Have you heard about the endocannabonoid system? Learn how it plays an important role in many of our bodily functions and the difference between Full Spectrum CDB vs. CBD Isolates.
Products infused with CBD have dramatically increased in popularity. This trend began when the US Farm Bill was passed in 2018, legalizing industrial hemp and medical and recreational cannabis at the state level. With a number of so-called CBD-infused products flooding the market, it has become more difficult for consumers to figure out which products really have the claimed benefits of CBD, which are numerous. We have decided to break down why CBD has become such a hot commodity these days, and what you should be looking for when you are purchasing your next “CBD-infused” product.
CBD and Endocannabonoid System
Have you heard about the endocannabonoid system? Endocannabonoid system, also known as EDS and is known to play an important role in many of our bodily functions, including controlling our sleep, mood, appetite and memory. We all know what it feels like when something is off-balanced and when you don’t feel 100%. When that happens, it's the endocannabonoid system that works to reregulate your body’s mechanisms back to normal, which is also known as homeostasis.
It is important to know how the endocannabonoid system works because some of the cannabinoids found in hemp are known to have the ability to interact with our endocannabonoid system. Cannabinoids have the ability to bind to our receptors known as CB1 and CB2 receptors, just like our endocannabinoids do. When they do, it has certain effects on our body, such as reduced pain, stimulated appetite, and in some cases the feeling of being “high.” However, not all of the cannabinoids can bind with our receptors on their own. This is important to remember because there is a chance you could be using a CBD-infused product that may not work as it claims. Let’s discuss some of the important things to keep in mind when choosing the right CBD-infused products that give the true benefits of CBD.
Full-spectrum CBD vs CBD Isolates
You may have noticed when looking for CBD infused products that there are some that are labeled “CBD infused” and others labeled “full-spectrum CBD.” If you are just starting to use CBD-infused products, these terms can be really confusing, so we thought it would be a good idea to explain the different types of CBD infused products out there. Some so-called CBD-infused products contain CBD isolates in their products. CBD isolates typically come in a crystalline powder that contains 99% pure CBD. Through an extraction process, all active compounds in the hemp plant are removed. It then goes through a refinement process, which strips away all other phytocannabinoids, including THC, and any plant matter. This process leaves only the CBD chemical compound.
Traditionally, people believed that the CBD isolate has more benefits than using the plant as a whole. People who worried about the possibility of THC entering into their system, and those who wanted to know exactly how much CBD they were consuming preferred using products infused with CBD isolates. However, more research has started to show that rather than isolating the CBD chemical compound, it is better to use the hemp plant as a whole without separating the compounds from each other. This is because the combination of cannabinoids and terpenes generates an entourage effect, a synergistic interaction among the cannabinoids that boosts the individual effects of each compound involved. Scientists believe now that there are over 100 cannabinoids and many flavonoids and terpenes in the hemp plant. Some of the more well-known cannabinoids include CBD, CBDA, CBG, CBN, CBC, THC and THCA, and each of the cannabinoids have unique characteristics to them. This scientific evidence has now encouraged companies to start looking for ways to keep as many of these compounds in the plant as possible during the infusion process, to create full-spectrum CBD products available for consumers.