Hemp Seed Oil vs CBD Oil: What's the Difference and Which to Buy?

By AJ, Sports Nutritionist at BulletCBD · Updated 20 October 2026

Quick answer: In the hemp seed oil vs CBD oil question, the difference is where the oil comes from and what it contains. Hemp seed oil is pressed from the seeds and has no meaningful, labelled CBD content; CBD oil is a measured CBD extract from the plant's flowers and leaves, usually dissolved in a carrier oil. Our 4000mg Broad-Spectrum CBD Oil Spray actually uses both: 4000mg of CBD carried in organic hemp seed oil.

This matters because the two sit side by side online with similar green labels. Buy the wrong one and you either pay CBD prices for a salad oil, or start a CBD routine with no CBD in it.

What is the difference between hemp seed oil and CBD oil?

Hemp seed oil is a food oil; CBD oil is a cannabinoid supplement with a stated amount of CBD per bottle.

Hemp seeds contain very little cannabidiol, because CBD is made mainly in the resin of the flowers and leaves. Pressing the seeds gives a green, nutty oil rich in omega-6 and omega-3 fats, long sold as an ordinary food. CBD oil starts with an extraction step; the extract is refined into broad-spectrum or isolate and blended with a carrier oil at a known strength.

	Hemp seed oil	CBD oil
Made from	Pressed hemp seeds	Extract from hemp flowers and leaves, in a carrier oil
CBD content	Trace amounts at most, not stated on the label	A stated amount, e.g. 1000mg or 4000mg per bottle
UK food status	Not a novel food	CBD extracts are classed as novel foods
Typical use	Cooking, dressings, smoothies	Measured daily servings within the FSA's 10mg advice
Lab report	No cannabinoid content stated	Should come with a batch certificate of analysis

Does hemp seed oil contain CBD?

Hemp seed oil can contain traces of cannabinoids, but not a reliable or labelled amount of CBD.

Cannabinoids in seed oil tend to come from resin on the outside of the seed, so levels vary with harvesting and cleaning. A hemp seed oil label will not tell you how much CBD you are getting, because it is not designed to deliver any. If a "hemp oil" lists a big milligram figure without saying "CBD" or "cannabidiol", look closer. Our guide to reading a CBD oil label in 60 seconds walks through exactly what to check.

What does the research say about CBD oil and hemp seed oil?

Researchers are looking at two things: what is inside the bottles people buy, and what CBD itself does in active people.

Hemp seed oils vary widely. A 2020 study by Izzo and colleagues in the journal Molecules analysed 13 commercial hemp seed oils bought in Italy. It found cannabidiolic acid (CBDA, the raw form of CBD) in the samples, but at very different levels: the highest oil contained roughly 14 times more than the lowest, which held 0.28mg per gram. The authors concluded the oils differed markedly and called for clearer production standards. It is a small, single-country sample, but it shows seed oil is no substitute for a measured CBD product.

CBD labels are not always accurate either. A 2017 study in JAMA led by Marcel Bonn-Miller tested 84 CBD extracts from 31 companies sold online in the US. About 26% contained less CBD than stated and 42% contained more. As Bonn-Miller put it, "many people are spending a significant amount of money buying cannabidiol extract that actually has low levels". Closer to home, a 2019 report commissioned by the Centre for Medicinal Cannabis tested 30 CBD oils on sale in the UK and found that 38% contained less than half the advertised CBD, one contained none, and 45% had measurable THC.

CBD and exercise. On the CBD side, the evidence in sport is still early. A 2025 randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial in Sports Medicine – Open (Sahinovic and colleagues) gave 25 trained runners 0mg, 50mg or 300mg of CBD in MCT oil before a 60-minute run and a run to exhaustion. Neither dose changed how the runs felt, heart rate, time to exhaustion, muscle damage markers or next-day soreness compared with placebo. The authors concluded CBD at these doses was "not likely to be ergolytic nor ergogenic", in other words neither harmful nor helpful to performance. Note that both doses were well above the FSA's 10mg daily advice for healthy adults.

The honest takeaway: research on CBD and recovery is ongoing and results so far are mixed, while research on product quality is clear that testing and transparency matter.

Is hemp seed oil vs CBD oil treated differently under UK rules?

Yes. In the UK, hemp seed oil is an ordinary food, while CBD extracts fall under novel food rules.

