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Full Spectrum vs. Broad Spectrum: Know Your CBD

Full Spectrum vs. Broad Spectrum: Know Your CBD

People often talk about how much they love CBD. If you’re looking to try CBD for the first time, you’re probably beginning to realize that no one is very specific. With so many different forms of CBD, each form comes in an isolate or a CBD spectrum – where do you even begin?

First things first: all types of CBD products can contain CBD (cannabidiol). In that respect, there is no wrong form. Full-spectrum CBD oil and broad-spectrum CBD oil refer to what CBD oil doesn’t contain, and in some cases, that’s just as important. Which is better when it comes to full spectrum vs broad spectrum CBD?

What Are CBD Spectrums?

CBD oil can be full-spectrum, broad-spectrum, or CBD isolate. The spectrums refer to what cannabinoids the CBD product does or doesn’t contain. 

In many cases, CBD products contain far more than just CBD. Unless you’re buying a CBD isolate product (pure CBD, free of flavonoids, terpenes, and cannabinoids), you’re getting a wealth of other cannabinoids in conjunction with your CBD. 

How Many Cannabinoids Are There?

There are over 100 recognized cannabinoids. Some of them exist in amounts so small that it’s unlikely that they have any impact or benefits. In fact, only a handful of cannabinoids have been extensively studied for their safety and potential benefits. 

CBD and THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) are two of the most abundant and well-known cannabinoids, but minor cannabinoids like CBG, CBC, and CBN can also be useful.

Cannabinoids work with your endocannabinoid system (ECS), a massive network of receptors throughout your brain and body. Each cannabinoid uniquely interacts with the ECS to produce different benefits.

CBD

CBD, or cannabidiol, works with your body’s endocannabinoid system by stimulating the receptors. When CBD interacts with the receptors, it works to promote their normal functions. The end result is a sense of overall wellness.

CBD can help support your endocannabinoid system while it works to promote better sleep quality, a sense of calm, mental focus, regular digestive health, and tension response. It performs all these functions without the THC effect of making you feel “high.” 

THC

THC, or delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, is the cannabinoid that gets you high. It binds to your cannabinoid receptors and changes the way they send messages. These communication changes can alter how you process information and perceive your surroundings. 

Medical cannabis patients find that THC helps with concerns like tension and discomfort. Meanwhile, recreational cannabis users may just like how it makes them feel. 

CBG

CBG, or cannabigerol, bonds to your cannabinoid receptors and changes how information is transmitted. CBG is non-psychoactive, which means it will not alter your state of mind as THC will.

CBC

CBC, or cannabichromene, is a different cannabinoid than CBD. However, in a lot of ways, CBC is similar to CBD. It doesn't bind to your receptors but positively influences them. CBC is believed to provide mood support and promote normal cellular health. 

CBN

CBN, or cannabinol, is more closely related to THC since it's essentially degraded THC. CBN is THC that’s lost its edge. Over time, THC degrades to a far less psychoactive cannabinoid called CBN. CBN is used to promote better sleep. 

Most studies show that CBN promotes better sleep when used in conjunction with THC. However, how much of the effect comes from THC and how much comes from CBN is unknown. CBD may still be considered the best cannabinoid for sleep.

Hemp-derived CBD vs. Marijuana-derived CBD

Both hemp and marijuana come from the same species of plants (Cannabis sativa). However, one significant difference between the two is their tetrahydrocannabinol content. Hemp is naturally low in THC and contains 0.3% THC or less. Most CBD preparations are derived from hemp plants.

Finally, there’s one more source of CBD you may not know about. Peel's breakthrough proprietary process derives pure CBD from orange peels in a process called Cyclic Terpene Assembly. Orange peels typically thrown out are repurposed instead to create a bio-identical CBD molecule. Since there's no THC, it's the safest, purest CBD product on the market.

What Is Full-Spectrum CBD?

Full spectrum CBD oil is CBD extract that contains the full spectrum of cannabinoids found in the hemp plant. Full-spectrum CBD includes all major and minor cannabinoids, although it only contains minimal amounts of cannabinoids that aren’t CBD. These include more than 100 types of cannabinoids (CBD included) and THC. It also contains more than 150 terpenes, giving it that fragrance. Lastly, it has more than 20 different types of flavonoids. Research has shown that flavonoids in cannabis have anti-inflammatory benefits.

While the benefits of minor cannabinoids in full spectrum CBD oil may not be prevalent, the hemp plants grown to produce full spectrum extract are cultivated and prized for their high CBD content. 

In fact, growers are less interested in selectively breeding or cultivating whole plants to produce other cannabinoids since CBD is the one people are most interested in. 

The Entourage Effect

The Entourage Effect is the theory that every cannabinoid works together to produce benefits. Since full-spectrum CBD contains every cannabinoid from the hemp plant, it’s believed to produce the synergistic entourage effect. The combination of phytocannabinoids alongside a vast array of terpenes can alter its psychoactive and beneficial properties. This is why people choose full-spectrum CBD products over other CBD extract products. 

