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Many people enjoy the benefits of cannabis products, but the deeper you dive into research, the more nuances you will find. Those who search for additional resources for managing sleep, anxiety, pain, and mood often want to know more than the superficial information that’s everywhere. And that’s the right road to go down!
No matter what problem you experience and want to alleviate by using CBD products, it’s crucial to equip yourself with knowledge and find out which products have higher chances of helping you in your particular case. Explore the difference between broad spectrum vs. full spectrum CBD with us, and make the right choice the next time you’re shopping CBD products.
As you’re probably already familiar, there are many different cannabinoids. Besides the most popular CBD and THC, the hemp plant also contains other elements that play a vital role in the effects different products have on your mind & body. The key feature of broad-spectrum CBD is that it contains all the other cannabinoids you can find in hemp plants, except THC.
What’s important for you to know is that there are also CBD isolate products that don’t have any other cannabinoid. To achieve that, manufacturers use different forms of extraction, and all that’s left is pure CBD in crystal form.
This leaves us with an important conclusion - broad spectrum CBD is always a distillate product that contains other cannabinoids found in hemp plants. All of them, except one - THC. This means broad-spectrum CBD cannot provide ANY psychoactive effects, but rather ONLY produces calming effects on your body & mind. Broad spectrum products would have an element of the Entourage Effect, but it won’t be as strong as Full-Spectrum. Products with only one cannabinoid in isolate form will have zero entourage effect.
Full-spectrum CBD products are one step up from Broad Spectrum, and contain even more elements of the hemp plant, for an even stronger Entourage Effect. We’re talking about multiple cannabinoids, terpenes and other plant elements that create a full-spectrum CBD product.
Full-spectrum CBD also contains very small amounts of THC and can produce mildly psychoactive effects if taken in large doses (which we don’t usually recommend anyway). What makes full-spectrum CBD products special is that they truly have the power to produce the entourage effect. The magic happens when all these extracts from the hemp plant, like other cannabinoids and terpenes, work together to be more efficient. Isolate products don’t hold this power. Full-spectrum products will also taste a bit different; some may say these products can taste somewhat bitter. The higher concentration of terpenes have a stronger taste that can’t be easily covered up with other flavors.
The main difference between broad and full-spectrum CBD is in their contents. Manufacturers remove every trace of THC from broad-spectrum CBD products, while you can find traces of THC in almost every high-quality full-spectrum CBD product.
It’s also important for you to know that compared to full-spectrum CBD products, broad-spectrum products are less likely to show up on drug tests because they contain no THC. This also makes them less concerning if you are drug tested regularly, because they don’t have any psychoactive elements or effects.
When you’re buying full-spectrum CBD products from reputable manufacturers, they do thorough research and testing to make sure you get safe and effective products. Carefully read the product label when shopping, and don’t forget that for hemp-based CBD products, legally, the THC cannot exceed 0.3%. THC in these amounts will NOT provide you with any buzz, so you can shop confidently that your head won’t be in the clouds if you choose to use these products during the day.
Is full-spectrum CBD better than broad-spectrum when it comes to anxiety? The best and the worst answer we can give you is - it depends. CBD certainly is not a cure for anxiety, but anecdotally, those with anxiety tend to enjoy the calming effects of CBD. We’d say that calmness is a crucial aspect for someone with anxiety though, wouldn’t you agree?
The entourage effect suggests that the combination of different cannabinoids, terpenes, and other compounds in the cannabis plant has a synergistic effect that enhances the therapeutic potential of CBD. Some users report that full-spectrum CBD provides a more comprehensive sense of calm due to this interaction.
On the other hand, some prefer broad-spectrum CBD because they are concerned about the element of THC, even in extremely small doses.
Consider factors such as your individual preferences and sensitivity to THC when choosing between full-spectrum or broad-spectrum CBD.
When deciding between full-spectrum and broad-spectrum CBD for sleep, it's important to consider how the different types of CBD products might affect your sleep patterns and overall sleep quality.
Both full-spectrum and broad-spectrum CBD contain a range of compounds that could potentially impact sleep, but the presence of THC and individual sensitivity to it are key factors to take into account. Another important factor to consider is the terpenes. Certain terpenes are responsible for either providing a more “awake” feeling, or the opposite and more “sedative”. Since full-spectrum products may contain terpenes, be cautious and make sure the terpenes included lean more towards an Indica or Hybrid, rather than a Sativa. To learn more about what the differences are between indica, hybrid, and sativa, read our blog post.
Our general recommendation is to use CBD products 30 minutes before going to sleep and stick to it for at least a few weeks to see the impact it has on your night-time routine.
It’s up to you to choose whether to use full or broad-spectrum CBD products, but we’re here to help you make an informed decision. Besides taking into consideration your preferences and circumstances, let’s see the recap of the advantages and disadvantages of full-spectrum CBD compared to broad-spectrum products.
