CBD isolates offer 99 percent pure CBD, whereas full spectrum extracts contain CBD as well as a variety of additional cannabinoids and phytochemicals generated naturally by cannabis.
Main Points: What is the difference between full spectrum CBD oils and CBD isolates?
The differences between these two forms of CBD boil down to how the extract was made. Full spectrum extracts are made by extracting all the medicinal compounds from cannabis that leaves behind only fibers, large proteins and cellular structures.
The production of CBD isolates begins in the same way, but continues with additional steps to remove everything except pure full spectrum CBD.
Each of these types of extract has its own strengths and weaknesses:
What is the entourage effect?
The entourage effect is a term used to describe the beneficial synergy naturally present in the cannabis plant. All of the plant’s natural compounds work together to produce more potent effects than those produced in isolation.
Like a collection of instrumentalists performing in a symphony, cannabinoids operate best when they work together to generate a harmonic effect. The playing of a solitary instrument will never be comparable to the effect of a full orchestral performance.
Synergy is a phenomenon well known in chemistry and very common in herbal medicines.
When discussing the distinctions between full spectrum extracts and CBD isolates, keep this in mind. The presence of the entourage effect in full spectrum extracts is one of the most significant differences between these two products.
What is full spectrum CBD?
The cannabis plant contains hundreds of different compounds. A full spectrum extract retains the majority of these compounds in the final product.
Arguably, a full-spectrum extract has better “cannabinoid diversity” than a pure CBD isolate, or even pseudo full-spectrum extracts (which we’ll get to later).
Manufacture of full spectrum extracts
During the manufacturing process, the raw hemp is rinsed with a solvent. In the past, an organic solvent such as butane, alcohol or ether was used. Most of these operations are now carried out with a supercritical CO2 process.
Carbon dioxide is maintained at a specific temperature and pressure in a closed system. These point metrics bring the gas to a “supercritical state” in which it is no longer liquid or gas. This provides supercritical CO2 the ability to permeate raw hemp as a gas while also dissolving leaf and flower components as a liquid.
Supercritical CO2 is extremely efficient at extracting all compounds from the plant, including terpenes, cannabinoids, lignans, flavonoids, and polyphenols. Once this is done, the supercritical fluid is separated and the pressure is released. The gas evaporates immediately, leaving behind all of the plant’s phytochemicals.
With this CO2 extraction, there is no risk of leaving harmful solvents behind, making it the cleanest extraction method. At this point, there is little effect on the full spectrum extract. In some cases, the extract is slightly more purified and mixed with other batches to balance the cannabinoid averages between them.
The end product contains a balance of all phytochemicals virtually identical to that naturally present in the plant.
