Since the sale of cannabidiol (CBD) products was legalized in France, the range of products has become increasingly diverse, and understanding their effects and benefits is essential. This information about CBD will help you choose the right product based on your goals and determine the ideal dose.
The glossary of CBD terms includes items such as CBD flowers, CBD crystals, CBD wax, CBD resin, and CBD oil. Among the types of oils available on the CBD market, there are three main categories: full-spectrum CBD, broad-spectrum CBD, and CBD isolate. These products are very popular with consumers and are among the best-selling items.
The difference between full-spectrum CBD and CBD isolate lies in the concentration of cannabidiol (CBD) and the range of cannabinoids they contain. An isolate is defined as a pure CBD product, meaning it contains only CBD and no other hemp ingredients. On the other hand, full-spectrum CBD is an extract that contains all the cannabinoids found in the hemp plant, whereas broad-spectrum CBD does not contain THC.
Cannabinoids, the entourage effect, and terpenes
To understand the benefits of products like broad-spectrumCBD oil or CBD isolate, you first need to understand what hemp is made of.
Cannabinoids
The most important components of cannabis are cannabinoids. These are a group of natural chemicals found in cannabis. There are more than a hundred of them, and they affect the body’s cells. Their effects vary depending on their type.
A common characteristic of all compounds classified as cannabinoids is that, when ingested, they interact with the human body’s endocannabinoid system by targeting specific receptors that bind to cannabinoids. Once bound to these receptors, cannabinoids can affect appetite, pain perception, memory, mood, stress, and more.
CBD is known for its calming and soothing effects. THC, on the other hand, has a psychoactive effect. Other cannabinoids, such as CBN (cannabinol), CBC (cannabichromene), and CBG (cannabigerol), interact differently with the endocannabinoid system.
Hood effect
When cannabinoids are consumed together, a phenomenon known as the entourage effect occurs. The entourage effect is described as the effect caused by a combination of cannabinoids such as CBG, CBN, THC, and CBD. It is believed to be stronger than the effect a single cannabinoid can produce on its own.
Terpenes
Other organic compounds called terpenes and terpenoids also contribute to the entourage effect. It is thanks to terpenes that there is such a wide variety of cannabis flowers, each with different flavors and aromas. In fact, terpenes are responsible for the aromas and flavors found in many plants. Their purpose is to protect the plant while giving it a unique aromatic profile.
Once you understand that, the next step is to understand what goes into full-spectrum CBD products and CBD isolate.
What is "full spectrum"?
The cannabis plant contains hundreds of different compounds. A full-spectrum extract preserves most of these compounds in the final product.
It can be said that full-spectrum extract has a greater "diversity of cannabinoids" than pure CBD isolate.
How are full-spectrum extracts produced?
During the manufacturing process, raw hemp is rinsed with a solvent. In the past, organic solvents such as butane, alcohol, or ether were used. Most of these operations are now carried out using supercritical CO2 extraction.
Carbon dioxide is maintained at a specific temperature and pressure in a closed system. These specific conditions bring the gas to a “supercritical state” in which it is neither a liquid nor a gas. This gives supercritical CO2 properties that allow it to both penetrate raw hemp as a gas and dissolve compounds in the leaves and flowers like a liquid.
Supercritical CO2 is extremely effective at extracting all of the plant’s compounds, including terpenes, cannabinoids, lignans, flavonoids, and polyphenols. Once this process is complete, the supercritical fluid is separated, and the pressure is released. The gas evaporates instantly, leaving behind all of the plant’s phytochemicals.
With this CO2 extraction method, there is no risk of leaving behind harmful solvents, making it the cleanest extraction method. There is no significant impact on the full-spectrum extract at this stage. In some cases, the extract is slightly refined and blended with other batches to balance the average cannabinoid levels across them.
The final product contains a balanced blend of all the phytochemicals, which are virtually identical to those found naturally in the plant.
When should you use full-spectrum extracts?
Overall, if you want to get the most out of the hemp plant and CBD, a full-spectrum extract is the best choice.
Full-spectrum extracts have a more potent effect and offer much broader benefits than isolates because of the other therapeutic compounds that are abundant in the plant.
When should you avoid full-spectrum extracts?
Full-spectrum CBD products aren't suitable for everyone. They're more expensive and contain THC.
It is also much more difficult to obtain a high dose of CBD from full-spectrum extracts than from a concentrated CBD isolate.
So, who shouldn't use full-spectrum extracts?
- People who want to avoid THC (military personnel, police officers, elite athletes).
What is CBD isolate?
CBD isolate is exactly what its name suggests: an extract in which CBD has been separated from other ingredients.
These purified extracts make it easy to achieve the desired CBD concentration in your products. If you want 300 mg of CBD in your oil, simply add 300 mg of pure CBD to your bottle of oil.
In the case of full-spectrum extracts, it is much more difficult, because each extract resulting from the extraction process contains varying levels of CBD and other cannabinoids.
How are CBD isolates made?
CBD isolate starts out as a full-spectrum extract. After the extract is produced, further processing removes all other compounds, leaving only pure CBD.
This isolation process relies on a technique called chromatography, which is the same process used to isolate THC and many other chemicals in other industries. The extract is gently heated. It is then forced through a special column. Any compound with a different molecular weight will elute at a different time. Scientists know the exact molecular weight of CBD, so they can simply separate the CBD from the column.
The extracted oil then undergoes the "winterization process," which further removes waxes and other plant materials that may still be present after the separation process.
The final product is usually in the form of crystals. It is important to note that crystals generally form only in chemically pure substances.
These crystals can then be dissolved into the form we wish to produce.
Who should use CBD isolates?
People who want to increase the CBD concentration in their CBD oil or cosmetics; people who want to easily incorporate CBD into their cooking; people who undergo regular THC testing (military personnel, police officers, elite athletes).
CBD isolates do not offer the same richness as full-spectrum products, which contain cannabinoids, terpenes, and other additional phytochemical profiles. This makes them less effective in terms of health benefits than their full-spectrum counterparts. It should be noted that, in order to be absorbed, CBD isolate must be mixed with a fatty substance.
How do you choose the right CBD for a specific situation?
When choosing between these two products, you should consider your own needs. If you don’t have any specific restrictions, we recommend opting for full-spectrum products.
CBD users who need to take a sensitive drug test should probably stick to CBD isolate. Meanwhile, those looking for maximum effects should definitely consider full-spectrum CBD as the best choice. Keep in mind that if you use CBD products, they contain only very small amounts of THC. Therefore, if the saliva test comes back positive, you can request a follow-up blood test to confirm that you have only trace amounts of THC.