The Food Standards Agency's CBD guidance lists "hemp seed oil, ground hemp seeds and partially defatted hemp seeds" among hemp foods that are not novel. Products made by extracting CBD, by contrast, "are CBD (Cannabidiol) extracts and are therefore classed as novel foods". That is why reputable CBD brands appear on the FSA's public list of products linked to a novel food application, and why the FSA advises healthy adults to limit CBD to 10mg a day. BulletCBD is on that list; you can read more about how we work on our why BulletCBD page.

How do you choose between hemp seed oil and CBD oil?

Choose by what you want from the bottle: a kitchen oil, or a measured amount of CBD for your daily routine.

1. Check for the word "CBD" or "cannabidiol" and a milligram figure. No stated CBD content means it is seed oil.
2. Look for a batch lab report. Every BulletCBD batch is tested in-house and then by independent third-party labs for cannabinoid content, heavy metals, pesticides and solvents.
3. Decide on spectrum. Broad-spectrum keeps other hemp compounds with 0% THC; isolate is 99%+ pure CBD. Our broad-spectrum vs isolate guide explains which suits drug-tested athletes.
4. Look at the carrier oil. Hemp seed oil gives a natural, nutty hemp taste; C8 MCT oil is neutral. Read more in what CBD oil is made from.
5. Compare pence per mg, not bottle price. It is the fairest way to compare strengths.

Which BulletCBD product suits you?

If you want CBD with the hemp seed oil character, our broad-spectrum range is built on organic hemp seed oil; if you prefer a clean taste, pick an isolate spray in C8 MCT oil.

• 4000mg Broad-Spectrum CBD Oil Spray, 50ml (£26.99): broad-spectrum CBD in organic hemp seed oil, natural hemp taste, around 0.67p per mg. The best of both oils in one metered, mess-free spray.
• 6000mg Mint CBD Oil Spray, 30ml (£34.95): 99%+ pure CBD isolate in C8 MCT oil with fresh mint, about 0.58p per mg, the best value in our range and the lowest-risk choice for tested athletes. No product can guarantee a test result, so check the batch report and your governing body's rules.

Prefer an oil with no CBD at all for the kitchen? Bullet Organics Pure C8 MCT Oil (£18.99, 500ml) is 100% C8 from coconut, unflavoured and odourless, stays liquid in the fridge and mixes into coffee, shakes, oats and dressings. It is the same oil that carries our isolate sprays, and it is popular with keto and low-carb eaters. Start with one teaspoon.

All BulletCBD products are made in the UK, vegan, 0% THC and lab-tested batch by batch. Whatever you choose, keep within the FSA's 10mg a day advice.

Frequently asked questions

Is hemp oil the same as CBD oil?

Not necessarily. "Hemp oil" often means hemp seed oil, which has no stated CBD. CBD oil lists a CBD amount in milligrams, such as 1000mg per bottle.

Is there research on CBD oil and exercise recovery?

Yes, but it is early. A 2025 trial of 25 trained runners found 50mg and 300mg doses made no measurable difference to performance or next-day soreness versus placebo. Researchers are still exploring the area.

Will hemp seed oil show up on a drug test?

Hemp seed oil can contain traces of cannabinoids, and levels vary between products. WADA removed CBD from its prohibited list in 2018 but THC remains prohibited, so tested athletes should check lab reports and their governing body's rules.

The bottom line

Hemp seed oil vs CBD oil comes down to this: one is a food oil with no stated CBD, the other is a measured, lab-tested CBD supplement, often made with hemp seed oil as its carrier. Read the label, ask for the batch report and compare pence per mg. If you want CBD with that natural hemp seed oil base, start with the 4000mg Broad-Spectrum CBD Oil Spray, with free UK delivery.

CBD food supplements are not suitable for under-18s, or for anyone pregnant or breastfeeding. If you take medication, speak to your GP or pharmacist before use. This article is general information, not medical advice. Sources: Izzo L. et al. (2020), "Chemical Analysis of Minor Bioactive Components and Cannabidiolic Acid in Commercial Hemp Seed Oil", Molecules 25(16):3710; Bonn-Miller M.O. et al. (2017), "Labeling Accuracy of Cannabidiol Extracts Sold Online", JAMA 318(17):1708–1709, and quote via MedicalResearch.com; Centre for Medicinal Cannabis (2019), independent testing of 30 UK CBD products, as reported by NORML; Sahinovic A. et al. (2025), "The Acute Effects of Cannabidiol on Physiological and Subjective Responses to Endurance Exercise", Sports Medicine – Open 11:96; Cannabidiol (CBD) guidance, GOV.UK; World Anti-Doping Agency Prohibited List.