CBD Isolate vs CBD Full Spectrum?
Written By: Bryce Walker, PhD. Chief Technology Officer of SuperTrees Botanicals
CBD Isolate vs CBD Full Spectrum Distillate
A common question when choosing a CBD product is whether to go with CBD Isolate or a Full Spectrum CBD Distillate. At SuperTrees we carry both products for our customers, and both start off from the same supercritical CO2-extract. Chemically the difference is in the purity of the CBD relative to other cannabinoids and terpenes. Isolate is pure CBD while distillate is predominantly CBD with the residual a mixture of other phytochemicals. I like to think of it as choosing between pure Vitamin C or Orange Juice, where CBD Isolate is analogous to the Vitamin C. Both options are great choices for your health, so the final decision comes down to your personal goals.
CBD Isolate vs Full Spectrum Distillate Processing Difference
As mentioned above, there is no difference in the quality of CBD from CBD Isolate when compared to the CBD from Full Spectrum Distillate. This is because Isolate is formed by isolating the CBD and purifying the CBD from the Full Spectrum Distillate through subsequent processing. All CBD sold by SuperTrees is the same decarboxylated supercritical CO2-extracted CBD from Oregon farms, with purity and composition verified through third party labs.
CBD Isolate vs Full Spectrum Distillate Health Impact
CBD Isolate brings all the benefits of CBD, and only CBD[1-4]. It has almost no flavor outside of the carrier oil (Organic Coconut MCT Oil) and has no detectable level of THC. This lack of THC is often the appeal of CBD Isolate for people avoiding the psychoactive impact of THC or potential drug test results. All the attributes of CBD are in SuperTrees CBD Isolate and our customers use it regularly to address the a range of benefits from sleep aid to pain relief. CBD Isolate is a great straight forward product where the health benefits of CBD are delivered.
Full Spectrum CBD Distillate is often considered the healthier option[3-4] in comparison to CBD Isolate. Full Spectrum CBD Distillate brings the positives of CBD, and then adds in the benefits of cannabinoids[3-5] and terpenes[6-7] that synergistically complement the CBD with what is known as the “entourage effect”[1,3,6-7]. The third-party verified quality control of SuperTrees Full Spectrum CBD Distillate is based off of the content of CBD. Going with Full Spectrum does not reduce the CBD content, but the additional cannabinoids, flavinoids, and terpenes do give flavor and complimentary effects. This is especially evident in our CBG/CBD combination where customers note great aspects including calming and sleep enhancement.
In the end both options are great products, and at SuperTrees we are delighted to give the customer the flexibility to choose.
Bryce Walker, PhD
References
- ^Konieczny, Wilson. Healing with CBD: How Cannabidiol Can Transform Your Health Without the High. Simon and Schuster; 2018 Sep 18.
- ^Spindle, et al. Pharmacodynamic effects of vaporized and oral cannabidiol (CBD) and vaporized CBD-dominant cannabis in infrequent cannabis users. Drug and alcohol dependence. 2020 Jun 1;211:107937. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2020.107937
- ^Nahler, Jones. Pure Cannabidiol Versus Cannabidiol-Containing Extracts: Distinctly Different Multi-Target Modulators. Journal of Alternative Complementary & Integrative Medicine. 2018, https://doi.org/10.24966/ACIM-7562/100048
- ^Marinotti, Sarill. Differentiating Full-Spectrum Hemp Extracts from CBD Isolates: Implications for Policy, Safety and Science. Journal of Dietary Supplements. 2020 17:5, 517-526, https://doi.org/10.1080/19390211.2020.1776806
- ^King. The relationship between cannabis/hemp use in foods and processing methodology. Current Opinion in Food Science. 2019 28, 32-40, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cofs.2019.04.007
- ^Lo. Terpenes/Terpenoids in Cannabis: Are They Important? Med Cannabis Cannabinoids 2020 3, 25-60, https://doi.org/10.1159/000509733
- ^Gallily, et al. The Anti-Inflammatory Properties of Terpenoids from Cannabis. Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research. 2018 Dec, 282-290, https://doi.org/10.1089/can.2018.0014
