What is Full Spectrum CBD?

What Is Full Spectrum CBD?

Full spectrum CBD is a substance that contains all of the extracts naturally found in the cannabis plant, including very small amounts of THC, the psychoactive ingredient associated with the marijuana “high.”

It’s recently been popularized for its potential to help alleviate a variety of health conditions—like pain, anxiety, inflammation, and epilepsy—but more research is needed to fully back up all of the claims about its benefits.

Cannabis Oil

Before exploring full-spectrum CBD, it’s helpful to understand what CBD is to begin with. CBD—short for cannabidiol—is what’s known as a cannabinoid, one of more than 100 chemical compounds found in the Cannabis sativa plant. Most CBD products are derived from the hemp species of that plant.

The two most well-known cannabinoids are CBD and THC:

Cannabidiol (CBD) is often derived from hemp and doesn’t cause a “high” on its own.

Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the psychoactive compound that causes the euphoric “high” feeling associated with marijuana.

The Cannabis Plant

Both hemp and marijuana are species of the cannabis plant, and both contain CBD—but hemp plants have 0.3% THC or less, while marijuana plants have considerably greater levels of THC.

Ever since 2018, federal law has made it legal to grow and sell hemp in the U.S.

Full Spectrum CBD

Full spectrum CBD is one of three main types of CBD available. It’s important to understand the differences between the most common types, as the ingredients do vary.

• Full-spectrum CBD contains CBD and all other cannabinoids, plus beneficial terpenes, including trace amounts of THC (0.3% or less).
• Isolate CBD contains just CBD. Other cannabinoids and terpenes are removed in additional processing along with all TCH.
• Broad-spectrum CBD contains CBD and minimal other cannabinoids. Terpenes are also removed in the process. THC is removed to non-detectable.

Some CBD connoisseurs consider full-spectrum CBD products to be more effective than the other forms because they include all of the cannabis plant’s compounds plus up to 0.3% THC. That combination produces what researchers have dubbed the “entourage effect,” meaning that all of the elements in full-spectrum CBD may work better together than a single cannabinoid used alone.

How It Works

The major cannabinoids found in full-spectrum CBD work on different areas of the brain. Researchers are still studying their full effects on the body, but what they have found is that cannabinoids in general help regulate the body’s endocannabinoid system.

That system is responsible for nervous and immune system function, along with mood, sleep cycle, inflammation response regulation, and more. Basically, the endocannabinoid system helps correct many different imbalances within the body via activated receptors found throughout our central and peripheral nervous systems.

It’s also connected to the way we experience pain, prompting researchers to think that CBD helps the body’s systems achieve better balance.