What are the differences between Full Spectrum CBD and CBD Isolate?
There are so many different CBD products on the market that there is a good chance that you no longer know what to choose. Because what is the best option? One of the options you have to choose from is full spectrum CBD or CBD isolate. It's quite possible that you don't even know what these types of CBD products are. In this blog we will explain this and discuss the pros and cons.
Full spectrum or isolate: What does that mean?
If you search for a CBD product, you have probably already come across the terms full spectrum and isolate. Both types are made from the hemp plant, but there is a big difference in the composition and how the product is made.
Full spectrum CBD is obtained by extraction from the hemp plant in such a way that all active substances are retained. This concerns all cannabinoids, such as CBD, CBG, CBC and CBN (there are more than a hundred other cannabinoids in addition to CBD). In addition, full spectrum CBD also contains other substances, such as terpenes and flavonoids.
This is one of the big differences between full spectrum CBD and CBD isolate. The latter is the purest form of CBD. By using a different extraction process, all other substances are removed from the product. What you are left with is a fine powder that consists of 99% CBD.
The interplay of active substances in full spectrum CBD
When you choose a full spectrum CBD product, this is usually CBD Oil, you know so that it not only contains CBD, but also other substances. Not only do all these substances have positive effects on your health, they also influence each other's functioning. This is called the entourage effect. A single substance, for example CBD, is said to have certain positive effects in itself. But if you use this substance together with other cannabinoids, terpenes and flavonoids, they can strengthen the effect of CBD, for example.
The entourage effect actually means that they work more powerfully together than alone. It is not just a suspicion that full spectrum CBD has such a synergistic effect. Researchinto the effects of cannabis (which contains both CBD and THC) shows that CBD has a has an inhibitory effect on THC. When you use weed you get high. But if the weed also contains a percentage of CBD, the effects of THC will be less intense.
Now, THC has been used in this example, but CBD oil contains hardly any THC (only 0.3%). But there is an entourage effect with all cannabinoids, terpenes and flavonoids in full spectrum CBD products. So that is something you can benefit from and that is one of the big differences between full spectrum CBD and CBD isolate.
The pros and cons of types of CBD
You may now be wondering what the pros and cons are of these different types of CBD. We list these for you below.
Full spectrum CBD
The benefits of full spectrum CBD are obvious: the many active substances provide a large number of positive effects on health. Take the cannabinoids for example: CBD has a soothing and analgesic effect, CBG has a powerful anti-inflammatory effect and CBN also has an analgesic and anesthetic effect. You also benefit from the entourage effect. So you could say that one of the differences with CBD isolate is that full spectrum CBD has more and more powerful effects.
One of the disadvantages arises from the fact that full spectrum CBD is never completely THC-free. The law stipulates that a CBD product may not contain more than 0.3% THC. As a result, you can never be assured that there will be no traces of this substance in your CBD product. This can be an objection for people who have to regularly take a drug test.
CBD isolate
That is one of the reasons that you may prefer CBD isolate. You can then be 100% certain that there are no traces of THC in the product, so you will not have a positive result on a drug test. The product is very pure and contains only CBD. CBD crystals are often an isolate.
Of course, a CBD isolate is also effective. It contains CBD and this cannabinoid has its own unique positive properties. Even if you miss the other active substances from the hemp plant, you will at least benefit from the analgesic, soothing and anti-inflammatory properties of CBD.
Choice: Full spectrum CBD or CBD isolate?
Now that you have read about the differences between full spectrum CBD and CBD isolate, you are probably wondering what to choose? The choice is of course yours. By using a full spectrum product, you can benefit greatly from the large amount of active ingredients. These can be effective for various health complaints.
Yet, a CBD isolate can also be the best choice, especially when dealing with drug testing. An isolate may also be the best choice for you if you really only want to use CBD and do not want any other substances in your body, for example because you are very sensitive.
Is the taste of CBD oil a major barrier for you? CBD oil has a strong, earthy and spicy taste, and not everyone likes that. It can be a good reason to go for CBD isolate. But there is another solution, namely CBD capsules. This allows you to use a full spectrum CBD product without being bothered by the taste.
As you can see, there is a lot of choice in the field of CBD and you can choose the right CBD product depending on your wishes and preferences.
