Your Guide to Broad Spectrum CBD

Let’s start with CBD and the plants that contain it. Hemp and marijuana plants contain more than 100 different cannabinoids, the phytochemicals shown to have an impact on health and wellness, as well as terpenes and flavonoids. Cannabidiol (CBD) and Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) are two of the more common cannabinoids. THC is the cannabinoid responsible for the intoxicating effect, or “high” sensation, while CBD is non-intoxicating and offers numerous health and wellness benefits. Hemp contains more CBD and only small amounts of THC (less than 0.3%), while marijuana plants contain more THC than CBD.  

What is Broad-Spectrum CBD?

There are three types of hemp extract: full spectrum, broad spectrum and CBD isolate. Full spectrum hemp extract is the least processed CBD option and contains the same terpenes, flavonoids and other plant elements as the original plant source. Full spectrum hemp extract can also contain other cannabinoids, including trace amounts of THC (less than 0.3%). CBD isolate is more processed than full spectrum hemp extract. The additional processing separates the individual plant components, so all that remains is pure CBD that is THC-free.

Broad spectrum hemp extract lands somewhere in between full spectrum hemp extract and CBD isolate. Broad spectrum hemp extract undergoes additional processing to remove THC, so THC levels in these products are non-detectable (below 0.01%). But other potentially beneficial plant elements, including minor cannabinoids, terpenes and flavonoids, are still present.  

Do Broad Spectrum Products Work as Well as Full Spectrum Products?

Many people experience stronger benefits from full spectrum CBD tinctures, capsules and topical products than the same products made with CBD isolate because of the combined contributions of the additional cannabinoids, plant terpenes, flavonoids and other potentially beneficial plant components. This stronger combined effect is likely due to the entourage effect, a benefit unique to cannabis products.¹

The theory of the entourage effect explains how the minor cannabinoids in hemp extract interact with the plant’s terpenes and other plant components to magnify and multiply the therapeutic potential of each plant element, including the effects of the CBD.² Essentially, the benefits from those compounds when they are present together is greater than the sum of their individual benefits. Since broad spectrum products retain many of the minor cannabinoids, terpenes and flavonoids found in the original plant source, people taking broad spectrum products can also experience the entourage effect. Some of the many plant elements shown to contribute to the health and wellness potential of broad-spectrum and full-spectrum CBD include:

• Cannabigerol (CBG)
• Cannabidivarin (CBDV)
• Cannabichromene (CBC)
• Terpenes, such as:
  • Myrcene
  • Linalool
  • Beta-Caryophyllene

Why Are People Using Broad Spectrum CBD Products?

People use broad spectrum CBD products for many of the same wellness benefits as products made with full spectrum CBD or CBD isolate. CBD works by interacting with the receptors in your endocannabinoid system (ECS), one of the largest regulatory systems in your body.³ Your ECS supports many essential bodily functions and keeps them working as they should, including:

• Mood and emotional responses
• Sleep and sleep cycles
• Perception of pleasure and pain
• Digestive processes
• Memory and learning
• Thermoregulation and metabolism
• Neuroprotection and muscle movement
• Reproductive processes
• Immune system function
• Cardiovascular function

Ideally, your body would create all the ECS messengers needed to keep essential processes working efficiently. But things don’t always work out the way they should. Numerous internal and external factors, including the effects of illness, injury and stress, can create a demand for ECS messengers that exceeds the available supply. Supporting ECS function with hemp-derived CBD helps protect your body from the potential impact of endocannabinoid system deficiencies.⁴

Selecting High Quality Broad-Spectrum CBD Products

The best hemp-derived CBD products are sourced from non-GMO industrial hemp seeds grown using natural farming practices. You can protect yourself from a potentially disappointing purchase by sticking with a reputable product manufacturer that publishes third-party test results on their website. Used by CBD companies to ensure product purity, potency, and quality control, third-party test results can also be used by consumers to verify the cannabinoid content of their broad spectrum CBD products.

When viewing the third-party test results for broad spectrum CBD oil, you might see trace amounts of several plant-based cannabinoids, including CBN (cannabinol), CBG (cannabigerol), and CBC (cannabichromene). You should also be able to verify that the THC has been removed to non-detectable levels. Products that contain 0% THC will show a 0 or ND (not detected) on the appropriate line of the third-party test results. It’s important to note that no lab can tell you that there is absolutely no THC in a product. Tests will have a lower limit to what they can detect, and a test result of Not Detected means THC was not present above that limit, but trace amounts (often less than 0.01%) could be present. High-quality CBD oils are also mixed with a high-quality carrier oil, such as coconut-derived mct.