Types of CBD: Full Spectrum, Broad Spectrum and Isolates

CBD comes in many varieties, each with unique characteristics from its chemical genus and manufacturing processes. These differences make each type appropriate for different users’ needs. The most popular types of CBD you’ll find around the CBD marketplace are  Full Spectrum, Broad Spectrum, and CBD Isolate.

• Full Spectrum CBD: Derived from a whole-plant extraction of the hemp plant. CBD products of this sort contain all of the cannabinoids, terpenes, amino acids, and essential fatty acids that are naturally found in the hemp plant. Additionally, Full Spectrum products retain the naturally occurring 0.3% THC found in hemp. This 0.3% THC content is the federally-allowed limit for all industrial hemp-derived CBD products.
• Broad Spectrum CBD: Similar to Full Spectrum, Broad Spectrum CBD comes from a whole-plant extraction of the hemp plant. It also contains all of the cannabinoids, terpenes, amino acids, and essential fatty acids naturally found in the plant, with one exception: the THC has been completely removed. Broad Spectrum CBD products are 100% THC-free, but are in all other ways similar to Full Spectrum products .
• CBD Isolates: Unlike the other two categories, these are not a full plant extract. Instead, the CBD found within the hemp plant is isolated and extracted, bringing you a pure form of the CBD compound, with no other plant materials. CBD isolates are commonly found in the form of concentrates, which can be dabbed or infused with other CBD products. But CBD Isolates are also commonly used in virtually every form of CBD product, including oils, topicals, and edibles.

There is debate around the CBD industry as to which type of CBD is “best,” but the truth is that each brings unique properties to the table. Proponents of Full Spectrum CBD claim that the miniscule amount of  THC is necessary to achieve the Entourage Effect, a phenomenon where all the active ingredients of hemp work together to improve the efficacy of your CBD treatment.

On the other hand, proponents of Broad Spectrum CBD products claim that THC is unnecessary for CBD treatment, preferring products that have had the THC removed. In a similar vein, isolates, which contain nothing but CBD, offer a purified, THC-free variety of CBD treatment, but with no entourage effect.

No concrete evidence has emerged declaring one or another type of CBD extract the definitive "best". For now, it’s left up to user preference. You should try the varieties of CBD for yourself in order to find which variety of product works best for your treatment.