What Is Full-Spectrum CBD?

If you’ve been looking around at CBD options on the market today, you will have noticed that some products are marketed as being full-spectrum CBD, while others are marketed as CBD isolate.

As a consumer who’s new to CBD and wants to find the products that are best for them, this might all be a little confusing. What is the difference between these two types of CBD products? And which one should you use?

Those are the kinds of questions we’re going to look to answer today, so read on to find out more about full-spectrum CBD and some of the alternatives out there.

The Chemistry of Cannabis

There are 483 compounds contained within the cannabis plant that we’re currently aware of. 60 of those 483 compounds are cannabinoids and one of them is CBD. There’s plenty of research on CBD and THC but there are benefits associated with the others that we don’t yet fully understand.

CBD and THC can work in tandem and they have a lot in common. But there are, of course, some very important differences. They both have an impact on the brain, providing the effects people are generally looking for when they use cannabis.

CBD is usually referred to as a non-psychoactive compound, but that’s not quite accurate because it can deliver a sedative effect.

This is what people are looking for when they use cannabis medicinally. It can provide pain relief and prevent inflammation. THC is more likely to provide a stronger psychoactive effect than CBD. 

Full Spectrum CBD

So, what is full-spectrum CBD? To put it simply, full-spectrum CBD is made from a cannabis extract that contains most of the compounds that are naturally present in cannabis plants.

As well as CBD, full-spectrum CBD contains a variety of terpenes, flavonoids, and cannabinoids, including THC, CBG, CBC, and CBN. This involves a whole-plant extract process, which contains a range of benefits compared to other extraction processes

When extracting CBD isolate doesn’t contain anything other than CBD and that’s why it’s sometimes referred to as pure CBD.

It can be isolated from cannabis extract or it can be made in a lab using artificial creation methods. Most CBD users now prefer full-spectrum CBD because they contain CBN and CBG cannabinoids.

Those cannabinoids contain pain-relieving properties and anti-inflammatory properties, which many CBD users find appealing.

Full-spectrum CBD contains the full range of benefits offered by the hemp material and that’s something that’s significant for a variety of reasons.

Because all of the components are kept in full-spectrum products, users are able to benefit from the synergistic properties offered. All of those components are working together and combining in different ways, which delivers more for the user.

How CBD Isolate Differs

CBD isolate is the purest form of CBD, meaning all other cannabinoids, terpenes, and other hemp plant components are stripped out. All that’s left after that process is complete is a very fine white powder that contains 99% CBD.

Although there are many things that are stripped out of CBD isolate, the thing that most people point to is THC. There are still lots of people out there who want a THC-free CBD product and they can get that with CBD isolate.

CBD isolate is also good for creating edibles because of the way in which it has no taste or odor. It’s also easier for manufacturers to control the amount of CBD that’s being put into a product because it’s pure CBD.

Therefore, it’s clear exactly how much of it is going into a product during the manufacturing process. CBD isolate is very different from full-spectrum CBD, but they both offer things that can appeal to different types of CBD users.

The Benefits and Drawbacks of Full Spectrum CBD

Full-spectrum CBD may have a range of benefits that you should consider when deciding whether this is the kind of CBD that’s right for you. As mentioned above, it is believed to allow you to benefit from the full range of components that are contained within the hemp plant.

The way in which these components synergise in the body is known as the entourage effect. It’s a theory that suggests this synergy results in a unique effect on the body and that this only happens within the body.

It’s a benefit that can only be delivered by full-spectrum CBD because CBD isolate filters out all of those other components.

It’s also true that full-spectrum CBD is the least processed form of CBD. So, if you’re looking for something natural that hasn’t been tampered with as much as other CBD products on the market, you should probably choose full-spectrum CBD over the alternatives.

There may also be health benefits that come with using CBD products that contain terpenes and flavonoids, both of which would be filtered out of the product if you were using CBD isolate instead.

It’s flavonoids that offer the antioxidant effect associated with cannabis CBD products, including its anti-inflammatory properties. Similar anti-inflammatory properties, as well as antibacterial, antifungal, and pain relief properties are offered by terpenes.

Full-spectrum CBD is best-suited to people who want to benefit from the trace amounts of THC contained in these products too. THC has been unfairly characterised but there are benefits associated with using it in CBD products in small amounts, which is exactly what full-spectrum CBD offers.

Many people who want to use CBD for medicinal reasons also find that CBD isolate and other options don’t offer them the benefits they need in order to counteract their symptoms. However, full-spectrum CBD is often able to offer those health benefits.

So, what are the drawbacks associated with using full-spectrum CBD? There are more restrictive laws for products containing THC, so that’s something that can make things a little different for users, but it’s not always a problem.

It depends on where you’re based and what the local laws are. Full-spectrum CBD also carries the smell and flavour of hemp and that can be quite strong and easy to notice. It may also show up on drug screening tests.

How is Full-Spectrum CBD Different to Broad Spectrum CBD?

It’s very easy to see why these two types of CBD are so easily mixed up and confused by people. It’s not always clear to people how they differ and why those differences really matter all that much.

They’re basically the same with one vital difference. Broad-spectrum CBD contains a range of hemp components just like full-spectrum CBD, except broad-spectrum CBD does not contain any THC whatsoever.

It means it can be good for people who want to benefit from cannabinoids and flavonoids without being exposed to THC.

There are some people who are very sensitive to THC and they want to avoid it. But at the same time, they might not get the benefits they’re primarily looking for from CBD isolate.

Broad-spectrum CBD offers a sort of middle ground between the two options. It is less researched than the other two forms of CBD mentioned here and it’s often harder to access than those other options too. It still carries that strong hemp flavour and smell.

It offers the full entourage effect and it a lot less processed than CBD isolate, which is certainly a benefit that’s worth taking into account. There’s also no risk of any psychoactive effects, which is something that many people are still very wary off for a variety of reasons personal to them.

What Does This All Mean for You?

The big question is what does this all mean for regular consumers like you? Well, if you’re looking to fully harness the power of CBD and you don’t want to sacrifice any of those potential qualities at all, it makes the most sense to use full-spectrum CBD.

It may offer more benefits than any of the other options. It’s not filtered or changed; it offers the full experience. It’s the most natural form of CBD available.

It can be organically grown and may offer a wider range of health benefits. Of course, your needs are unique to you, so you should take into account what you want to achieve and how exactly you want to benefit from using full-spectrum CBD.

You might want to discuss things with a medical professional before making that final decision, but that’s something that you can decide on. CBD isolate and broad-spectrum CBD each have their benefits too, as we’ve discussed above.

Full-spectrum CBD will allow you to harness the full benefits and potential of cannabis, so you might want to try it out at least once to see how your body responds to it.

Either way, the information outlined here will give you all the details you need in order to make an informed decision with regards to which CBD products are right for you.

Related Article: How CBD Is Made?