IngredientsBotanical name: Cannabis sativa L. (family Cannabaceae). The plant is commonly divided into drug-type (marijuana) and non-drug-type (hemp) varieties based on delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC) content. Cannabis sativa L. is a herbaceous plant native to Central Asia and is broadly classified into drug-type (marijuana) and non-drug-type (hemp) varieties based on Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol content. Within hemp, cultivar groups cultivated today include those grown for fiber and those grown for seed, from which hemp oil is extracted.
Common names: Hemp seed oil, hempseed oil (HSO), Cannabis oil (when referring to the cold-pressed seed product). This article focuses specifically on oil derived from the seeds of non-drug industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa L.), distinct from CBD oil (which is extracted from the flowers, leaves, and aerial parts) and distinct from marijuana-derived extracts.
Origin: Hemp is the common name of Cannabis sativa L., which belongs to the Cannabaceae family. Numerous researchers agree that it probably originates from Eastern or Central Asia and presumably from China, where it was cultivated mostly for its medicinal properties. Hemp was introduced and cultivated in many European regions approximately from the 22nd until the 16th century BC. It was primarily cultivated for fiber, textiles, and animal feed; however, it gradually declined during the first half of the 20th century due to legal issues regarding the content of psychotropic substances.
Seed oil content: Depending on the variety and cultivation conditions, hemp seeds contain approximately 28–35% oil.
Cannabis sativa is a complex plant with a long and outstanding history of more than 4,000 years in Asia, mainly in India. Over the years, cannabis plants have been used for religious, hedonic, and medicinal purposes.
China: The seed of the hemp plant (Cannabis sativa L.) has been revered as a nutritional resource in Old World cultures. After the rise of Confucianism, around 200 BCE, ritual, psychoactive and medicinal uses of Cannabis started to decline, and seeds were used as snacks and pressed for oil.
India: In traditional medicine of India in particular, Cannabis sativa has been used as hallucinogenic, hypnotic, sedative, analgesic, and anti-inflammatory agent. The plant was used therapeutically in India by 1000 BC. It was used in food and drink, including bhang, an edible preparation made from the leaves of the cannabis plant and traditionally consumed during the spring festival of Maha Shivaratri and Holi.
Medieval Islamic world: In the medieval Islamic world, including Northern Africa as well as Al-Andalus in present-day Spain and Portugal, Arabic physicians made use of the diuretic, antiemetic, antiepileptic, anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antipyretic properties of Cannabis sativa, and used it extensively as medication from the 8th to 18th centuries.
19th-century Western medicine: In the mid-19th century, medical interest in the use of cannabis began to grow in the West. In the 19th century cannabis was one of the secret ingredients in several so-called patent medicines. There were at least 2,000 cannabis medicines prior to 1937, produced by more than 280 manufacturers.
Seed-specific preparations: Ancient preparation methods for hemp seeds included grinding them into flour for bread making, pressing them for oil extraction, and consuming them whole as a porridge or added to other dishes. Historical sources also document the use of hemp seed oil for hair and skin, with an ancient Indian reference describing the oil as used for falling hair and dryness of the throat. The oil is used for falling hair, sulfur poisoning, and dryness of the throat.
Scope note: It is important to distinguish traditional references to cannabis-plant preparations (which may include aerial parts high in cannabinoids) from historical uses of the pressed seed oil specifically. Many traditional ethnobotanical sources describe whole-plant preparations; the seed oil, with its distinct fatty acid–dominant composition, represents a nutritional product that has been used across cultures principally as a food, condiment, and topical emollient.
The saponifiable fraction (fatty acids) constitutes the dominant portion of hemp seed oil. Cold-pressed hemp seed oil boasts an approximate composition of 80% polyunsaturated fatty acids, predominantly comprising vital linoleic acid (18:2 n-6, LA) and α-linolenic acid (18:3 n-3, ALA), aligning harmoniously with the optimal 3:1 ratio recommended by human nutritional guidelines.
More specifically, the lipid profile shows that linoleic acid (55%), α-linolenic acid (16%), and oleic acid (11%) are the most abundant fatty acids. The concentration of unsaturated fatty acids exceeds 90%, higher than most conventional vegetable oils. Moreover, polyunsaturated fatty acids range from 76.26% to 82.75% and are mainly composed of linoleic acid and α-linolenic acid with a ratio close to 3:1. γ-Tocopherol was found at an average concentration of 28.23 mg/100 g of hempseed oil.
