Whole-plant extract, broad, isolate, and full spectrum CBD are common terms you see subscribed to CBD products like CBD oil. But what do they mean?! Well, first, you should know there are some pretty big differences between them. And if you’re looking to use CBD either for yourself or give it to your pet, it’s essential you know what these terms mean first.
And that’s the exact purpose of this article. And we are going to explain the differences by covering the CBD product that’s most likely right for you. Full spectrum CBD oil, sometimes called a whole-plant extract, is by far the most popular form of CBD. And there are many reasons for why that is! So let’s learn about CBD full spectrum, why it’s our choice for hemp-derived CBD products. Along with where to find the best full spectrum CBD products.
What Does CBD Full Spectrum Mean?
The term “CBD” can be quite confusing because it refers to different things. First, it refers to a compound found in all cannabis plants called cannabidiol. Then this compound lends its name to a variety of different hemp and cannabis products. However, the vast majority of those products have more than just cannabidiol in them.
In truth, it’s not the best label. It’s kind of like naming a sports team after the star player, but that doesn’t do justice to all the other players, coaches, medical professionals that help out. And, in the vast majority of cannabis products, like CBD oil, there are hundreds of different compounds with various therapeutic properties that can help and mend the body. The compound CBD is just one type of cannabinoid, and there are over 100 different types of cannabinoids that have been identified in cannabis. Then we have other groups of compounds like the terpenes and flavonoids, which have their own medical benefits.
All of these compounds can be found located in the trichomes, which are the shiny resin crystal-like beads that form on the flowers and leaves of the cannabis plant. While it’s possible to separate these compounds away from each other, leading to products like broad spectrum and isolate, the most popular method is leaving them altogether. This gives us full spectrum cannabis products like full spectrum CBD oil.
By default, the cannabis plant, and all the variety of strains that come from it, which features the cannabinoids and terpenes in different ratios, are considered full spectrum.
Full Spectrum VS. Isolate
Think again about how the compound cannabidiol is our star player. With cannabis products, we can create an entire team that only features our MVP. We call these CBD products CBD isolate. And at first, they seem like a really good idea. However, just like with a sports team, different players bring different assets and take on different roles that are irreplaceable, even if not as significant. When by cannabidiol is by itself, CBD isolates have uneven effects, losing many of the benefits that come from full spectrum CBD oil and other similar products. As well, administering it becomes completely different. Because with a CBD isolate, you can both undershoot and overshoot your dosage, resulting in little to no help to occur.
While often not as potent as CBD, the other cannabinoids and terpenes can take different routes in the body than it. As well, they can also significantly improve CBD’s success by increasing the body’s ability to fully utilize it. We call this the entourage effect, and in the majority of cases, it’s needed for the best results.
Now while you can find CBD isolates for humans, they are near impossible to find for our pets — mostly due to the dosage issue. CBD full spectrum works differently. Most of its effects are generally felt at a low dosage, although most are very mild. Increasing the dosage in increments typically increases the benefits ability to treat. Now, at extremely large dosages, some benefits see a cutoff, where giving more will not help more. However, with full spectrum, you shouldn’t experience a drop-off or cliff, where if you go past the dosage, you feel nothing like you can with a CBD isolate.
