Full-spectrum CBD and CBD isolate: what are the differences?

While cannabidiol (CBD) are slowly making their way onto the French market, it's sometimes difficult to know which type of CBD has been used. Most often, two types of CBD are used: either full-spectrum CBD or CBD isolate. In fact, you may already have seen the words full spectrum or 99% CBD on bottles of CBD oil or e-liquid, but without really knowing the difference. Here are a few explanations.

What is full spectrum CBD?

The Full-spectrum CBD (full spectrum CBD means that cannabidiol extract also contains other cannabinoids, CBN, CBC or CBG for example, and sometimes even THC in legal proportions (less than 0.2% in France). The entire plant was used for extraction, and all the active ingredients of cannabis were preserved in the extract.

What's in it for me? Cannabinoids have been shown to have more effect when taken together, an interaction called entourage effect. CBD is then «more effective».

What is CBD isolate?

CBD isolate is, as the name suggests, an extraction of pure CBD, often above 99%, isolated from other cannabinoids. CBD isolate often takes the form of a crystallized powder.

Isolating an active ingredient is a common approach in the pharmaceutical model, to maximize the molecule's efficacy and safety. However, it does not take into account the various possible interactions between plant compounds.

Which is better?

For a long time, research was confined to studying CBD alone. CBD isolate enables precise dosing, especially for people who make their own CBD products.

In a 2015 research, In a study on the anti-inflammatory response of CBD in mice, Israeli scientists showed that full-spectrum CBD had more anti-inflammatory effects than pure CBD. CBD lisolat was effective at a specific dosage, while full-spectrum CBD was effective in all cases.

«Cure was observed only when [pure] CBD was given at specific doses, whereas no effect was observed at smaller or higher doses.»

Some people, however, have a low tolerance to THC, even at legal doses, or cannot afford to have traces of THC in their blood. In these cases, CBD isolate is a good option.