What’s the difference between CBD Isolate and Full Spectrum CBD is a question more people are starting to ask. Medical marijuana laws are being passed in more states every year. Before long medical marijuana will be, once again a part of the U.S. Pharmacopeia, like it was up until 1942.
CBD (Cannabidiol oil) offers a wide variety of potential benefits for consumers. Let’s examine the benefits CBD has to offer and learn a little bit about this cannabinoid together. There has been a lot of smoke screens placed out there about this topic.
CBD is growing in popularity as a treatment alternative for many different conditions and symptoms. There are reports CBD is helping alcoholism, muscle spasms, chronic pain, and many other conditions. How can one particular compound treat so many different ailments you may wonder, well, the answer is called the endocannabinoid system. Every mammal on the planet has one of these.
The endocannabinoid system was discovered in 1992 by Raphael Mechoulam. Raphael also had the assistance of NIMH researchers Dr. Lumir Hanus and William Devane in making this discovery. Within this endogenous system there are CB1 and CB2 receptors. These receptors respond to cannabinoid saturation.
The result is two-way communication between cells and nerves where previously none existed. This is speculated to be one of the reasons CBD works so well with inflammation, muscle spasms, and chronic pain. Research on CBD has been conducted in Israel and several other places for many years now. We have learned a lot. Look at what we have documented so far in regards to the benefits of CBD.
Potential Medical Benefits of CBD
- tranquilizing
- relieve anxiety
- suppresses muscle spasms
- treat psoriasis
- slows bacterial growth
- relieve pain
- reduce small intestine contractions
- increase function in the immune system
- reduce vomiting and nausea
- promote bone growth
- reduce blood sugar levels
- neuroprotective
- reduce inflammation
- antibacterial
- inhibit cancer cell growth
CBD may help the following:
- Treat Substance Abuse Disorders
- Insomnia
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Chronic Pain
- Muscle spasms
- Inflammation…and more
Exploring Full Spectrum CBD
Full spectrum CBD contains a wide variety of cannabinoids, terpenes, vitamins, and minerals. You have two sources for obtaining CBD. One is from hemp; the other is from hemp’s cousin marijuana. CBD from hemp has fewer active parts per million than it does from marijuana.
CBD from hemp on average will contain 25 active ppm (parts per million). Most of the hemp CBD that is available, not all, is from industrial grade hemp. Certain companies do use medicinal hemp cultivars. Within the hemp plant, there are a wide variety of cannabinoids found, but they are in trace amounts.
CBDa is the most abundant of these cannabinoids. For CBD to be effective, companies must first process the CBD by decarboxylating it. This is the process of applying heat to extracted CBD oil to remove the acid from CBDa to create active CBD.
CBD that comes from marijuana averages 150,000 active ppm in comparison. The same process occurs but with CBD from marijuana you have a much broader cannabinoid profile with much higher potency. This is the CBD oil you hear about that is helping to fight cancer, Crohns, epilepsy and more.
It’s not that hemp CBD isn’t effective to some degree, it just doesn’t contain many ppm as it does when it comes from marijuana. This is what is driving states like Virginia and others to adopt medical marijuana laws welcoming CBD and THCa oil.
A full spectrum CBD contains cannabinoids such as:
- CBGA (Cannabigerolic acid)
- CBG (Cannabigerol)
- THCA (Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinolic acid)
- THC (Δ9–tetrahydrocannabinol)
- CBDA (Cannabidiolic acid)
- CBD (Cannabidiol)
- CBCA (Cannabichromenenic acid)
- CBC (Cannabichromene)
- CBGVA (Cannabigerovarinic acid)
- CBGV (Cannabigerivarin)
- THCVA (Tetrahydrocanabivarinic acid)
- THCV (Tetrahydrocannabivarin)
- CBDVA (Cannabidivarinic acid)
- CBDV (Cannabidivarin)
- CBCVA (Cannabichromevarinic acid)
- CBCV (Cannabichromevarin)
These cannabinoids are in exceptionally higher levels of concentration in marijuana compared to hemp. Leafly has a fantastic article that took hours of research to put together covering the effects of these cannabinoids. When you hear full spectrum CBD, that means along with the above-mentioned cannabinoids you’ll also find vitamins, minerals, and terpenes.
Hopefully, this clears some of the smokescreens that were in your way and gives you a breath of fresh air about full spectrum CBD. If you live in a state with legal medical marijuana or recreational marijuana laws in place, then chances are you have access to full spectrum CBD. If not, then quality trusted medical hemp CBD companies are out there. You just won’t get the potency.
What is CBD Isolate?
CBD isolate is just what it sounds like. CBD is isolated from the rest of the cannabinoid profile. You will find much debate still regarding if CBD isolate is stronger than full spectrum CBD. To find an answer to this question, we turn to where some of the world’s leading cannabinoid research is taking place, Jerusalem, at the Lautenberg Center for General Tumor Immunology.
Back in 2015, the center released a study conducted on mice that showed the group receiving full spectrum CBD benefited from and found more relief than the group given only CBD isolate. The mice in the group given only the CBD isolate were also given higher titrates than the group receiving full spectrum CBD.
In comparison CBD isolate is not as effective as full spectrum CBD. Especially in areas where chronic pain and inflammation were of concern. Today we hear a lot about CBD in the media. From radio to television, magazines, newspapers, and online, it seems CBD is here to stay.
Food for The Mind
The “Reefer Madness” propaganda of the 1930’s demonized a plant that could help so many. It’s through factual research and the facilitation of this information that we can help spread the seed of truth about cannabis. Cannabis is medicine.
US6630507B1, this is the patent the U.S government has held since 4/21/1999 that is proving this for many. If you want to try CBD products, be sure to do your research on the company that makes them. Check reviews and ask for recommendations.
The last piece of advice about CBD or most anything for that matter is to keep a journal of your experience. This will help you to find levels and methods of consumption that produce the results you’re after. Remember, cannabis whether it be hemp or marijuana, treats everyone a little bit differently. What works for one person may not work the same for another.