Apetropics One Chews is a cannabidiol (CBD) product that’s used for pain relief. The brand claims that using the supplement is “like flipping the ‘ON’ switch to your brain for improved focus…while turning ‘OFF’ aches and pains.”
But is CBD actually effective for pain relief or are these just marketing claims? Do Apetropics One Chews contain other research-backed pain relief ingredients? Does the supplement contain any questionable additive ingredients?
In this article we’ll answer all of these questions and more as we review the ingredients in Apetropics One Chews based on medical studies to give our take on whether the product is likely to be effective for pain relief or if it’s a waste of money.
Does CBD Relieve Pain?
Many consumers use CBD for pain relief and there have been medical studies testing its effectiveness.
A medical review published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences analyzed data from tens of animal and human studies on how CBD works to achieve pain relief. The study authors concluded that “CBD is a well-tolerated and safe natural compound exerting [pain-relieving] effects in various animal models of pain, as well as clinical studies.”
However, the researchers noted a lack of clinical trials on long-term CBD use for chronic pain.
As we referenced in our review of Pure Kana CBD Gummies, there’s also a lack of clarity on the effective dosing range of CBD for pain. Some of the clinical trials cited in the medical review included doses below the amount in Apetropics One Chews, but some used doses much higher.
A survey of real patients who use CBD for chronic pain, published in the Journal of Pain Research, reports that 59% of patients using CBD for chronic pain find the treatment to provide benefits.
Based on the available research, we conclude that CBD is potentially effective for pain relief. We hope to see more long-term studies on CBD for chronic pain in the future, but the early research is promising.
Apetropics One Chews Ingredient Analysis
Apetropics One Chews contain other active ingredients beyond CBD along with some inactive ingredients. The other active ingredients are lion’s mane mushroom extract, cordyceps mushroom extract and black pepper extract.
Lion’s mane mushroom extract was found to have anti-inflammatory effects in a test tube study, but we can’t identify any clinical trials with human participants showing it to have analgesic (pain relieving) effects.
Cordyceps mushroom extract was shown in a 2018 medical review to have potential pain relieving effects, but again these effects don’t appear to have been proven in a clinical trial with human trial subjects.
Black pepper extract is typically included in supplement formulations to increase the effects and absorption of other active ingredients, as we documented in our review of Golden Revive (another pain relief supplement containing this ingredient).
Unfortunately, while there are some potentially effective ingredients in this formulation, there are also some additive ingredients we recommend avoiding.
Cane sugar is an ingredient to avoid for individuals experiencing pain, because it’s been shown to increase inflammatory processes in the body according to a meta-study published in the Nutrients journal.
Artificial colors have medically-documented toxicity and carcinogenicity concerns, and no nutritive value, so we recommend avoiding them entirely.
Citric acid is a preservative shown to cause “significant inflammatory reactions” in some patients as documented by a series of medical case reports published in the Toxicology Reports journal.
Natural flavors is a broad categorical ingredient definition that fails to describe the specific chemical compounds used as flavoring agents.
Overall we consider this supplement to be potentially effective for pain relief given the effective dose of CBD and the mushroom ingredients. We do not recommend Apetropics One Chews due to the numerous questionable additive ingredients.
Questionable Media Claims
The product page for Apetropics One Chews on the Apetropics website has a banner stating that the product is “Trusted By Experts” with various logos of major media institutions.
However, there don’t appear to be experts at some of these companies recommending Apetropics One Chews.
We searched the USA Today website on Google (as shown above) for any mention of the brand Apetropics, and nothing appeared. Our search also returned no results for the Fox News website.
We consider this to be a serious red flag, and we hope that Apetropics clarifies why they are claiming to be associated with experts at these media institutions.
Do Apetropics One Chews Cause Side Effects?
Apetropics One Chews don’t appear to have been studied in any clinical trials, so it’s hard to say for certain whether or not they cause side effects to the average consumer.
We can make an educated guess based on the ingredients.
CBD is very well-studied and unlikely to cause side effects when used at a safe dose like the dose in Apetropics One Chews. This supplement is free of THC which is the psychoactive cannabinoid.
The mushroom ingredients are included at relatively low doses and both have clinical research backing so we don’t consider those likely to cause side effects.
The only ingredients we consider a side effect concern are the citric acid and artificial colorants. It’s shown in clinical research that artificial colorants may cause hyperactivity and neurotoxicity.
Overall we do not consider this supplement likely to cause side effects, although it contains inactive ingredients that may cause side effects in a small percentage of consumers.
Can Food-Based Supplements Relieve Pain?
Cinnamon is a spice that has been studied for its ability to reduce pain and support joint health.
A clinical trial published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition found that cinnamon supplementation at a daily dose of 500 mg reduced inflammation and joint swelling in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
A 2020 clinical trial found that cinnamon supplementation reduced inflammatory markers. The study authors concluded that “Cinnamon could be regarded as a safe supplement to relieve pain.”
Illuminate Labs manufactures a Ceylon Cinnamon Extract supplement that’s potent (standardized to minimum 8% flavonoids) and third-party tested to ensure purity and label accuracy (test results published transparently on the product page). It only costs $15 for a monthly subscription.
Interested consumers can check out Illuminate Labs Ceylon Cinnamon Extract at this link.
Collagen is the core structural protein in joints. The body produces it naturally, but its production decreases with age. Medical research has shown that collagen can reduce joint pain in athletes at a 10 gram (g) daily dose, and can reduce arthritic pain (meta-study, doses ranging between 40 mg and 10 g daily dose).
We recommend Bulletproof Collagen Powder as our top collagen product because it provides an effective collagen dose per serving (20 g) and contains one single ingredient: collagen peptides sourced from grass-fed animals. There are no questionable additives. This supplement only costs $45.16 for over a month's worth of product.
Interested consumers can check out Bulletproof Collagen powder at this link to the brand's official 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.
We do not recommend using dietary supplements to treat any specific medical condition related to pain, and we recommend that individuals speak with their doctor prior to using any supplement for pain relief.
