Introducing You To: Broad Spectrum CBD
CBD, Full Spectrum CBD, CBD Isolate or Broad Spectrum CBD is slowly becoming more and more available around the world, in some countries it is used widely and openly while in others not so much, purely because most people aren’t one hundred percent sure what CBD is and what it contains. We hear about CBD on television ads, friends and family and we’re beginning to see it pop up on the shelves of some of our favorite shops.
When you think CBD you immediately think of cannabis, which makes sense, CBD or cannabidiol is taken from the cannabis plant and used in a range of different products, from capsules to lotions, but we all can’t help but wonder, is it safe and will it get you high?
It’s really important to understand which compound in the cannabis plant actually gets you high, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), is the main psychoactive compound that causes the feeling of being in an altered state of reality or as most would say causes a person to get “high”. In saying this, there has to be a reasonable percentage of THC available in a product for a person to actually get high. THC is not legal to sell, so if you are purchasing from an authorized retailer none of the CBD products should have more than 0,003% of THC present within the product. There are three main forms of CBD, first one being CBD Isolate, which is highly refined to bring you what some would say is the purest form of CBD. It contains no THC, no other cannabinoids, no terpenes or any other plant compounds. CBD isolate is believed to be the safest form of CBD, but because it is highly processed it doesn’t contain other beneficial compounds which means it may not offer all the health benefits that full-spectrum or broad-spectrum CBD would offer.
The second type of CBD is full spectrum CBD, this is the least processed form of CBD, it contains all the beneficial nutrients from the cannabis plant such as, cannabinoids, terpenes and essential oils. Full spectrum CBD does contain THC, but it will be below a certain percentage to be in line with legal requirements, this percentage is not nearly enough to get a person “high”. The variety of naturally occurring cannabinoids and terpenes make something called the “entourage effect” possible. The entourage effect is where different compounds work together synergistically, for example certain cannabinoids and terpenes used together can potentially help with sleep or pain. This is why using full-spectrum or broad-spectrum CBD is seen to be more beneficial because they contain different cannabinoids, terpenes and oils that will work together to bring you different effects. The third form of CBD is broad-spectrum CBD, this is the newest form of CBD and fills the gap between CBD isolate and full-spectrum CBD. Broad-Spectrum CBD is basically full-spectrum just with the THC removed, just as full-spectrum CBD is extracted with all the important nutrients, broad-spectrum CBD just goes through and extra step to have the THC removed, so it is refined but not as processed as isolate where all the good cannabinoids and terpenes are removed, its refined just enough to make sure there is no THC present. Broad-spectrum is the best option for people who don’t want any THC, because it still contains all the awesome nutrients, and it can potentially help with pain, anxiety, inflammation, sleep and so much more. Depending on the type of terpenes in different broad spectrum CBD products, flavors, smells and effects will vary, compared to the plain flavorless isolate. Broad-Spectrum CBD has a ton of potential, it gives its users a lot of health benefits just as full spectrum would, but it also allows consumers not to worry about having any sort of THC in their system. There isn’t a ton of research done on the long-term effects of CBD so we can’t really say what impact CBD could have in the long run, but from short term user experiences we know that CBD has helped many people. It’s important to really understand a product for using it and if you do have any unusual side effects consult a doctor or discontinue the use of the product. At the end of the day all our bodies are different, and one user’s experience may be completely different from the next. CBD is full of potential and we continue to learn and explore it every day, the best thing is to learn and trust what your body needs, CBD is more of a holistic and natural approach compared to general medication.
When purchasing any form of CBD make sure you are purchasing from a trusted and authorized source, the black market for CBD and THC is very dangerous and can cause serious illness if consumed. If you are experiencing any form of anxiety, pain, sleep disorders why not give it a try? it may just work for you!