However, the jury is still out, and there is still no hard evidence that the entourage effect is real, as there is very little data or scientific studies conducted on the subject. There is a wealth of anecdotal data on the effect. 

THC in Full Spectrum CBD

Full-spectrum CBD is made from hemp plants, a special designation of cannabis plants. Hemp plants can legally contain up to 0.3% THC by their dry weight

The CBD made from these plants can also contain small amounts of THC. Thus, the small amount of THC is highly unlikely to cause you to feel high when you use a dose of full-spectrum CBD. But even though you won’t experience the psychoactive effects of THC, you’re still putting it in your system. 

When THC enters your body, your body stores its metabolites in its fat reserves. As your body expels the metabolites, it passes them through your urine. You may be wondering, does CBD show up on a drug test? The short answer is, no, if it is certified THC-free. There's a possibility that it may cause you to fail a drug test for cannabis use if it is not guaranteed THC-free. 

If drug testing or athletic doping guidelines aren’t a part of your life, you may not be too concerned about full-spectrum CBD. If the possibility of trace amounts of THC being found in your system can potentially cause consequences for you, full-spectrum CBD isn’t the right choice. 

What Is Broad-Spectrum CBD?

Broad spectrum CBD oil is almost the same thing as full-spectrum CBD. The only difference is the additional steps manufacturers take to process the extract before turning it into CBD oil, capsules, or edibles. 

Broad spectrum CBD oil undergoes a finishing step where manufacturers isolate CBD and remove as much of the THC as possible. There’s no guarantee that the end product can be ultimately THC free. The goal is to get THC levels so low that they aren’t detectable with standard cannabis testing lab equipment. 

Although it’s far less likely that broad spectrum extract can leave detectable THC levels in your body, it’s still technically possible. You have to choose your preferred level of comfort with THC before using a broad spectrum CBD product. 

Reputable CBD manufacturers use testing by an independent third-party lab to show the cannabinoid content of their products. You should review the lab reports for every batch to ensure that the lab technician didn’t find substantial traces of THC if you choose to avoid this cannabinoid. 

Full-Spectrum vs. Broad-Spectrum: Which Is Better?

Full Spectrum CBD

Broad Spectrum CBD

Contains THC?

Yes. Contains phytocannabinoids (including CBD and THC), terpenes, and flavonoids

No. Removes as much of the THC as possible

Is it pure CBD?

No

No

Can you test positive?

Likely

Unlikely

Supports the Entourage Effect?

Yes

No

 

As long as the CBD is manufactured by a reputable company that uses lab testing to assure the quality and purity of its products, both forms of CBD are equally safe. Choosing the best form of CBD for you depends more on what you don’t want. 

If you’re uncomfortable using products containing small amounts of THC, then full-spectrum CBD may not be the right choice.

You might be more comfortable using broad-spectrum if you don’t want to ingest THC. However, it's still possible even though broad-spectrum CBD is far less likely to place detectable amounts of THC into your system. Many people with THC aversions or restrictions may find broad-spectrum CBD a better option.

What About CBD Without THC?

If THC is an absolute no-go, you still have options. CBD isolate products aren’t on any CBD spectrum and do not contain THC.

CBD Isolate Derived from Hemp 

Traditional CBD isolate products are derived from hemp, just like full-spectrum and broad-spectrum CBD products. During the extraction process, the hemp plant is processed to remove every cannabinoid and naturally occurring compound, aside from CBD. 

All fats, oils, and phytonutrients are removed from the extract. The end result is a crystalline substance as no liquid or moisture remains. Crystalline isolate CBD looks similar to table sugar or salt. 

The crystals are difficult to use straight from the container because they’re so concentrated. It’s not pleasant to take a tiny spoon of straight CBD crystals. Some companies will blend the CBD isolate with a carrier oil to make it similar to other CBD oils. 

Other companies blend the crystals into edibles like CBD gummies. You can also buy the crystals plain and mix them into whatever you want. People use CBD isolate to make things like CBD lattes or boost the potential recovery power of their post-workout smoothie. 

CBD Made from Orange Peels

Peels is bioidentical CBD, meaning your body can’t tell the difference between Peels and CBD derived from hemp. As Peels is made from orange peels, they contain aromatic terpenes, like limonene, with a citrusy flavor and aroma. 

At Peels, we use a special cyclic terpene assembly process to convert these terpenes into CBD. There’s absolutely no THC in Peels, and there never will be. Oranges don’t contain THC, and we don’t convert terpenes into THC. 

So what are you waiting for? Add Peels CBD to your wellness routine!

 

Sources:

  1. Cannabinoid Receptors in the Central Nervous System: Their Signaling and Roles in Disease | Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience
  2. The Case for the Entourage Effect and Conventional Breeding of Clinical Cannabis: No “Strain,” No Gain | Frontiers in Plant Science
  3. Defining Hemp: A Fact Sheet | Congressional Research Service
  4. Cannabinol and Sleep: Separating Fact from Fiction | NIH