One of the things we get asked all the time is, what is the difference between Pure CBD vs Full Spectrum CBD? The best, and easiest way to explain this, is by looking at test results for both pure and full spectrum products. Have you ever looked at a test result for industrial hemp derived CBD? If you have, you may have noticed the different cannabinoids we test for. When looking at a pure test result, you will notice many of the cannabinoids tested are at 0%, but in full spectrum, some of those numbers are higher.
So why is that? If it’s CBD, isn’t it all the same? The answer to that question is, no; they’re not the same. Lets take a look at a Pure CBD isolate lab result, and a Full Spectrum CBD lab result and discuss what it is you’re looking at.
As you can see, when a company sends in a product to be tested, in this case Pure CBD Isolate, there are many different cannabinoids that the lab tests for. Those cannabinoids are going to be Delta9-THC, THCV, CBD, CBDV, CBG, CBC, CBN, THCA, CBDA, and CBGA. What are these compounds, you may be asking? Let’s go over what is listed on the lab results, and what each cannabinoid is.
Delta (9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) – is identified as the primary active component of cannabis. This component helps to activate the cannabinoid CB1 receptors to produce a wide-range of biological and behavioral responses.
THCV, or tetrahydrocannabivarin – is a compound in cannabis that offers a unique array of effects and medical benefits that sets it apart from other cannabinoids like THC and CBD. THCV is similar to THC in molecular structure and psychoactive properties, but it provides a variety of pronounced and altogether different effects.
CBD, or Cannabidiol – is a naturally occurring compound found in all forms of cannabis. The cannabinoid CBD does not make a person feel “stoned” or intoxicated, and can actually lessen or neutralize the psychoactive effects of THC.
CBDV, or Cannabidivarin – according to multiple studies CBDV has been able to treat nausea and seizures from debilitating conditions like epilepsy.
CBG, or cannabigerol – is a non-intoxicating cannabinoid. Amazingly, however, THC and CBD start out as CBG.
CBC, or cannabichromene – is considered one of the “big six” cannabinoids prominent in medical research. CBC has shown to help with conditions such as pain and inflammation, as well as had a positive effect on neural stem progenitor cells (NSPCs), a cell essential to healthy brain function.
CBN or cannabinol – CBN’s most pronounced, characterizing attribute is its sedative effect.
THCA or tetrahydrocannabinolic acid – THCA is a non-intoxicating cannabinoid found in raw and live cannabis. As the plant dries, THCA slowly converts to THC, as the acid molecule dries up.
CBDA or cannabidiolic acid – in growing plants, CBD exists as CBDA. It isn’t until the plant is cut, dried, and heated that CBD is formed.
CBGa or cannabigerolic acid – is commonly referred to as the “cannabinoid stem cell.” It is actually due to CBGa that all other medicinal effects of cannabis are possible! Through varying types of biosynthesis, such as THC biosynthase or CBD biosynthase, CBGa in turn becomes THC / THCa, CBD / CBDa, CBCa / CBC, and CBG
All of these cannabinoids are present in all cannabis plants, but the amounts that these cannabinoids are in, are going to differ, depending on the type of plant you are testing, and what you want the end result to be. So, when you look at the Pure CBD Isolate lab result, you will see that all of the cannabinoids have been removed, and CBD is the one remaining cannabinoid left. This is how you can verify that a company is using Pure CBD Isolate, and what the purity of that product is going to be. Now lets take a look at a Full Spectrum CBD lab result.
As you can see all of the same cannabinoids are tested for, but with Full Spectrum you are going to have more of the cannabinoids present on the test result. This is what allows for The Entourage Effect to take place. As stated many times throughout our blogs, when a compound is able to work with another compound, the benefits are multiplied. This allows for the synergistic properties to be amplified, and the benefits of those cannabinoids to create a broader symptom relief.
One of the many things that we strive to reassure everyone is that although there can be trace amounts of THC in Full Spectrum, all of our lab results fall below the legal limits of 0.3%. When these cannabinoids are then mixed into a carrier oil, in our case, MCT oil, the concentration of THC then drops even more as the cannabinoid is being diluted. If you are interested in any of our lab results, you can find them here.
When looking into research for which CBD product is best for you, it is all going to depend on your age, weight, height, genetics, tolerance, as well as many other factors. The only way to know what is in your CBD products, is to ask, or to request a lab result for the product you are interested in. We hope that this has helped you or someone you know, on your search for a CBD product to suit your CBD needs. If not, please feel free to read this article from a very well trusted source The CBDistillery.
