CBD has spread far and wide, more people are getting information about the health benefits of CBD as a whole. Different CBD products, like CBD oil, tinctures, topicals, and so on, have saturated the market in places where cannabis is fully legalized. Most people who make use of CBD oil find it hard to differentiate between the types of CBD and their different benefits. In this article, we will explore CBD Full Spectrum Vs. CBD Broad Spectrum and try to decide which works best for you.
To explain CBD forms, it is best to refresh our memories on the definition of CBD and its general benefits.
What is CBD?
Cannabidiol (CBD) is part of cannabinoids, and we can extract it from Cannabis sativa. It has lots of health benefits ranging from relieving pain, helping with anxiety, and relaxing effects. The Food and Drug Administration recommends CBD for the treatment of some ailments.
There is still research ongoing on the hidden benefits of CBD. The extraction of CBD determines the forms in which they take. You can extract CBD in the following ways.
- CO2 Extraction
You can extract CBD from the hemp/Cannabis plant using Carbon dioxide. This is one of the used methods of extracting CBD from the source. It helps to extracts large amounts of cannabidiol (CBD).
- Steam Distillation.
CBD is extracted from Cannabis sativa using steam to separate CBD from the other component of the plant. It is also used for extracting oil from plants generally but it is not as effective as CO2 extraction.
- Solvent Distillation
This method of Extraction is the easiest and cheapest. It makes use of solvents like ethanol instead of water to separate the CBD from the plant.
But the toxic effects of the solvents used is a cause of concern for scientists. The solvent also gives an unpleasant odor to the CBD extracted.
Forms of CBD
There are generally three types of CBD which are;
1). Full Spectrum CBD
2). Broad Spectrum CBD
3). CBD isolate
Full Spectrum CBD
Full Spectrum CBD is an extract that contains all the components that are found in the plant like the terpenes, the cannabinoids and other oils contained in the plant. The Full Spectrum of all the components extracted from the plants works together to provide you a full health benefit.
When extracting the full Spectrum CBD, the CBD goes through the normal extraction process and filtration but none of the cannabinoids or compounds are removed in the process. This means that it will contain traces of Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Medically, Full Spectrum CBD contains 0.3 percent THC, this means that if taken in moderate quantity, it won’t get you high.
In a recent study, Scientists discovered that the test subjects that were given Full Spectrum CBD experienced high levels of relief. The study went further to show that the higher the dosage of Full Spectrum CBD, the better the effects on the subject.
Benefits of Full Spectrum CBD
- Full Spectrum CBD has terpenes, a component of cannabis Sativa, which provides a fresh aroma for the CBD.
- The Entourage effect
This effect is gotten from the combination of all the components of the cannabis plant. It increases the health benefits of Full Spectrum CBD.
- Helps to reduce the effects of some psychotic conditions.
- Also relieves you of muscle spasms.
- Flavonoids and terpenes are said to contain anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects.
Disadvantages of Full Spectrum CBD
- It might lead to psychoactive, sedative, and other unwanted effects.
- Due to the THC present, it is likely to pop up in a drug test.
- You might have issues with legality as THC is not legalized in some states.
- It might have a natural flavor and odour that is too strong.
Broad Spectrum CBD
Just like full Spectrum CBD, broad Spectrum CBD contains all the components of the cannabis plant except THC.
Broad-spectrum CBD oil is a middle ground between CBD isolate and full-spectrum CBD oils. It has all of the cannabinoids and other chemical compounds except for THC. It has all the beneficial chemical compounds except for THC, so you’re likely to gain some of the beneficial effects of the entourage effect.
Broad-spectrum CBD oil is not as easy to find as the other types of CBD oil. Like its counterparts, broad-spectrum CBD oil goes through the normal extraction process. For places where THC is illegal, the benefit of broad-spectrum CBD oil is that in the final stages of processing, the THC is removed from the extract. Therefore, broad-spectrum CBD oil will not show up on a drug test if the test is looking for THC.
Benefits of Broad Spectrum CBD
- There is no risk of psychoactive materials.
- It offers the health benefits of entourage effect like full Spectrum CBD.
- It is good for persons with No THC as their medical requirements.
Disadvantages of Broad Spectrum CBD
- There is little research as to the need of Broad Spectrum CBD.
- It comes with natural odour.
CBD isolate
This is the purest form of CBD without any form of component, cannabinoids or terpenes present. It is the true CBD form, undiluted. CBD isolate is extracted following due process but after the Extraction, pure CBD isolate is filtered.
It is then iced to permanently remove all compounds from the CBD. CBD Isolate is often used for vaping, and when in crystal or powder form is generally administered by putting it under the tongue.
The benefits of CBD isolate over other types of CBD are that it’s generally cheaper and it has no THC. The downside is that you miss out on the potential entourage effect which exists when a full spectrum of the cannabinoids is present in the oil.
Full Spectrum CBD vs Broad Spectrum CBD: which is best for you
Everyone has their own health conditions and needs and they differ from each other. This difference determines which of these CBD is most suitable for you. Let’s categorize different needs with these CBDs.
Full Spectrum CBD
- Works best for a person that has been advised a certain THC to CBD ratio
- Persons with more severe health conditions can opt for this for fast relief
- For people who need the full Entourage effect in their body system
Broad Spectrum CBD
- Suitable for persons that are sensitive to THC
- People whose conditions cannot be treated with CBD isolate can opt for this
- Persons living in places where THC is banned
- People who have doubts about THC
