You’ve probably heard about CBD either from a friend, family member, or your doctor.
While we’ll stop short of calling it a miracle cure, the fact is that there have been hundreds of clinical studies conducted into hemp extracts containing CBD, and the results are nothing short of amazing.
Whether you experience stress and anxiety or you need to find relief from pain and inflammation, research suggests that adding this natural medicine to your daily wellness regimen may work wonders for your well-being.
CBD is extracted from hemp and is known as cannabidiol. It’s one of over one hundred cannabinoid compounds found in the plant. But unlike its cannabinoid cousin, THC, cannabidiol is not going to leave you feeling high or panicky. It’s quite the opposite, actually.
When taken orally or sublingually in the form of a CBD tincture, cannabidiol provides relaxation without the intoxicating feeling associated with marijuana.
But before you try buy CBD Australia, you’ll want to learn a little bit about the different types of blends.
Not all CBD products are created equal.
According to Cannabiva.com, there are three types of CBD blends available:
- Full spectrum CBD
- Broad spectrum CBD
- CBD isolate
While each of them provides a therapeutic dose of the active ingredient cannabidiol, there are some key differences you’ll need to understand before you begin.
What is full-spectrum CBD?
Full-spectrum CBD is a type of extract from hemp cannabis that encompasses all of the compounds found in the plant. This means that when a full spectrum extract is blended into an oil or tincture it contains all of the extracted cannabinoids like cannabidiol, cannabinol, cannabichromene, and cannabigerol.
Moreover, it also contains naturally occurring aromatic terpenes, which are responsible for giving CBD oils their distinct “weed” scent and flavor. Terpenes also contribute health benefits, such as helping to relieve pain.
Because all of the essential compounds are preserved in this type of extract, full-spectrum blends also contain some concentrations of THC, the psychoactive cannabinoid found in marijuana products.
However, CBD oils that are available over the counter or online follow strict federal and state regulations, so the THC levels are below 0.3% and are often so low that they are non-psychoactive for most users.
Scientific research shows that taking full-spectrum CBD oil results in what researchers refer to as the “entourage effect”. This scientific theory suggests that all of the components in the full spectrum blend work together to create a greater impact than they would individually.
What is broad-spectrum CBD?
Broad-spectrum CBD is very similar to its full-spectrum counterpart but with a little twist.
Unlike full-spectrum blends, when you take a broad-spectrum CBD oil it will be THC-free.
Thus, you can experience all of the benefits of other cannabinoids and aromatic terpenes, with worry of any psychoactive effects or lingering THC in your system.
This is great for those who are sensitive to THC or worried about taking a sensitive drug screening for work.
But how do they get rid of the THC?
It’s quite an intricate process. For the most part, the initial steps involving extraction are the same, so the THC is still present in the raw extract. From here, THC is removed during a process known as distillation. This is where they heat everything up and vaporize the compounds. The vapor gets collected and certain compounds are removed at specific temperatures, including THC.
It is important to note that even though lab equipment is unable to detect THC in broad-spectrum CBD blends, the cannabinoid is still present in very trace amounts.
What is CBD isolate?
CBD isolate products take things to the next level.
In their final form, they are very different from both full-spectrum and broad-spectrum blends.
Isolate products undergo a process that, as their name suggests, isolates specific compounds.
In this case, cannabidiol is the only compound removed from the raw extract.
This process yields a crystalline powder that is white in color and devoid of almost everything except CBD. It’s so pure, in fact, that a high-quality CBD powder contains over 99% cannabidiol.
This powder is then blended into oils, tinctures, topic products, or even edibles containing only pure cannabidiol and no other hemp compounds.
Pure isolate CBD products are an ideal choice for those who want to completely avoid any presence of THC in their system. The amount of THC is so low that they are undetectable by even highly sensitive drug screenings.
Which CBD should I choose?
The three types of CBD have their benefits and differences.
Because everyone will respond differently to CBD and have their own preferences and needs, you’ll need to decide for yourself which blend is best for you.
You can try a sample of CBD in broad spectrum or full spectrum blend types for free to help you determine which one provides the best benefits.
Be sure to start with a low dose initially and take CBD regularly for at least seven days before deciding if it’s the right choice for your health needs.
Taking cannabidiol, whether it is full spectrum, broad-spectrum, or isolate for a period of 4 – 6 weeks will provide the best results for those experiencing stress, anxiety, sleep difficulty, pain, and inflammation.