For those folks who are just getting introduced to Cannabidiol, or CBD, for medicinal purposes, it may be confusing to hear that there are two main different forms of cbd oil for pain. These two types include CBD isolate and Full-Spectrum CBD oil. There’s no need to be intimidated, however, as it’s easy to learn the differences in order to ascertain which is the best cbd oil for you.
CBD Isolate vs. Full Spectrum
There are a few different methods of extracting CBD from the hemp or cannabis plant. Unfortunately, the most popular method involves running butane lighter fluid or hexane over the raw hemp. This risky process often leaves trace amounts of carcinogenic compounds, such as formaldehyde. Most manufacturers are opting for the C02 extraction method, which has been found to be much safer and cleaner. A third method that has not been studied as much is cold ethanol extraction.
Which extraction method is used determines whether the end-product will be CBD isolate or Full-Spectrum CBD.
CBD isolate is pure CBD in its, well, isolated form, without any of the other compounds left in it, whereas full-spectrum CBD oil leaves both the CBD, as well as all the other cannabinoids that were already in the Hemp plant. These compounds include flavanoids, terpenes, phytocannabinoids, phytonutrients, CBN, CBL, CBCVA, and others.
Which is the best cbd oil for pain?
It was the previous school of thought that CBD isolate was the better choice for therapeutic purposes. This view is starting to change, with studies pointing to and patient’s agreeing that Full-Spectrum is the best cbd oil for pain and most medical issues. Let’s go over the pros and cons of each to see why that might be.
PROS of Full-Spectrum cbd for pain:
- – Many scientists studying the effects of CBD’s interaction with our bodies believe all the various compounds within Full-Spectrum CBD oil work together to create an “entourage effect”, for much better thereaputic and medicinal results. This is why most patient’s surveyed say that Full-Spectrum CBD is the best cbd oil for pain relief purposes.
- – The taste of full-spectrum CBD’s tends to be much more pleasant than that of CBD isolate. This is due to the fact that CBD is not just extracted from hemp plants, but also from high-CBD cannabis plants, which contain a lot of terpenes. These are compounds found in all plants, fruits, and vegetables, which give them their distinct flavor profile and aroma.
- – Full-Spectrum CBD has been shown to be more effective than CBD isolate, in smaller doses. In other words, you need to take less full-spectrum cbd for pain than you would of isolated cbd for pain relief. When it comes to “less is more”, Full-Spectrum is definitely the best cbd oil for pain.
CONS of Full-Spectrum cbd for pain:
- – It’s important to always look for a certificate of analysis when shopping around for Full-Spectrum cbd products. If they don’t have one, they may be selling you a product that is actually an isolate or is even possibly contaminated.
- – While Full-Spectrum CBD oil contains very low, trace amounts of THC that ensures you won’t get high, the levels aren’t so low that they won’t show up on a drug test. So, in this case, an isolate may be the better choice for those who want extra purity.
PROS of isolate cbd for pain:
- – One thing about CBD isolate that some people like is it’s versatility. In isolated form alone, CBD comes in powdered form. This enables users to ingest the isolate powder in the way they wish. Also, consumers can get a water soluble CBD isolate if they want to put it in their water or other drink. In addition, premade CBD capsules and edibles are another possible option.
- – CBD isolate allows for confident dosing in that you know specifically how much CBD you’re getting. Though terpenes are sometimes put back into CBD isolate oils, they usually only contain pure cbd.
- – There is zero THC content in CBD isolates. Although that vast majority of cannabis products on shelves contain any more than 0.3% THC, CBD isolate is the way to go for people who get drug tested regularly.
CONS of taking CBD Isolate:
- – Because CBD isolate has been isolated from the rest of the beneficial compounds found in THC, you’re losing the entourage effect. This is to say that by choosing isolate over Full-Spectrum, you are risking losing out on a boosted health effect that comes from the synergystic properties of all of the cannabinoids working together.
Broad-Spectrum CBD oil
Broad-Spectrum cbd oil is a less known CBD product out there. It can be thought of as a sort of middle ground between Full-Spectrum CBD and CBD isolate. A quality Broad-Spectrum will be high in CBD, have 0% THC, and still contain a good amount of other cannabinoids, such as terpenes.
Broad-spectrum CBD oil is made during the C02 extraction process from hemp the same way CBD isolate is refined down from full-spectrum. In other commercial cases, Broad-Spectrum is made by taking CBD isolate and adding back in some terpenes and other good compounds. This is the best cbd oil for pain if you want to keep a focus on pure cbd, without taking out all the other good stuff, all while being positive you aren’t getting any THC.