Hemp seed oil is a unique source of polyunsaturated fatty acids, with a phenomenal ω6:ω3 ratio of 2.5–3.0, significantly enhancing human health when consumed daily.
Hemp seed oil also contains gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), a relatively unusual omega-6 fatty acid. Hempseed oil was found to exhibit a desirable ratio of omega-6 and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids considered optimal for human nutrition. HSO also contains gamma-linoleic acid (GLA) and non-psychoactive cannabinoids, which further contribute to its potential bioactive properties. GLA is present at approximately 2–3% of the oil. Whole hemp seeds are very rich in essential fatty acids (EFAs) and other polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), including the omega-6 FA linoleic acid (LA) and the omega-3 FAs ALA and stearidonic acid (SDA), which can more easily be converted to EPA.
A yield of 1.84–1.92% of unsaponifiable matter was obtained from hemp seed oil, and the most interesting compounds were β-sitosterol (1905.00 ± 59.27 mg/kg of oil), campesterol (505.69 ± 32.04 mg/kg of oil), phytol (167.59 ± 1.81 mg/kg of oil), cycloartenol (90.55 ± 3.44 mg/kg of oil), and γ-tocopherol (73.38 ± 2.86 mg/100 g of oil).
Tocopherols: The unsaponifiable fraction of hemp seed oil contains tocopherols, including the isomers α-, β-, γ-, and δ-tocopherol. These are the primary antioxidants in hemp seed oil, protecting it from oxidation by scavenging free radicals.
Phytosterols: β-sitosterol and other phytosterols dominate the unsaponifiable fraction. Hemp seed oil has been demonstrated to include healthy polyunsaturated fatty acids, as well as antioxidant tocopherols and anti-inflammatory phytosterols in its unsaponifiable fraction. The most abundant compounds in the unsaponifiable fraction of HSO are β-sitosterol, campesterol, phytol, cycloartenol, and γ-tocopherol.
Polyphenols and lignanamides: A wide range of polyphenols have been identified in hemp, especially flavonoids such as flavanones, flavanols, flavonols, and isoflavones; the predominant phenolics in hemp seeds are simple and complex lignanamides, which display interesting and diverse biological activities, including feeding deterrent activity, insecticidal effects, and anti-inflammatory activity. Hemp seeds, flour, and oil contained 767 ± 41, 744 ± 29, and 21 ± 5 mg GAE/Kg total polyphenols, respectively.
Terpenes: Analysis by gas chromatography (GC–MS/Olfactometry GC–MS) identified α-pinene, β-pinene, sabinene, α-phellandrene, linalool, and 1,3,8-p-menthatriene as the most abundant terpenes in hemp seed oil samples.
Phytol: Phytol, an acyclic diterpene isolated and identified in hemp seed oil, may help to better understand specific mechanisms by which this compound exerts beneficial effects on monocyte-macrophage plasticity.
Several cannabinoids have been found in hemp seed oil even though hemp seeds do not naturally contain cannabinoids. Their presence is due to contact of hemp seeds with the resin located on flowers, leaves, or bracts, so they are considered "impurities" or "contaminants" of hemp seed oil. The FDA clarifies that even though hemp is from the same species as cannabis (marijuana), the seeds themselves do not naturally contain tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Hemp seed–derived ingredients "contain only trace amounts of THC and CBD, which the seeds may pick up during harvesting and processing when they are in contact with other parts of the plant." Consumption of these hemp seed–derived ingredients is not capable of making consumers "high."
The anti-inflammatory benefits of omega-3 fatty acids are suggested to be linked to displacement of the pro-inflammatory omega-6 fatty acid arachidonic acid from phospholipid membranes and downregulation of the inflammasome in various tissues, including adipose tissue. Omega-3 FAs also exert part of their health benefits by modulating the endocannabinoid system (ECS) and the gut microbiome, both of which are key regulators of several aspects of cardiometabolic health and energy metabolism.
