CBD, in recent years, has skyrocketed in popularity. What seemed to be the all-round solution for the younger generations, has found its way into mainstream alternative medicine (start here). Cannabidiol is used as a treatment for physical and mental conditions including epilepsy, anxiety, depression, it is also used as relief therapy from chronic pain management.
It is opted for due to its non-psychoactive properties, and while the number of prescribed users increases rather frequently, the doubt and uncertainty around CBD treatment is on the rise too.
Research is moving quickly
Research on medical cannabis is not as thorough as the ever-growing community of CBD users would hope, due to Cannabis’ Schedule 1 classing (read about CBD’s legal status in Malta here). Studies have revealed that CBD has a minimum of 140 phytocannabinoids within its chemical structure, and in large doses can counteract the notorious psychoactive effects of THC on the brain and body. THC is another component of the cannabis plant, and is more commonly associated with recreational marijuana use – hence the plant’s limitations is modern medicine.
Discussions on whether the plant’s benefits outweigh its drawbacks, will, most likely, never be as clean-cut as we’d hope; but learning more about the benefits of medical cannabis and CBD, in general, could improve international acceptance and help develop alternative treatments for those who need it.
Comparing isolate vs full spectrum CBD could help develop its treatment use.
What is CBD Isolate?
CBD Isolate is found naturally in CBD and is the purest extract taken from the plant – 99.9%. CBD Isolate generally comes in the form of crystals, diamond-like solids that are crushed for easier consumption. This CBD Isolate powder is used in a similar method to CBD oils, extracts, tinctures and so on – as a relief mechanism to help soothe stress, pain or discomfort in the body and mind.
CBD Isolate production requires an intricate CO2 extraction process, where the filtered hemp plant extract releases the cleanest, purest product with his quality results. Achieving 100% purity is close to impossible, however, his process lessens the traces of other cannabinoids, terpenes and flavonoids, in the product.
CBD is generally consumed in vape form for most effective results, and CBD Isolate is no different. While you can ingest CBD Isolate orally too, the recommended method remains vaping.
What is Full Spectrum CBD?
Contrary to CBD Isolate, Full Spectrum CBD contains a mixture of different cannabinoids, flavonoids and terpenes. The most ‘worrying’ component of medical grade cannabis is THC – in fact many countries do not allow for more than 0.2% THC by product in CBD treatment remedies.
But there are so many benefits from THC, as well as other cannabinoids, including CBN, CBDV, THCV, CBG, CBC, THCA and CBDA. Together these cannabinoids produce Full Spectrum CBD, all of which are naturally found within the cannabis plant. THC is also found naturally in the plant, but is more often than not extracted (and used to make tinctures prescribed to treat illnesses such as prostate cancer) to follow Schedule Drug Regulations.
Removing THC from this ‘package’ eradicates any chances of psychotropic effect but it also disrupts the synergy and balance of the medicinal plant’s benefits. THC can at times be noted as a trace product amounting to a maximum of 0.3% – this miniscule amount would trigger a fail on a drug test.
What is Broad Spectrum CBD?
Broad Spectrum CBD could provide relief to patients who require routine drug tests for work, as during its manufacturing process, THC is removed from the product entirely. This process keeps all the cannabinoids, terpenes and flavonoids intact, simply isolating the THC from its chemical structure.
Broad Spectrum CBD is basically Full Spectrum CBD without the THC.
Benefits of CBD and other Cannabinoids
While all cannabinoids should work together to provide the most desired effects, here are the specific benefits for each component:
CBD is:
an analgesic,
anti-inflammatory,
anti-diabetic,
anti-psoriatic,
a bone stimulant,
anti-proliferative,
an immunosuppressive,
anti-ischemic,
a vasorelaxant,
an allograft stimulant,
a digestive aid,
anti-nausea,
anti-bacterial,
an antidepressant,
anti-anxiety,
an antipsychotic,
an antispasmodic,
anti-epileptic as well as
a neuroprotective.
Highlighting CBD’s benefits alone should indicate that it helps in Pain and Sleep, Disease-Specific treatment, Eating and Digestion Disorders as well as Neurological Complexities. However, it is not the best treatment for all conditions. For example, experts suggest that patients:
– Use CBN to treat Insomnia
– Use THC to manage Sleep Apnea, Glaucoma, and improve Appetite
– Use CBC to improve Vasoconstriction and as an Antimicrobial
The Entourage Effect
Concluding an analysis between CBD Isolate and Full Spectrum CBD depends on what you’re looking for in this alternative treatment. While CBD boasts a number of benefits in its Isolate form, without the interaction of flavonoids, terpenes and other complementary cannabinoids, the effects of CBD are not being fulfilled to nature’s intention.
The Entourage Effect states that Full Spectrum CBD offers higher levels of relief for pains such as inflammation. CBD’s interaction with all its natural components is what gives it its ‘magic medicinal plant’ properties. If THC is the problem in this recipe, perhaps THC-free Broad Spectrum CBD could be the solution to your therapeutic needs.
Managing pain, neurological difficulties and other ailments in life can be a stressful trial and error pattern – but the natural properties of CBD, could prove to be an all-round solution for many distresses in the medical field.
Be sure to consult a certified physician before consuming CBD in any way – potency, doses and specific strains may be preferred over others – so it’s best to seek professional advice before self-medicating.