Full-spectrum CBD contains several components of the cannabis plant, including traces of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). This type of CBD does not contain THC. The full spectrum and the broad spectrum are two of the three main types of cannabidiol (CBD) extract. The main differences relate to the presence of other natural plant compounds in the extract.
Full-spectrum CBD contains all the cannabinoids and other plant compounds. Broad spectrum CBD contains all the cannabinoids and plant compounds, except for THC. Full-spectrum CBD means that the maximum amount of useful native phytochemicals are retained during extraction, including THC. The objective is to eliminate foreign lipids and, at the same time, preserve an identical proportion of cannabinoids, terpenes and flavonoids from the original plant-based material.
This can only be verified by testing the material before and after extraction. Full-spectrum extracts are rarer than you might expect; most extractions lose significant amounts of terpenes and flavonoids during processing because they are much more volatile than cannabinoids. Ethanol and a very low temperature (the RSO method or whole vegetable oil) or an extremely long vacuum extraction process can produce full-spectrum extracts. Full-spectrum extracts tend to be quite dark in color and their flavors can be described as earthy and plant-based.
If you've ever looked for CBD products or CBD oil in general, you've most likely come across different types of cannabinoid spectrum options. Often, PCR hemp oil and PCR CBD oil are interchangeable with the term “full spectrum CBD or full spectrum hemp oil”. Broad-spectrum CBD is similar to full-spectrum CBD in that it retains all of the terpenes, flavonoids, and cannabinoids found in the Cannabis sativa plant; however, there is an important difference: it does not contain tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Knowing this information is crucial to help you analyze broad-spectrum versus full-spectrum CBD and decide which one is right for your daily CBD consumption.
What CBD manufacturers do with the extracted cannabinoids will determine if the final product is labeled as full-spectrum or broad-spectrum and, in some cases, only as a CBD isolate. We say this because full-spectrum CBD oil contains CBD and all the other cannabinoids (including THC), terpenes and fatty acids found naturally in the cannabis plant. So, if you don't mind that there's a little bit of THC in your CBD oil, you can choose to use full-spectrum CBD for your needs. Each spectrum identifies the other components that work together with CBD molecules, improving the health benefits of CBD.
While current evidence suggests that full-spectrum and broad-spectrum CBD products may be more effective than isolated CBD, more research is needed. With no THC content, broad-spectrum CBD is especially useful for people who want to enjoy the benefits of full-spectrum CBD without worrying about THC accumulating in their bodies due to daily use. For this reason, full-spectrum CBD is believed to provide a better response in higher quantities, since it uses compounds from the entire hemp plant rather than CBD isolates alone.
