Cannabidiol (CBD) gummies are now a popular way to manage stress and anxiety. Explore our top options and gain insights from our product testers on which gummy may be a good fit for you.
In a 2023 Healthline survey, 79% of those who reported being interested in trying CBD said they were specifically interested in CBD gummies. And while older adults are interested in CBD as a pain management tool, younger adults said they’re drawn to CBD for its potential to reduce anxiety.
In this article, you’ll find our picks for the best CBD gummies for anxiety — all vetted by our team of experts. We also asked editors who experience anxiety to test the gummies and provide honest feedback.
Brands may have provided some of the gummies below for free. However, our opinions and reviews are ours alone and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by the brands.
• mixed results for anxiety
• may cause brain fuzziness
• not the best tasting
• bad aftertaste
We selected these CBD gummies for anxiety and stress based on criteria we think are good indicators of safety, quality, and transparency.
As a part of our vetting process, we consider:
- the product’s composition, ingredients, and overall quality
- any third-party certifications
- the company’s reputation and business practices
- any lab test results
- marketing claims
Read more about how we vet products and brands.
We also tested each of these products before recommending them, judging them on qualities such as taste and potency and what the experience is like using them. Learn more about how we test CBD products.
We’ve vetted over 150 gummies by more than 50 different brands. We’ve tested 20 of these gummies after they passed initial vetting (read: they have updated COAs and no misleading health or marketing claims).
Our Medical Standards and Insights team has carefully researched and vetted over 11,000 products and services. We fact-check health claims, evaluate ingredients, and look into each brand’s reputation before sharing products and services on Healthline.
To choose the products on this page, we considered all the CBD gummies that passed our vetting process. Then, we personally tested some of them to narrow down our list even further. Read more about how we test CBD products.
Current research suggests that CBD may help reduce the symptoms of certain types of anxiety, such as:
Another
However, it’s worth noting that while this research is promising, it is limited. We’ve yet to see any studies about how CBD gummies specifically affect anxiety symptoms over tinctures or other forms. Your experience may vary based on the intensity and cause of your anxiety. CBD certainly isn’t a cure-all, but it can be a helpful supplemental tool.
It’s easy to purchase CBD gummies over the counter. However, that doesn’t mean it’s without risks.
If you’re taking medication for any type of anxiety disorder, don’t assume you can stop taking it and use CBD instead.
More research is needed before CBD can be considered an effective treatment alternative. And right now, it’s not an approved treatment for any mental health condition. There are also no studies on its potential long-term effects.
Another thing to keep in mind is that while CBD may help bring calm, THC has the potential to induce panic attacks in some people. That means people with anxiety might respond negatively to full-spectrum CBD, which contains both THC and CBD.
If you experience anxiety and want to try CBD, make sure to talk with a healthcare professional, or mental health professional before doing so.
All CBD products may contain trace THC
Since CBD products come from cannabis, they may include trace levels of THC. That’s true even for “THC-free” products.
If you undergo drug testing, you may want to avoid CBD products altogether.
If you’re not concerned with drug testing but still want to avoid THC, isolate products will be as close to THC-free as you can get.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
CBD may interact with certain medications, including those with a grapefruit warning. It’s important to talk with a clinician before trying any kind of CBD product, especially if you take medications or supplements.
Be careful about what you eat when taking CBD. Taking a chew or gummy alongside a high fat meal can heighten your risk of experiencing side effects, according to a
Lastly, keep in mind that CBD gummies look a lot like candy, but they’re only intended for adults over 18 years old. Keep them out of reach of children and pets.
When to contact a doctor
CBD may lower anxiety, but more research on its effects is needed. CBD gummies are not fast-acting, so they may not be the right choice for acute symptoms or anxiety attacks. If you’re experiencing severe anxiety or persistent anxiety symptoms, you may want to visit a healthcare professional.
You may also want to visit a healthcare professional if:
- you’re worrying so much that it’s getting in the way of your daily life, including taking care of yourself, school, work, or your social life
- your anxiety upsets you and is difficult to manage on your own
- you feel depressed or have other mental health conditions besides anxiety
- you feel as if your anxiety may be caused by an underlying mental health condition or another health issue
- you’re experiencing suicidal thoughts
Check the product label for the manufacturer’s recommendation. However, the appropriate dosing for you will depend on your body chemistry, weight, and tolerance levels, which means some trial and error may be warranted.
If you’re new to CBD, it’s best to start with a low dose to assess the effects before increasing the dose. You might consider starting with half a gummy (depending on potency), waiting a few hours, and then taking the other half if needed.
Panic disorder is a form of anxiety. A recent animal study suggests that cannabidiol, an active ingredient of CBD gummies, may help reduce fear-related responses, by supporting the brain’s ability to unlearn fear and prevent it from coming back.
However, more studies are needed to determine whether CBD, and specifically CBD gummies, can help with panic disorder.
CBD gummies may help if you experience anxiety, though more research is needed to determine their risks and benefits.
Gummies are also a helpful way to try CBD for the first time. They’re convenient and don’t have the aftertaste or aroma of other cannabis-derived products.
Healthline has sole editorial control over this article. Potential uses for the products listed here are not health claims made by the manufacturers. The information in this article is intended to be general in nature. It’s not intended to be a substitute for medical advice from a healthcare professional. Healthline encourages you to make any treatment decisions with your healthcare professional.
Is CBD legal? The 2018 Farm Bill removed hemp from the legal definition of marijuana in the Controlled Substances Act. This made some hemp-derived CBD products with less than 0.3% THC legal at the federal level. However, CBD products containing more than 0.3% THC still fall under the legal definition of marijuana, making them illegal at the federal level. Some states have legalized CBD, so be sure to check state laws, especially when traveling. Also, keep in mind that the FDA has not approved nonprescription CBD products, and some products may be inaccurately labeled.
