The two most common types of CBD oil in the market today are Isolate and Full Spectrum. You may also have encountered products labeled as “Pure CBD” or “Whole Plant.” So, what do these two terms stand for? This article will try to explore the similarities and difference between them. You may also check the explanation from soothe™ for a more detailed analysis.
Full Spectrum CBD oil
Full spectrum usually refers to CBD oil supplements that not only contain Cannabidiol (CBD), but also other cannabinoids such as CBL, CBN, CBG, and THC, as well as aromatic cannabis terpenes like limonene and pinene. Usually, these compounds come in the ratios which they were naturally occurring in the hemp plant. However, they can also be added back in form isolated compounds to boost the potency of a product.
For those people who are occasionally subjected to drug tests, full spectrum CBD is something to be wary of. Why is that? The THC present in full spectrum CBD product is negligible (less than 0.3 percent); nonetheless, can still prompt positive drug tests.
That said; with full spectrum CBD supplements, you enjoy the benefits of something referred to as the “Entourage Effect.” Basically, this where all the terpenes and cannabinoids are working collectively in synergy, an aspect that Isolate supplements will lack.
When looking for Full Spectrum oils, you may run into something by the name “Broad Spectrum” that alleges to contain 0% THC. It is advisable to verify these claims with third part lab tests to confirm that the claims are not fallacious. However, it’s possible to get a genuine 0% THC product. Some manufacturers actually goes out of their way to process the products further with an aim of isolating and getting rid of THC while still maintaining the other cannabinoids.
CBD Isolate
Isolate is the ideal CBD oil for those people who get drug tested occasionally or dislike other cannabinoids such as THC. Supplements labeled as Isolate will normally contain 99+ percent pure CBD. In other words, these products will contain nothing but CBD simply because, the CBD has practically been Isolated from everything else.
Like we have mentioned above, when also buying an Isolate, it is good to verify the purity. Though many fall under the 99.9+ percent range with no traces of THC, sometimes there are lower purity ones (for instance containing 99% or lower), which may still have identifiable amounts of THC.
This small amount is usually negligible and is nowhere near the levels usually present in Full Spectrum Oils. However, it is still something to be cautious about especially for those looking for the purest product they can find.
Full spectrum or isolate; which is better?
Like earlier mentioned, there used to be an assumption that “CBD isolate” or “Pure CBD” contained the most potent compounds in regards to cannabis therapy. Well, that would make sense then. Why? We are aware that CBD is the major active compound in the cannabis plant which has medicinal capabilities; so, why then wouldn’t it seem logical to manufacture a 100% pure product out of it?
Presently, people know better and this is no longer compelling.
Not too long ago (2015 to be specific), researchers from Hebrew University discovered what is now being referred to as the “entourage effect.” Like we said, this entails the functioning of CBD jointly with other compounds, rather than just by itself.
The research discovered that in mice, CBD was actually more effective when combined with other compounds present in the cannabis plant, compared to when it was used alone. From this, it’s now generally appreciated that full-spectrum products are more effective at remedying most medical disorders.
Final notes
CBD isolate still has a special place in the hearts of many consumers. For instance, they use it to prepare their own personal CBD remedies in form of edibles, tinctures, etc.
For the large majority of consumers though, full spectrum CBD oil is assumed to be the better option. It has been identified to effectively treat everything from diabetes to anxiety, to severe chronic pain. And with the ongoing research, it is expected that full spectrum oils will only continue to get better.
That said, though, it is still advisable to conduct plenty of research before buying your CBD products. Since the CBD industry is still unregulated, there are a host of sham companies out there which are stocking completely bogus products.
