What Is Full Spectrum CBD Oil, And What Are Its Benefits?

CBD is getting a lot of attention lately. And that's well deserved because of its remarkable properties and the many ways this wonderful plant extract can help us live happier healthier lives. 

So let's get into it.

What is full spectrum CBD oil?

As you might expect from its name, full spectrum CBD oil gives us the full spectrum of all the compounds and nutrients that are in the original hemp plant. You get all the goodies. 

Better than that, all those components work together to deliver a full experience of the benefits of CBD. They work together synergistically in what’s called “the entourage effect.” 

Entourage, what’s that? 

Well, you’ve seen the word entourage in action every time the President of the USA goes out in public. He is accompanied by an entourage of security people and others. In French, entourage means to surround. The President is surrounded by his many minders who all work together to help keep him safe and effective. 

And it’s the same with CBD. 

In nature, CBD is not found alone. It is surrounded by other cannabinoids and other natural elements. And when you take full spectrum CBD, those surrounding elements all work together to deliver an optimum result. They work synergistically. They collaborate to achieve optimum benefits. 

So what’s included in hemp-derived full spectrum CBD oil?

I’m glad you asked. 

You get all (or nearly all) of the original ingredients that were present in the hemp plants when they were harvested on the farm.

That includes CBD and a bunch of other amazing natural chemicals.  

One of the many families of natural compounds that collaborate with CBD are called terpenes. These are oily organic compounds and they are found in other plants as well as hemp. 

For example…

• Pinene is the terpene that gives the pine tree its well-known and refreshing smell
• Linalool gives lavender its lovely calming aroma
• Eucalyptol is the terpene in eucalypts and the tea tree plant. 

The people who study this kind of thing tell us there are more than 20,000 different terpenes. 

But what do terpenes do for us?

Terpenes are responsible for the unique scent of each individual cannabis plant. So different plants (which contain different terpenes) have different smells. Makes sense, right? And researchers tell us there are more than 100 different terpenes in cannabis plants. 

Research also tells us about flavonoids. 

Sounds like the word flavor, doesn't it? 

That’s right, because flavonoids also contribute to the scent of the plant and its ‘flavor profile’, as they like to say. 

But that’s not all.

Flavonoids have been shown to do other beneficial work. They are anti-bacterial [1], anti-fungal [2], anti-inflammatory [3] and anti-allergic [4]. They are also antioxidants [5] and as if that’s not enough, you can also add anti-cancer [6] to the list. 

Wow! 

Wonderful little fellows indeed. 

So all these natural plant components deliver their health benefits more fully, more effectively when they work together. That’s what we mean when we refer to the entourage effect. 

It’s a case of the whole (the whole plant, that is) being more than the sum of its parts. 

It was Dr. Shimon Ben-Shabat from the Hebrew University who first used the term ‘entourage effect.’ The year was 1998 and the good doctor was describing the results he noticed where so-called inactive elements in a cannabis plant enhanced the effect of the active elements. 

In other words, by using the full spectrum of components from the hemp plant you get a better, more full effect from your CBD. 

Because of the terpenes and flavonoids, full spectrum CBD has both an aroma and a flavor. 

Contrast that with CBD on its own (which is called isolated CBD because the CBD molecule has been isolated, that is, separated from the rest of the plant). CBD isolate has no odor and no flavor. CBD itself is a tasteless, flavorless white powder that does not taste like the hemp plant it came from. 

But full spectrum CBD has both taste and smell. The terpenes and flavonoids from the original plants help give your full spectrum CBD oil its own unique flavor and aroma. 

And here’s the thing. Different soils create different flavors. Different farms in different geographies give us different flavors. Makes sense, right? 

By the way… 

No discussion about CBD oil would be comprehensive without also mentioning what’s called ‘broad spectrum CBD oil’. 

Which is?

Broad spectrum CBD is produced by adding one more step in the processing - and that is to remove all traces of THC.

Tetrahydrocannabinol (or THC for short) is the psychotropic chemical that is responsible for most of the psychological effects of cannabis. It’s THC which produces the infamous ‘high’ sensations. 

Federal legislation allows for up to 0.3 percent of THC in a CBD product. That’s a tiny amount, less than one-third of one percent. But for consumers who want to avoid THC completely, broad spectrum is the way to go. 

By removing the tiny trace of THC during one extra step of processing, you have a full spectrum CBD oil that has zero THC. And with it, you get all the synergistic benefits of the entourage effect without any concern about THC. 

What are the benefits of full spectrum CBD oil?

Here at Go Hemp, we offer full spectrum CBD oil so let’s talk about full spectrum CBD benefits. And there are plenty.

Natural. Full spectrum CBD oil contains all the natural compounds of the cannabis plant including CBD. As such it’s closer to the way the plant grows… in other words, it’s more natural. 

Synergy. A question for you. What helps alleviate inflammation the most? CBD extracted from the whole plant or CBD alone? That’s the question a group of researchers at Hebrew University’s Hadassah Medical School set out to answer. Their 2015 report [7] demonstrated that inflammation is reduced more effectively with full spectrum CBD than isolated CBD on its own. It’s that synergy again, folks, where the plant’s various components are enhancing each other’s effects. 

Vitamins and more. Full spectrum CBD contains other healthful ingredients including vitamins A, C, E, and B, as well as protein and essential fatty acids including Omega 3 and 6, and up to 20 amino acids. [8] Those amino acids are understood to enhance your body’s ability to make protein. 

Pain. In 2018, the Journal of Pain Research published the results of a study into whether cannabinoids containing both CBD and THC were any better than placebos in reducing pain. The result, in their words: “Fifteen of the 18 trials demonstrated a significant analgesic effect of cannabinoids as compared to placebo.” [9] 

Interestingly, in another study different researchers were investigating which was better at pain reduction for late stage cancer patients - CBD with THC versus THC alone. Results? “Twice as many patients taking THC:CBD showed a reduction of more than 30% from baseline pain.” [10]

And once again, the winner is full spectrum CBD. 

Social anxiety. Almost all of us find public speaking makes us anxious, so it’s an ideal way to test whether CBD can help reduce those unpleasant feelings of anxiety. Two groups were tested - the CBD group and the placebo group. The results? “Pretreatment with CBD significantly reduced anxiety, cognitive impairment and discomfort in their speech performance.” [11]

Yay for CBD again. 

Acne. In yet another study that you can read at the National Institutes of Health website, the research team concluded by saying “CBD has potential as a promising therapeutic agent for the treatment of acne vulgaris.” [12]

And much more. Researchers have also looked at the effects of CBD on sleep, Parkinson’s Disease, Alzheimer’s, PTSD, blood pressure, schizophrenia, sleep issues and more. Results have been promising enough to warrant further testing. So stay tuned for more good news.

REFERENCES

[1] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25245513/
[2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7168129/
[3] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1869815/
[4] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23701574/
[5] https://www.livescience.com/52524-flavonoids.html
[6] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7071196
[7] https://www.scirp.org/Journal/PaperInformation.aspx?PaperID=53912#.VP4EIildXvY
[8] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6100014/
[9] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5922297/
[10] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19896326/
[11] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21307846
[12] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25061872/

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By WriterGary.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. These products are not intended to diagnose, cure, treat or prevent any disease.*