What is Full Spectrum CBD Oil and What is it Good For?
Every market has its language, and to be a savvy shopper, it is important to understand what the various descriptions mean. In the CBD marketplace, you will see products labeled as full spectrum cannabidiol or full spectrum CBD. What does full spectrum CBD indicate? It refers to the type of hemp plant CBD extract that contains all of the natural compounds and can deliver a range of benefits. You can buy full spectrum CBD oil or full spectrum CBD tincture in various formulations that satisfy your needs.
TLDR: Full spectrum CBD oil is a CBD product that is made with a whole hemp plant extract and carrier oil. Some products may also contain additional botanicals and flavoring. The full spectrum CBD extract contains all the cannabinoids, terpenes, flavonoids and other compounds found in the hemp plant. It does have THC in it because THC is one of the many cannabinoids in the hemp plant. The amount of THC in full spectrum CBD is not considered psychoactive because legal products come from hemp plants with 0.3 percent or less THC. Clinical studies and anecdotal evidence have found that full spectrum CBD oil may deliver a variety of benefits that include feeling more energized, getting better sleep or feeling more relaxed.
What is Full Spectrum CBD?
There are three types of cannabis plant CBD extracts. One is the full spectrum CBD. There is also a broad spectrum CBD, or you can choose an isolate CBD. The 2018 Farm Bill allowed the development and implementation of commercial hemp products and authorized the USDA to issue regulations. The January 2021 regulations say that legal hemp plants must have a THC concentration of no more than 0.3 percent THC.
What Does Full Spectrum Consist Of?
What does this have to do with full spectrum CBD? Unlike isolate CBD and broad spectrum CBD, full spectrum CBD is made with a hemp plant extract that contains all of the compounds in the plant. These compounds include:
- CBD
- Other cannabinoids which include THC, CBG, CBN and more
- Terpenes
- Flavonoids
- Essential oils
Since full spectrum CBD is a whole plant extract, it may contain some THC but only up to .3 percent. Most products contain even less because of the loss of cannabinoids during processing. Therefore, the full spectrum CBD is not considered psychoactive.
Choosing Full Spectrum CBD Oil Over Other Spectrums
Full spectrum CBD contains all of the natural compounds the hemp plant offers which means you can experience all of the effects the various compounds deliver. “Entourage effect” is the term used to describe the theory that the numerous cannabis plant (marijuana) and hemp plant compounds work together synergistically to create more and unique benefits.
The compounds working together have an additive and multiplying effect. At the same time, some cannabinoids will act individually. Researchers reported that their review of the evidence for the entourage effect of cannabis on relief found data supporting the entourage effect as a treatment for discomfort. Still, many definitive medical and clinical studies are needed. Cannabis plants contain hundreds of compounds, and it is believed the combined effects lead to people’s preferences for cannabinoid extracts versus products like pure THC.
Broad spectrum CBD has all of the plant compounds except for THC. People choose full spectrum CBD over the broad spectrum because they find the presence of THC working with other cannabinoids produces more potent effects compared to CBD products that exclude THC.
Buying CBD Oil
You will notice when buying full spectrum CBD oil that there is a number of product options. Following are descriptions of some of the options.
1. Different Potencies
The product label will indicate the CBD per serving. For example, it may say 25 mg per serving or 30 mg per serving. A high potency CBD product may have 50 mg per serving or more.
Here are high-potency full spectrum CBD products:
2. Various Package Sizes
Each CBD package will indicate the total amount of CBD per container like full spectrum CBD oil 1000 mg. There are many options as to the amount of CBD per container.
3. Choice of Flavors
Many CBD oil products have a natural flavor which is an earthy hemp flavor. CBD oil can be used in numerous ways, including by mouth or sublingually and added to food and drinks. More flavor options are appearing though like chocolate mint. Most CBD flavored oil products are CBD tinctures.
What is a full spectrum tincture? It is CBD oil that is meant to be taken sublingually or under the tongue. The flavors hide the hemp taste, and you can pick any favorite flavor, i.e., strawberry, spearmint, chocolate mint and many others.
4. Different Primary Benefits
Many full spectrum CBD products are formulated with an additional amount of particular cannabinoids (i.e., CBN, CBD, CBG, etc.) and/or additional ingredients to purposefully deliver specific benefits like relaxation, better sleep or more energy. The additional ingredients are items like botanicals and essential oils.
5. Organic products
Many quality CBD products are organic. A full spectrum organic CBD oil means the hemp plants were not grown with herbicides, pesticides or chemical fertilizers.
FAQ
Is Full Spectrum CBD Oil Legal?
Full spectrum CBD oil is legal when extracted from a hemp plant. The hemp plant has .3 percent or less THC, the amount allowed by law. The hemp plant is a certain species of the cannabis plant.
How Long Does it Take to Feel the Effects of Full Spectrum CBD Oil?
Researchers state the oral bioavailability of CBD is approximately six percent with the time to peak concentration in the bloodstream as 1-4 hours. So anytime within this timeframe, you can feel the effects. However, there are many factors that influence how long it takes to feel the effects. Taking a CBD tincture sublingually delivers CBD faster to the bloodstream compared to swallowing it or adding the CBD to food so that you may feel the effects quickly or under an hour. Other factors influencing when you will feel the effects include the last time you ate, your weight and metabolic rate, the CBD potency and the amount of CBD taken.
Will Full Spectrum CBD Oil Get You High?
Full spectrum CBD oil will not get you high because the amount of THC is maintained at 0.3 percent or less. Even whole plant extracts in full spectrum CBD will contain much less than 0.3 percent THC. This amount of THC is not considered psychoactive which is why the government set that limit.
How Much Full Spectrum CBD Oil Should I Use?
Each product will have a recommended single dose amount as a minimum and sometimes a recommended number of daily dosages. It is important to follow the recommendations, especially if new to using CBD oil. Most products are packaged in dropper bottles that enable you to measure the number of recommended drops per serving easily.
Does Full Spectrum CBD Oil Contain THC?
Yes, full spectrum CBD oil does contain some THC because it is made with a whole plant extract. Hemp is specially cultivated to have less than 0.3 percent THC. This is considered a non-psychoactive amount of THC. If worried about THC detection on a drug test, you could choose broad spectrum CBD instead.
Summary
Full spectrum CBD oil is mainly different from broad spectrum CBD in that it has some THC in it. Full spectrum CBD oil is made with a whole hemp plant extract, an essential or carrier oil, and in some cases additional botanicals and flavoring. The clinical research to date and consumer anecdotes indicate CBD oil may deliver important benefits like lowered feelings of higher energy. Clinical research is ongoing on a global basis. You will find a large selection of full spectrum CBD products today. Is it better than broad spectrum CBD or isolate CBD? Many consumers think so because it delivers the most phytochemicals and other nutrients the hemp plant offers.
Sources
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7340472
- https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/01/19/2021-00967/establishment-of-a-domestic-hemp-production-program
- https://www.futuremedicine.com/doi/full/10.2217/pmt-2020-0110
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7558665/
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