While arachidonic acid–derived ligands such as anandamide and 2-AG are indispensable for baseline endocannabinoid signaling, excessive omega-6 intake skews ECS activity toward pro-inflammatory and metabolically dysregulated states. Hemp seeds counter this imbalance by providing alpha-linolenic acid alongside linoleic acid in a physiologically favorable ratio, enabling the endogenous production of EPA- and DHA-derived ethanolamides that compete for the same degradative enzymes. This competitive inhibition represents a nutritional mechanism for moderating ECS signaling intensity rather than suppressing it outright.
The presence of gamma-linolenic acid further distinguishes hemp seeds from other botanical fat sources. By feeding into DGLA pathways that suppress leukotriene synthesis, GLA reduces inflammatory signaling upstream of ECS engagement.
The discovery of a skin endocannabinoid system and its role in maintaining skin homeostasis, alongside the anti-inflammatory actions of cannabinoids, has raised interest in their use for the treatment of skin inflammatory diseases. The basis of CBD application in products intended for treating dermatological conditions such as acne, atopic dermatitis, or psoriasis is its ability to modulate the skin's inflammatory response. CBD inhibits nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) and its inflammatory signaling pathway via stimulation of the kinase IKK (IκB kinase).
Linoleic acid, the dominant fatty acid in hemp seed oil, plays a structural role in skin barrier integrity. When metabolized, linoleic acid is incorporated into ceramides and omega-hydroxy ceramides that comprise the skin's protective lipid barrier, reducing transepidermal water loss. The α-linolenic acid that can be found in hemp seed oil has anti-inflammatory and immunoregulatory activities, while the profile of fatty acids of hemp seed oil was also demonstrated to have positive effects on skin appearance and function.
Antioxidant phytomolecules, such as tocopherols, phenols, polyphenols, and lignanamides in the oil, are important for cell protection against oxidative stress. Tocopherol isomers α-, β-, γ-, and δ-tocopherol represent the dominant antioxidants in hempseed oil, protecting it from oxidation thanks to their ability to scavenge free radicals.
In addition to its nutritional value, hemp seed is also rich in natural antioxidants such as phenolic compounds, tocopherols, and phytosterols, which may play a role in reducing the risk of chronic diseases, including cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, lipid metabolism, cardiovascular health, immunomodulatory effects, dermatological diseases, and gastrointestinal disorders.
Overview: The cardiovascular research on hemp seed oil draws primarily on its PUFA content, particularly the favorable omega-6:omega-3 ratio and the presence of GLA. Hempseed has an excellent content of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. These compounds have beneficial effects on cardiovascular health.
Systematic review evidence: A 2025 comprehensive review critically evaluated the potential cardioprotective effects of hempseed, focusing on its impact on lipid metabolism, inflammation, oxidative stress, and other cardiometabolic markers. Preclinical studies suggest that hempseed can improve lipid profiles, reduce blood pressure, and reduce oxidative stress and inflammation, though clinical evidence remains limited and findings from animal models may not directly translate to human cardiovascular benefits due to physiological differences between species. Despite promising findings, there is a need for long-term randomized controlled trials to establish the efficacy and safety of hempseed in diverse populations.
Human clinical trial (fatty acid profiling): A 4-week double-blinded, randomized, cross-over clinical trial assessed the effects of hemp product consumption, specifically hulled hemp seeds and hemp oil, on blood fatty acid profiles and cardiovascular disease risk factors in 30 metabolically healthy overweight volunteers. No differences in serum lipid levels, glucose and insulin concentrations, blood pressure, or body composition were observed between treatments. Overall, consumption of hemp products modulated plasma and red blood cell fatty acid levels in a way that reflected the fatty acids these products are enriched in, without showing differences in major cardiometabolic risk factors. The study demonstrated the human fatty acids profile response to consuming hemp products as novel functional foods rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids.
Comparative clinical trial (oils): The impact of dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) of the n-6 and n-3 series on the cardiovascular system is well documented. To directly compare the effects of three dietary oils (fish, flaxseed and hempseed) given in concentrations expected to be self-administered in the general population, 86 healthy male and female volunteers completed a 12-week double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial. They were randomly assigned to one of four groups and were orally supplemented with two 1 g capsules of placebo, fish oil, flaxseed oil, or hempseed oil per day for 12 weeks. Plasma levels of the n-3 fatty acids docosahexaenoic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid increased after 3 months supplementation with fish oil. Alpha-linolenic acid concentrations increased transiently after flaxseed supplementation. Hempseed oil did not demonstrate the same degree of conversion to long-chain n-3 fatty acids as fish oil under these conditions.
