CBD Isolate vs. Full-Spectrum CBD: What You Need to Know

“CBD isolate” and “full-spectrum” are a whole lot more than just buzzwords on the packaging of cannabis products. These terms let you know which kind of cannabinoids are in your oils, capsules and creams, which can clue you in as to whether they contain the purest extracted form of cannabidiol (CBD) or CBD combined with a range of terpenes, extraneous compounds and potentially even tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive compound that makes you feel high. And as you can guess, that’s a distinction that can make a pretty huge difference in your cannabis experience.

CBD Isolate: Pure Extract

From CBD Pure Wellness to Pure Relief CBD Cooling Cream, the majority of Vitagenne’s lineup uses pure CBD isolate. The term “isolate” refers to the purest form of a compound. So when you see a label that says “CBD isolate,” it means that product contains singularly extracted CBD that has been — wait for it — isolated from any other compound. Vitagenne uses a clean CO2 extraction process without the use of harsh solvents or chemicals to distill CBD from the rest of the hemp plant.

Like most CBD isolate, Vitagenne’s is derived from non-GMO Kentucky hemp, which by legal definition, includes less than 0.3% THC. Of Vitagenne’s products, CBD Pure Wellness, Pure Sleep Hemp CBD Dietary Supplement and Pure Relief CBD Cooling Cream are THC-free. Our Total Wellness Hemp Extract product contains only trace amounts of THC — below the 0.3 percent legal threshold.

Full-Spectrum: The Entourage Effect

Because the various cannabinoids in the plant have a whole range of effects (for instance, while THC makes you feel high, CBD can actually counteract that effect), the total collection of those cannabinoids is sometimes dubbed the “cannabinoid spectrum” — and that’s where we get the term “full-spectrum.”

Among the Vitagenne family, you’ll notice Full-Spectrum Hemp Extract Capsules. What “full spectrum” means here, as in other full-spectrum cannabis products, is that a range of cannabinoid content has been extracted from the plant. This can include CBD, THC, flavonoids and terpenes (essential oils in cannabis), among other cannabinoids. The effects of these various cannabinoids may work together in what’s known as the “entourage effect.”  Our Full-Spectrum Hemp Extract Capsules, for example, contain hemp-extracted CBD, terpenes and trace amounts of THC below the 0.3 percent legal threshold. As with every Vitagenne product, you can scan the QR code on the top of the box and immediately see what cannabinoids are present in the exact product that you are holding!

Now that you’ve got a quiver full of info on CBD isolate and full-spectrum products, it’s time to decide which form is best suited to your needs. Isolate is often a more friendly choice if you’re sensitive to THC or other cannabinoids or are just dipping your toes into the cannabis waters, while full-spectrum offers a more integrated experience. There’s no wrong answer! And that choice of experience is, of course, all yours.

Dan has been a freelance writer and small business owner since 2009. In the healthcare realm, he’s fortunate enough to have collaborated with the likes of Civilized Life, Cetaphil, LIVESTRONG, DermStore, Healthfully and JillianMichaels.com. His work has also appeared in publications such as USA Today, The Seattle Times and the San Francisco Chronicle’s SFGate, among others.