The sheer number of CBD products available on the market can be quite overwhelming. People use them for their healing and therapeutic effects to improve their overall holistic wellness. Even though the FDA hasn’t put them under the dietary supplement category yet, there are plenty of studies and anecdotal reports to confirm CBD’s health-boosting properties.
Be it gummies, oils, or balms, all these CBD products mainly fall under three categories: full spectrum, broad spectrum, and isolates. It’s essential to understand the difference between these extract types to make an informed decision.
All these categories have their own unique set of chemical formulations and a vast number of potential health benefits. Today we’ll take an in-depth look at Full Spectrum, Broad, and Isolates CBD and help you figure out the best type as per your use case.
What is CBD extract made up of?
CBD extract is usually made up of different kinds of cannabinoids, terpenes, and phytonutrients. All these natural components are naturally present in cannabis sativa plants( hemp and marijuana).
Your regular CBD products, like gummies or oils, are made with extracts derived from industrial hemp plants. Industrial hemp plants have a higher concentration of cannabinoid CBD and very low levels of another cannabinoid, THC.
THC is known for its intoxicating properties and is mostly used for recreational purposes. It can make you feel high or stoned. That’s why CBD products are made from hemp only, with THC levels capped at a maximum of 0.3%. Such trace amounts of THC are perfect for day-to-day use without causing any hindrance to cognition or motor skills.
But as we discussed above, there are other components in hemp extracts other than CBD and THC. First, we have more than 100 cannabinoids, including CBG, CBN, CBC, and more. All these cannabinoids have their own set of antioxidative, ankylotic, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, anti-microbial, anti-consultant, and neuroprotective properties.
All of them work in sync to create an entourage effect in your body, which makes you calm, composed, focused, and pain-free. Next, we have Terpenes. They are responsible for the distinct aroma and flavors of different cannabis plants and give them a certain earthy taste.
The most common terpenes are limonene, mycerene, pienene, and caryophyllene, and they produce musky, citrusy, pine, floral, and peppery aromas, respectively. Some of them also have certain therapeutic properties of their own, which enhance the overall wellness effect in conjunction with cannabinoids. Lastly, we have phytonutrients.
They play a crucial role in protecting the hemp plant from invasive insect attacks and harsh conditions like harmful rays from the sun, sudden changes in weather, etc. These protective properties also result in enhanced wellness effects in CBD products.
Full Spectrum vs Broad Spectrum vs Isolate CBD
Full Spectrum is the name of a CBD extract that contains all the natural compounds present in hemp plants. All products with full-spectrum extract have a complete profile of cannabinoids, terpenes, and phytonutrients, along with 0.3% THC.
Many people claim that full-spectrum products have much more potent effects when it comes to dealing with sleep, anxiety, and pain-related issues. Brands also claim that the trace amounts of THC in such products are effective in enhancing the entourage effect without making people feel high or stoned.
But there are certain people who are sensitive to even such negligible levels of psychoactive THC, and it might not be a suitable option for their daily use. Also, people who have a drug test coming up should avoid full-spectrum products because there are chances of THC showing up in the result report. This can potentially harm employment prospects and disrupt legal formalities.
So if you belong to the above category, broad-spectrum CBD products just might be the perfect choice for you. Broad-spectrum extracts are made by an extra refining process that completely removes the THC from them; not even trace levels are left.
Hence, it allows people to experience the entourage effect of a complete set of therapeutic properties offered by hemp plants without worrying about getting exposed to THC at all. Even all pet CBD products usually have broad-spectrum CBD in them. This is also perfect for travel because there are many places in the world that only allow you to carry CBD products with zero THC levels.
Finally, we have CBD isolates, which are the purest form of CBD. All other components, like the remaining cannabinoids, terpenes, and phytonutrients, are completely removed. It’s perfect for people who are sensitive to certain numbers of cannabinoids or are looking to experience only CBD-related effects. I can’t give you an entourage effect, though.
What is the Entourage Effect?
When you consume hemp or cannabis, there are many different compounds present, not just CBD or THC. These include cannabinoids like CBD, THC, CBG, etc., as well as terpenes (which give the plant its smell) and other nutrients.
The entourage effect is the idea that all these different compounds work better together than any single compound alone. It’s like having a team where the players complement each other’s strengths rather than just one superstar player.
So instead of just taking CBD isolate, consuming the whole extract with all its natural compounds allows them to interact with your body’s Endocannabinoid system in a much more efficient way.
This teamwork is thought to increase the overall benefits and effects. It’s kind of like eating an entire fruit versus just taking a vitamin C pill. The fruit has many more vitamins, fiber, and nutrients that all work together.
More research is still needed, but the entourage effect suggests cannabis or hemp may be most effective when you consume the whole plant extract with its diverse compounds working together in sync.
The Final Note
To sum it up, all three kinds of CBD extracts used in gummies, oil, and other CBD products have their own unique set of effects and use cases. If you want more potent synergic entourage effects, Full Spectrum will be perfect.
If you want whole hemp plant benefits but don’t want THC to show up in a drug test or have sensitivity to it, then a broad spectrum will be the best option. Then there are isolate CBD products; they are the purest form of CBD. There’s no additional hemp element in them.
Isolates usually don’t give the entourage effect and take a long time to work, which makes them a slightly less viable choice for the majority of people. Plus, they are more expensive due to the extra refinement processes involved.
But regardless of which type you pick, it’ll still be a great addition to your wellness routine. Just make sure to buy CBD from reputable sources like Colorado Botanicals because local roadside brands may have inferior ingredients, which may make you sick.