What's The Difference Between Hemp-Derived CBD Isolate And Full-Spectrum Hemp Oil?
It's no secret that cannabidiol or CBD offers a myriad of benefits. According to Healthline, CBD may relieve pain, reduce symptoms caused by mental health disorders and cancer, treat neurological disorders such as epilepsy and MS, lower blood pressure, and more. You may have noticed that CBD oil is usually labeled as isolate, full-spectrum, or broad-spectrum. As it turns out, there are significant differences between the three. Gaining a solid understanding of how one differs from the other can help you determine which one is right for you.
CBD isolate is CBD in its purest form, sans any other compounds from the cannabis plant (per Healthline). Full-spectrum CBD carries many aspects of the cannabis plant including up to .3% of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). You may be able to find CBD with higher amounts of THC in states where cannabis is legal. Broad-spectrum CBD is similar to full-spectrum in the sense that it contains other components of the cannabis plant, but it doesn't have any THC.
How to find the right CBD for you
According to a 2020 study published in Baylor University Medical Center Proceedings, full-spectrum CBD may be a better choice for issues involving chronic pain, inflammation, or anxiety. As Healthline explains, this is due in part to the fact that full-spectrum CBD contains phytocannabinoids, flavonoids, and terpenes. A 2011 review published in the British Journal of Pharmacology found that the product is more effective when these compounds work together, which is known as an entourage effect. If you take too much full-spectrum CBD, you may feel a slight high since it has THC.
With that being said, an important factor to keep in mind is that full-spectrum CBD will show up on a drug test as a positive sign of cannabis. Healthline says you can avoid that risk by taking broad-spectrum CBD. Since it doesn't contain any THC, however, you might need to take more in order for it to work as well as full-spectrum.
If you are looking to take higher doses of CBD or if you don't like the odor and taste of full-spectrum and broad-spectrum CBD, Medical News Today says to choose CBD isolate.