Evidence strength: Overall, the cardiovascular evidence for hemp seed oil specifically is preliminary and limited. Most mechanistic data come from preclinical or animal models. The available human trials have focused on fatty acid incorporation rather than hard clinical endpoints. The capacity of LA and/or hempseed to affect ventricular hypertrophy secondary to high blood pressure, human atherosclerosis, inflammation, as well as the co-morbidities associated with cardiovascular diseases (like metabolic syndrome, diabetes mellitus, insulin resistance, obesity, heart failure or arrhythmias) still need to be determined in carefully controlled clinical trials.
Atopic dermatitis (oral supplementation): In 2005, a study was conducted where 10 participants with atopic dermatitis took 30 mL of hempseed oil per day for 8 weeks. The results showed that the symptoms of atopic dermatitis were mitigated, and plasma fatty acid levels were increased. This study was small (n=10) and without a contemporaneous control group, significantly limiting interpretation.
Topical application: In a single-blinded, randomized controlled trial, a cream containing 3% cannabis seed extract was applied for 12 weeks twice a day on the cheeks of 11 healthy participants.
Oral treatments are only effective at high doses, having considerable adverse effects; thus, research into plant-based or synthetic cannabinoids that can be incorporated into high-quality, safe topical products for the treatment of inflammatory skin conditions is timely. Previous studies revealed that such products are usually well tolerated and showed promising results, for example in the treatment of atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, and contact dermatitis. However, further controlled human clinical trials are needed to fully unravel the potential of these compounds and the possible side effects associated with their topical use.
Evidence strength: Studies have involved people suffering from a variety of different dermatological conditions (atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, acne, etc.) and were not exposed to hemp-based products only by topical application but also by oral administration and inhalation; the amount of clinical evidence is still limited. Further randomized, controlled studies need to be conducted.
Preclinical / animal data: Both hemp seeds and linseeds were able to modify the expression of several endocannabinoidome genes and markedly increased the levels of several omega-3 fatty acid–derived endocannabinoidome bioactive lipids with previously suggested anti-inflammatory properties. These fatty acids may impart their health benefits partly by modulating the endocannabinoidome and the gut microbiome, both of which are key regulators of metabolism and the inflammatory response.
The effects of dietary substitution (equivalent to about 2 tablespoons of seeds a day for humans) of whole hemp seeds in comparison with whole linseeds in a diet-induced obesity mouse model were assessed. Whole hemp seed substitution did not affect weight gain, adiposity, or food intake, whereas linseed substitution did, in association with higher fasting glucose levels, greater insulin release during an oral glucose tolerance test, and higher levels of liver triglycerides than controls.
Evidence strength: The endocannabinoidome modulation data are predominantly from preclinical (animal) models. Clinical translation has not yet been systematically established in human trials.
Antioxidant activity has been investigated at the cell and organism level. Hemp seed is rich in natural antioxidants such as phenolic compounds, tocopherols, and phytosterols, which may play a role in reducing the risk of chronic diseases, including cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, lipid metabolism, cardiovascular health, immunomodulatory effects, dermatological diseases, and gastrointestinal disorders. Most antioxidant data are from in vitro and preclinical studies; large-scale human intervention trials on hemp seed oil as an antioxidant are lacking.
Hemp oil is marketed as an effective cosmetic treatment for hair, with claims that direct application of the oil to hair has moisturizing benefits, can aid hair growth, may protect the hair and aid in damage repair, and the oil may add shine to the hair. However, controlled clinical evidence specifically examining hemp seed oil as a hair-growth or scalp-health intervention remains limited.
