The Big Three: Full Spectrum v/s Broad Spectrum v/s CBD Isolate
CBD has been blowing all over the world and has also been slowly crossing over from being clubbed together in the same box along as its cannabinoid counterparts such as THC (which still haven’t been brought under the realm of legal validation) to becoming a legally sound product that has been setting new highs in the popularity chart. U.S has seen a huge jump in the recreational use of CBD.
Resulting due to the passage of the US Farm Bill in 2018, which legalized industrial hemp, and the legalization of medical and recreational cannabis at the state level, CBD products have exploded in availability and popularity over the past two years.
According to the report of Grand View Research, the global cannabidiol market was valued at USD 4.6 billion in 2018 and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 22.2% from 2019 to 2025. The demand for cannabidiol (CBD) for medical and wellness purposes has jumped due to the recognition of its health-related benefits, this being the key factor driving the growth of the market.
Depending upon the method of extraction and the strain of cannabis used, the resultant CBD product differs when it comes to the interaction between CBD and other secondary components present in the product. These boil down to mainly three types of CBD spectrums depending upon the degree of preservation of the cannabinoid and terpene contents:
- Full Spectrum extracts
- Broad Spectrum extracts
- CBD Isolate
Despite often being misconceived as solely being extracted from only hemp, CBD can be extracted from both hemp and marijuana but here’s comes the rider. Hemp is legal while marijuana is not. This is due to the degree of THC present in both; in hemp THC is less than 0.3%, hence the intoxicating effect is missing. In simpler words, one cannot get high off hemp since the component responsible for the intoxicating effect is missing; therefore it was made legal in the year 2018.
On the other hand, it does not even need to be mentioned that marijuana largely consists of THC and produces psychotropic effects that get you high. For the same reason, it is still largely treated as a narcotic and is illegal despite the raging debate in the backdrop of changing perceptions around it. However, that is a debate for some other time. Safe to say, that your favorite CBD products are all extracted out of the hemp plant.
Without any delay, let’s take a look at the key differences between the big three, their methods of extraction, and their properties in order to get a better understanding of the CBD products based on these differences.
#1 Full Spectrum
CBD only products are a new rage and one can’t hold responsible for a single factor for it. As the healing properties of CBD came into public knowledge, the curiosity around products containing largely CBD and its raw effects grew. Apart from this, products containing a single primary component are easier to process, regulate, and store, and therefore even pharmaceutical manufacturers prefer them. However, it is a well-known fact that hemp products such as CBD when consumed in a natural state where they are in consonance with their other cannabinoid friends produce an even better effect.
Full Spectrum CBD extract as the name suggests, contains the full spectrum or range of the naturally occurring cannabinoid components found in the hemp plant and not just CBD.
The underlying distinguishable feature of Full Spectrum extracts is associated with a phenomenon known as the entourage effect. Entourage means a group and the group, in this case, is the group of cannabinoids such as Cannabigerol (CBG), Cannabichromene (CBC), Cannabinol (CBN), Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), and of course, Cannabidiol (CBD).
These groups exist in a synchronic unison with each other in hemp plant in their natural state and when consumed in the same natural state, react better with your endocannabinoid system and produce the entourage effect and make you more relaxed as compared to the products containing solely CBD which have a limited effect, according to a study by Lautenberg Center for General Tumor Immunology in Jerusalem. This tells us that disturbing the interaction between the good old cannabinoid family might not be after all a better idea in some cases.
Extraction: The extraction methods which are effective for large scale production are namely:
1. ETHANOL AS LIQUID SOLUBLE:
Ethanol is used as a liquid soluble and is brought into an interaction with the processed hemp buds (which are usually dried at a specific temperature before extraction) repeatedly until the CBD and the other related components get separated from the buds and the resultant product is collected in the form of oil. This method is effective as it separates the CBD and other related cannabinoids from the inutile residual components and enhances the purity.
2. CRITICAL CARBON-DIOXIDE:
In the three-chambered machine, the temperature is controlled in the first chamber so that the CO2 remains as a highly-pressurized liquid. When the plant matter goes into the second chamber, the machine pumps CO2 into the second chamber at very high pressure. Since the second chamber is held above 40°C, the liquid CO2 becomes super-critical in the form of a dense gas, which effectively separates the CBD and related cannabinoids of interest from the plant.
Similar to the previous method, CO2 goes over the plant repeatedly until it removes all the phytocannabinoid compounds. The CO2 with extracted compounds is collected in the final chamber, where the pressure is relieved converting the CO2 into a gas. Once the carbon dioxide is a gas, it drops the matter it picked up in the second chamber. The final product is the oil containing the cannabinoids.
Highlights:
One of the underlying reasons products containing primarily a single cannabinoid such as THC and CBD grew popular is that every cannabinoid serves a different purpose. THC apart from its intoxicating effect is used as an analgesic for pain reliving purposes in cancer patients. CBD apart from inhibiting the effect of THC is used as a stress buster and in the treatment of anxiety and even depression.
CBC also blocks the pain perception in the body while CBN is effective with sleep disorders. CBG helps with digestive disorders. Long story short, the overall effect of all these different cannabinoids is a healing factor for the body.
Some popular Full Spectrum CBD brands in the market are Kanibi, cbdMD, JustCBD, and FAB (not in any particular order).
#2 Broad Spectrum
Despite the healing benefits of THC caused by a regulated consumption, the conflict around THC remains. Talking from a legal point of view, the levels of THC permitted in CBD products require it to be less than 0.3% according to the American federal law. It is the same amount of THC that is present in Full Spectrum extracts. However, in some states, the presence of THC may still stir up some run-ins with the law.
