Defining CBD Spectrums - Isolates, Broad & Full Spectrum CBD

While CBD is awesome and all, weeding your way through the various types of CBD on the market can quickly get confusing. 

But here’s some good news: this article will be providing a primer on CBD isolate, broad spectrum CBD, full spectrum CBD, and more — basically all the basics. If you could use a CBD-crash course, then consider taking a closer look. 

• What Is CBD Isolate?
• What Is Broad Spectrum CBD?
• What Is Full Spectrum CBD?
• How Full Spectrum CBD Can Get Even Better

What Is CBD Isolate?

CBD isolate is exactly what it sounds like: pure, isolated CBD. CBD isolate contains only one cannabinoid — CBD — and it’s completely free from hemp’s other active ingredients, so you won’t find any THC here. Nor will you find CBG, CBC, or other trace cannabinoids. Nor will you find any terpenes...nor will you find any flavones. We could go on, but we’re sure you get the point.

Recent research has shown that CBD isolate is inferior to other types of CBD. Why? Its lack of trace molecules means it misses out on hemp’s more synergistic effects, which scientists often refer to as “the entourage effect.” 

One study found CBD isolate to be four times less effective than full spectrum CBD. Turns out nature, who gave hemp hundreds of different phytochemical ingredients, really does know best. Imagine that!  

What Is Broad Spectrum CBD?

Broad spectrum CBD also has a pretty self-explanatory name: it contains a broad spectrum (aka, many) of hemp’s best ingredients. At the least it contains CBD, trace cannabinoids, and trace terpenes. 

The only difference between broad spectrum CBD and full spectrum CBD, which we’ll get to next? It’s completely free from THC. Many people feel that broad spectrum CBD provides the best of both worlds for this very reason, though it’s debatable whether or not THC might amplify CBD’s effects. 

What Is Full Spectrum CBD?

Full spectrum CBD refers to any CBD product that contains a full spectrum of hemp’s most active ingredients. 

That might sound good and all...but the term full spectrum is actually pretty tough to quantify. What defines full? Even full spectrum CBD doesn’t contain hemp’s water-soluble compounds, only its fat-soluble ones, so it’s not as antioxidant-rich as it could be. 

Even with these little shortcomings, study after study has shown that full spectrum CBD’s power is nothing short of amazing. Its delicate balance of cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids is capable of activating the endocannabinoid system and promoting inner balance; balance, in turn, leads almost by default to all sorts of good stuff. 

Transcending Full Spectrum?

The CBD spectrums we’ve gone over so far each have their place. Even CBD isolate has some valid uses! 

But there’s a new way to do CBD, a way that’s even better.

This new way is simple, effective, and holistic. Contrary to what you might expect, it’s also transcendent of CBD itself. This new way — which is more like a new type of product — provides your body a truly complete spectrum of cannabinoids. 

It’s true. This new type of CBD product combines CBD with a precise, 5:1 blend of other cannabinoids, including THC, CBN, CBC, and more. 

(You might think full spectrum products do this, too…but that’s actually not the case. There’s nothing full about the THC or CBG or CBN levels seen in most “full spectrum” extracts.)