Cannabidiol (CBD) is one of the most widely available non-psychoactive chemical compounds found in the marijuana plant. This substance has made headlines in recent years due to its positive health benefits and lack of negative side effects when used properly.
CBD comes in many forms, including oils, topicals, capsules, edibles, and more. However, there are three primary types of CBD products that you should be aware of when purchasing for yourself or your family – cannabidiol full spectrum, isolate CBD, and broad spectrum CBD.
Hemp Extracts: What Makes Them Different?
Hemp extract is a term that is often used to describe the oil extracted from hemp plants, and typically marketed as containing both cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Cannabidiol full-spectrum contains a full range of cannainoids. Cannabidiol isolate, on the other hand, is made by extracting the CBD compound from hemp plants and then removing any trace of THC. Finally, cannabidiol broad spectrum contains both THC and CBD in equal parts.
All CBD products are extracted from the cannabis plant, using special methods such as supercritical CO2 extraction.
To create the product, all the cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids are extracted from the plant, dissolved in oil, and prepared for easy ingestion and storage.
THC vs CBD
The two main compounds found in the cannabis plant are THC and CBD. THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol, is what is primarily responsible for the intoxicating effects of marijuana. As opposed to THC, which can be psychoactive and can cause paranoia, anxiety and more significant cognitive impairment, CBD does not have any intoxicating effect. Instead, it has powerful properties that provide promote wellbeing such as better sleep and therefore better recovery after a hard work out.
Other types of Cannabinoids
Although there are many cannabinoids, only four have been studied more in depth. These four major compounds are cannabidiol (CBD), tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), cannabinol (CBN) and cannabigerol (CBG). They can all be extracted from the hemp plant and sold as oils, concentrates or in full-plant form. Cannabidiol full-spectrum will contain some amounts of the full range of cannabinoids.
Why Use a Whole Plant Extract?
To get the full potential of cannabis, you’ll want to use a whole plant extract such as a cannabidiol full spectrum. Whole plant extracts contain a synergistic blend of cannabinoids, terpenes, and other essential oils in their natural proportions. They also deliver more than just cannabidiol, as they contain lesser-known phytocannabinoids like cannabigerol (CBG) and cannabinol (CBN).
The Entourage Effect Explained
The term ‘entourage effect’ was coined by the scientist Dr. Mechoulam to describe the process of molecules working together with each other, in contrast to acting separately. When you ingest whole-plant CBD oil, you are receiving a variety of therapeutic compounds (cannabinoids and terpenes) from many different sources (plants), including both THC and CBD. These act together on your body in a synergistic way, enhancing both the efficacy and safety of the individual components.
You might wonder what distinguishes one type of extract from another. Let’s take a closer look at each type.
What is Cannabidiol Full-Spectrum?
Full-spectrum cannabidiol (CBD) is the natural, non-psychoactive component of cannabis. Unlike other cannabinoids such as tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which bind to certain receptors in the brain, cannabidiol has a different mechanism of action and binds with a large number of receptors on various parts of the body including but not limited to the central nervous system, immune system, and endocannabinoid system.
What is Broad Spectrum CBD?
Broad spectrum CBD is more therapeutic because it contains an array of other cannabinoids, including trace amounts of THC. Unlike THC, however, cannabidiol can be present in high concentrations without producing psychoactive effects. Broad spectrum CBD also includes a wider range of full-spectrum cannabinoids as well as terpenes.
What is CBD Isolate?
CBD isolate is the purest form of cannabidiol, containing nothing but the cannabidiol molecule. It doesn’t contain any THC or other cannabinoids, terpenes, plant matter, oils or anything else. This makes it a perfect option for those who can’t have THC and need to go around drug tests.
Is my cannabidiol Full Spectrum legal?
A fully legal, finished CBD product in the UK has to meet the limit of 1mg of THC per retail pack. In a 10ml bottle this will mean the THC level will be 0.01%.
To be completely accurate, the limit of 1mg is on the total of all controlled substances and not only THC – (THCV + CBN +Delta 8 THC + Delta 9 THC + Delta 9 THC-A x 0.877 cannot be higher than 1mg.)
Final thoughts First of all, there are three types of isolated cannabidiol (CBD) products: isolate, broad spectrum or full spectrum. Depending on your personal preference you may want to try one or another. However to gain the full potential of the hemp plant we recommend trying a cannabidiol full-spectrum such as Provacan 1200mg CBD Oil.