Although HsO is a powerful source of polyunsaturated fatty acids, antioxidants, and phytosterols, its production lacks standardized quality control parameters, except for THC, which is subject to EU legislation. There is no established single consensus dosage for hemp seed oil. The following dosages are those reported in specific published studies:
According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), hulled hemp seed, hemp seed protein powder, and hemp seed oil are generally recognized as safe (GRAS) for use in conventional foods. European legislation stipulates that hemp cultivation is permitted only if it contains less than 0.2% (w/w) THC (Regulation 1307/2013).
More than 565 bioactive constituents have been isolated and identified from diverse parts of Cannabis sativa. There is extreme variability in the chemical composition of hemp seed oil, mostly deriving from the hemp variety, which is unavoidably translated to the pharmacological versatility of this product. Very little is known about the pharmacological activities of many cannabinoids. Additionally, all cannabinoids generally interact with each other and/or with other non-cannabinoid compounds, determining an unpredictable final effect.
While seeds themselves do not naturally contain significant THC, contamination during harvest and processing means that some hemp seed oils carry trace amounts. A commercially available cold-pressed hemp seed oil ingested by one volunteer twice a day for 4.5 days (135 mL total) resulted in detectable concentrations of 11-nor-Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol carboxylic acid (9-THCA) in urine specimens—up to 68 ng/mL at 108 h—exceeding common workplace drug testing cut-offs. Hemp food and oil products do contain cannabinoids but in very low concentrations, and ingestion of such products should not generally be deemed a concern in drug testing. However, products become riskier as processing, heating, or concentration increases, especially with hemp seed oils used daily. Consumers are more likely to test positive when hemp products contain trace THC, are used daily, or are formulated as full-spectrum extracts.
The European Commission has received more than 150 applications for CBD to be treated as a novel food, 19 of which are currently on hold for safety assessment by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) due to data gaps and uncertainties about potential hazards associated with CBD. One issue is that the CBD and THC content of these products may not be accurately indicated on the label.
Hemp seed oil is characterized by a high content of polyunsaturated fatty acids, which are highly prone to oxidation. The presence of chlorophyll as well as the great content of PUFAs could lead to oxidative degradation during storage of hemp seed oil, also at room temperature due to the low activation energy required. Since decomposition of cannabinoid acids generally occurs with light, air, and heat, the stability of hemp seed oil varies in different storage conditions. Consumers and manufacturers must therefore store hemp seed oil in cool, dark conditions and monitor shelf life to prevent rancidity.
Hemp seed oil production lacks standardized quality control parameters, except for THC, which is subject to EU legislation. There is extreme variability in the chemical composition of hemp seed oil, mostly deriving from the hemp variety. Commercial hemp seed oil products may therefore show significant batch-to-batch variation in minor cannabinoid content, tocopherol levels, and fatty acid ratios.
Oral cannabinoid treatments are only effective at high doses, having considerable adverse effects. At the moderate food/supplement doses used in clinical trials with pure hemp seed oil (a fatty acid–rich product, not a cannabinoid concentrate), the oil has generally been reported as well tolerated. Gastrointestinal discomfort may arise at high doses (e.g., 30 mL/day), consistent with any high-fat dietary supplement. Formal systematic safety data at higher chronic doses are not available in the published literature for hemp seed oil.
Because hemp seed oil is rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, particularly omega-3 ALA, high doses could theoretically exert additive platelet-inhibiting effects when taken alongside anticoagulant or antiplatelet medications, consistent with the known pharmacology of omega-3 fatty acids generally. Specific clinical interaction studies for hemp seed oil per se are not currently available in the published literature. Omega-3 FAs exert part of their health benefits by modulating the endocannabinoid system (ECS) and the gut microbiome, both of which are key regulators of several aspects of cardiometabolic health and energy metabolism; this modulation may be relevant in individuals on medications that affect these systems, though direct evidence is lacking.
Health conditions that Cannabis sativa oil may help support.
Cannabinoids from Cannabis sativa modulate the endocannabinoid system via CB1 receptor agonism to suppress nausea and vomiting. A PMC review (PMC3165951) confirms considerable evidence that endocannabinoid system manipulation regulates nausea and vomiting in humans. Cannabis-based medicines have been found effective antiemetics in clinical trials, particularly for chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting. Cannabidiol (CBD) specifically suppresses nausea and vomiting via indirect 5-HT1A autoreceptor activation.
Body systems that Cannabis sativa oil may help support.
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