contaminants, which is a sign of a high-quality brand.
Is There a Scam Involving PureKana?
One of the most popular YouTube reviews of PureKana is published by a creator named Jordan Liles, who suggests that there is a scam involved in the marketing of this brand. This doesn't necessarily mean the brand is involved in any way, but suggests that some of the publishers and affiliate marketing partners are promoting the brand in an inaccurate and unethical way.
We recommend any consumers considering PureKana give this review a watch:
PureKana CBD Gummies Review
PureKana also sells a popular CBD gummies product called PureKana Premium CBD Gummies. We typically recommend CBD oil over CBD gummies, but for a gummy supplement this one is pretty well formulated.
PureKana CBD gummies contain 2 grams (g) of added sugar per serving, which is relatively low. They’re naturally colored with botanical ingredients like black carrot juice concentrate which is a much healthier option than the artificial colors that many brands use.
Citric acid is a preservative and flavor enhancer shown in medical research to cause whole-body inflammatory reactions in a small subset of individuals.
This formulation does contain natural flavors which we generally recommend avoiding, but which nearly all CBD gummies contain.
These gummies cost $69.99 and contain 1,000 mg CBD, which equates to only $0.07 per mg. Surprisingly this is more cost-effective than the brand's CBD oil.
Bad BBB Reviews
PureKana has an average customer review score on the Better Business Bureau (BBB) website of 1.34/5 which is relatively unimpressive. While many companies have low scores on that site because customers are more likely to leave a review when they're upset than when they're pleased, this is a particularly low score.
For a few comparative examples, CBDistillery (which is another major CBD brand) has an average rating of 3.18/5 and Charlotte's Web has an average rating of 3.09/5.
PureKana does reply to the negative reviews to try and resolve whatever issue is occuring, which is a good sign.
Many of the negative reviews involve customers being billed for recurring orders when they claim to have only signed up for a one-time order.
A review from a user named "Shannon" states the following:
"I placed an order for just a ONE time order of CBD gummies and they keep charging my account even though when I go to my PureKana account it says no recent order and no payment on file. So how are they still able to keep charging my credit card $159/monthly!!!!!"
Our Clean CBD Picks
Feals CBD Oil is our top CBD oil pick.
It has a clean formulation of organic hemp extract and organic coconut medium-chain triglycerides, and no questionable additive ingredients. We consider CBD oil to be a healthier option than CBD gummies because it's free of added sugar and added flavors.
Interested consumers can check out Feals CBD Oil at this link to the product page on the official brand's website.
Cornbread CBD Gummies is our top CBD gummy pick.
This is the healthiest CBD gummy formulation we've come across, because the brand uses organic flavoring and organic beetroot for color. The brand publishes third-party test results proving their supplement is as potent as advertised and low in contaminants like pesticides.
Interested consumers can check out Cornbread CBD Gummies at this link to the product page on the official brand's website.
Cornbread CBD Lotion is our top pick for a topical CBD product.
CBD is clinically shown to be effectively absorbed through the skin, and CBD caused "significant improvements in pain" when applied topically in a 2020 clinical trial.
This lotion also contains menthol, which was shown in a 2022 clinical trial to reduce pain scores.
Interested consumers can check out Cornbread CBD Lotion at this link to the product page on the official brand's website.