Apart from that, THC sensitivity is a phenomenon in some people who can be opposed to the consumption of even small amounts of THC. Would be really unfair if they missed out on the wide range of benefits other cannabinoids have to offer due to just a single black sheep of the family.
Hence, came into being the Broad Spectrum extract with a solution to this problem. To define Broad Spectrum extract in just a few words would be to call it Full-Spectrum extract minus THC. Hence, the complete effects of Full Spectrum extract except the THC can be experienced through Broad Spectrum extract. And yes, it does produce the entourage effect.
Extraction:
The extraction of THC from the extract can be done through Chromatographic methods such as Flash Chromatography and Centrifugal Partition Chromatography in which again, liquid solvents are used in a mobile phase with the extract in order to separate the THC from the other cannabinoids.
A disadvantage of this method is that often it may result in loss of other crucial cannabinoids along with THC. Another solvent-free method is Harmonic Evaporation. This THC removal process is solvent-free. It uses automation to maintain the optimum vacuum, temperature, and other parameters to remove THC (and some CBD) from the end product.
Highlights:
People who wish to enjoy the positive effects of the full spectrum of the hemp plant but do not wish to consume THC in the process love it. Apart from providing all the benefits of the Full Spectrum extract, it eliminates the sedative effect of the THC and makes it ideal for the people who want to avoid THC tests in certain places where the requirement is as such. Medterra is one of the leading Broad Spectrum Oil products in the market.
#3 CBD Isolate
CBD isolate is the result of the exploration in the sphere of CBD only products. CBD isolate comes into being after processing the extract to separate it from the hemp plant and even further refining it to separate it from all the other cannabinoids contains 99% pure CBD.
A traditional extraction process removes all the active compounds from the cannabis plant, followed by a refinement process that strips away all other cannabinoids, including THC, CBC, CBG, and any other cannabinoid or any plant matter, leaving behind nothing but the CBD chemical compound in its purest form which is usually in the form of powdery substance or crystals.
Since its just pure CBD and nothing else, the entourage effect is missing. It is an established fact that Full Spectrum CBD products produce a better effect than those containing CBD Isolates; despite this, CBD Isolate products are nowhere less in demand than those of its previous counterparts, the primary reason for this being the regulated amount of CBD isolate per serving in the products as well as the elaborate medical benefits offered by CBD of its own.
Extraction:
Since in here, the process doesn’t involve just extraction of CBD and related cannabinoids but also the isolation of CBD from other cannabinoids, the process is the lengthiest and most complicated.
- The first step of isolation involves Winterization which involves dissolving the extract in a soluble such as ethanol in sub-zero temperatures and extraction through optimized vacuums in order to remove unwanted residues.
- Decarboxylation transforms Cannabidiolic acid or CBDA into CBD and involves microwave-assisted, ultrasound-assisted, and other such heating strategies and extraction.
- The oil extracted above is further made to undergo distillation in order to further concentrate CBD by separating it from the other ingredients that remain in the batch.
- The distillate is then mixed with the solvent in a heated state and subsequently allowed to cool down to let the CBD precipitate into crystal form.
- The crystals are further washed with solvents and are vacuumed in order to remove unwanted particles and enhance purity.
Bottom-line is, higher the purity, stronger the effect.
Highlights:
Although there is no entourage effect, the health benefits of CBD itself are numerous. From being a stress-buster to relieving anxiety, from easing joint pain to improving sleep, from treating migraine to even treating depression, CBD has evolved as a multipurpose cannabinoid and perhaps this is the reason CBD only products are high in demand. Since the intake is regulated per serving, it can be consumed on a regular basis with no side-effects.
At last, lets have a look at the final breakdown of the big three:
| Breakdown | Full Spectrum | Broad Spectrum | Isolate |
| Differences | 1. Contains all the cannabinoids naturally extracted from Hemp plant 2. THC content is under 0.3% 3. Extraction process is simple 4. Final product is Full Spectrum Oil 5. Produces entourage effect 6. May produce slightly sedative effect due to THC | 1. Contains all the cannabinoids found in Full Spectrum extract except THC 2. THC content is nil 3. Is further processed after extraction for the elimination of THC 4. Final product is broad spectrum oil 5. Produces entourage effect which may differ due to absence of THC 6. No sedative effect | 1. Contains only pure CBD extract 2. Contains 99% CBD 3. Involves extraction and multi-level isolation process in order to separate CBD from the rest of the cannabinoids 4. The final product is CBD isolate crystals 5. Does not produce the entourage effect 6. No sedative effect |
| Pros | 1. Produces numerous benefits from the entourage effect 2. The least processed form of CBD 3. Contains terpenes and flavonoids for additional health benefits | 1. Produces numerous benefits of the entourage effect 2. Less processed than isolate 3. No risk of psychotropic effects due to the absence of THC | 1. Purest form of CBD 2. No psychotropic effects 3. Multi-purpose use 4. Cost effective 5. Multiple modes of consumption |
| Cons | 1. May show up on a drug screening 2. THC content may cause problems with the local law 3. Carries the natural flavor and aroma of hemp, which is pretty strong | 1. Less available 2. Carries a strong aroma of hemp | 1. No entourage effect 2. Effect may wear off soon |
To conclude, all three varieties of the CBD extracts serve their own unique purpose, while trying out CBD products one hasn’t before shouldn’t be discouraged, this must not stop one from being better informed while doing so.