Full spectrum CBD vs. pure CBD isolates: Is there a better than the best?

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We are living in the times of cannabis-jubilation. Almost every online cannabis-selling site and brick-and-mortar pharmacy are stocking up on a variety of cannabis products for all types of users. Whether you are a cannabis connoisseur or just cannabis curious, there are hundreds of products for you to try.

If you have been to the cannaboutiques already, you must have seen a plethora of products ranging from CBD isolates, CBD-rich broad spectrum oil, and full spectrum CBD oils. These labels can be quite confusing for anyone browsing through the inventory for the first time. Should they purchase isolates or oils or tinctures? What therapeutic effects do the products provide? Which ones have the minimum psychoactive properties? Will any of the compounds show up on their periodic drug tests at work?

These are questions that almost every cannabis curious person asks before they begin their therapy. Another ubiquitous question every aware customer asks is whether full spectrum CBD oil and CBD isolate are entirely different. Many of the cannabis products have overlapping properties. That makes it even more difficult for newbie cannabis users to distinguish one from the other. While it is true that both CBD oil and CBD isolates have cannabidiol, their properties do differ thanks to the differing compositions considerably. Visit https://www.cbdoilaustralian.com.au/full-spectrum-vs-isolate/ to learn more on the differences between the medicinal properties of full spectrum and pure CBD isolate. 

What is full spectrum CBD oil?

Technology has made it possible to extract and purify oil from the cannabis plant and quantify the phytocannabinoid compounds present in the mix. Many manufacturers resort to mass spectrometric analysis to precisely determine the content of their full spectrum CBD oil and the levels of each phytocompound present. 

Full spectrum CBD oil contains various cannabinoid compounds besides CBD or cannabidiol. The typical full spectrum CBD oil should contain CBDA, CBG, CBC, CBCA, CBGA, THCA, and THCV, along with a high concentration of CBD. The effects of THC in full spectrum CBD oil is negligible due to regulations on THC levels in CBD products. It is common to find around 0.3% THC only in your full spectrum CBD oil.

The aim of every manufacturer of full spectrum CBD oil is to preserve the natural phytocannabinoid concentrations in the oil. The naturally-derived cannabinoids and terpenes have a mélange of therapeutic effects on the human system. As a result, researchers and CBD experts often consider full spectrum CBD oils to be more effective as compared to CBD isolates in treating ailments. 

What is CBD isolate?

At the moment, both the research community and consumers forums will tell you that the purest forms of CBD or CBD isolates are the best products for treating pain, swelling, and anxiety. CBD is the standalone active molecule in the CBD isolates you can buy in the market. You can get up to 99.9% pure CBD isolates with almost no THC content.

Interestingly, CBD isolates don’t even contain other phytocannabinoids. It helps those interested only in the medicinal properties of CBD to enjoy the product without any fear of failing drug tests or experiencing added hallucinogenic effects of natural cannabis. 

Entourage effect and psychoactivity: How to make the right choice?

The research involving the effectiveness of CBD compounds is quite intriguing. Full spectrum CBD oils contain all the necessary phytocompounds, including THC. Although THC is a known psychoactive compound, the combined actions of it, other cannabinoids and terpenes elicit the entourage effect. The entourage effect ensures that the user requires minimum CBD to enjoy its therapeutic effects. The mélange of natural compounds in the full spectrum CBD oil interacts with multiple components of the human endocannabinoid system to create a prolonged pain-killing, anti-swelling, and anxiolytic effect. It is a synergistic effect that researchers have only observed in individuals who consume full spectrum CBD oils.

The entourage effect is absent in pure CBD extracts and isolates. When you focus on CBD only, it has analgesic effects. However, it has its own downsides. The pure CBD activity curve is a bell-shaped curve. It shows that as one increases his or her doses of CBD, the response of their endocannabinoid system gradually increases, but that gradually tapers off as the concentration of the active molecule increases. The inverted “U” curve shows that CBD has limited effectiveness as a standalone active molecule in the human system. Its effective dose is narrow, and it can be difficult for a newbie to find the best effective dose due to the bell-shaped activity curve.

Several studies on the bell-shaped activity curve of CBD and the entourage effect of full spectrum CBD oil shows that the latter product is more effective than pure CBD isolates at lower doses. Most importantly, novice CBD product users found it much easier to find the optimal treatment of full spectrum CBD oils as compared to CBD isolates.

What if you don’t want to consume any THC?

Several employers use periodic drug tests for their employees. Therefore, you might have some concern regarding the use of full-spectrum CBD products regularly. There might be a solution for you – broad spectrum CBD oil. These broad-spectrum CBD products contain little to no THC, but they include other phytocannabinoid compounds that full spectrum products contain.

Broad spectrum CBD oils can elicit the entourage effect. However, it has no psychoactive effect thanks to the absence of THC from the mix. 

What CBD product should you be using?

You need to understand that it is impossible to state that one CBD product is better than the other. Which product you choose will depend entirely upon your therapeutic needs. Pure CBD isolates are excellent for treating chronic pain and swelling. It is perfect if your workplace has strict drug policies or if you are sensitive to THC. Full spectrum CBD product is excellent for pain, swelling, and insomnia treatments. Broad spectrum CBD oil has similar medicinal properties minus the psychoactivity.

The different CBD spectrums are here to help you make the right choice and not to confuse you. Just in case you do not know which product you should buy, speak to your doctor and pharmacist at the cannabis dispensary or customer service agent at the CBD website to make an informed choice.