CBD Isolate vs Full-Spectrum CBD - What’s the Difference?

The CBD industry is one of the most exciting and fastest growing in the natural health sector.
Because of the various potential health benefits that CBD can offer, CBD products of all kinds have flooded the market.
There are so many new and different CBD products available, with terminology like whole plant extract, full-spectrum, broad-spectrum, and CBD isolate labelled on them, it can be difficult to choose which one is right for your needs.
This guide will break down the differences between the two common categories used to describe CBD products: CBD Isolate and Full-Spectrum CBD, in order to make your decisions easier.
We will also briefly touch on a third category, Broad-Spectrum CBD products.

How is CBD Made?

Cannabidiol (CBD) is a non-psychoactive molecule in the cannabis plant.
It is one of many cannabinoids that can be extracted from the cannabis plant, but it has become commercially popular beyond the others due to its wide applications and accessibility.
CBD and the other cannabinoids have benefits to humans thanks to our endocannabinoid system, a series of cannabinoid receptors (CB1 and CB2) throughout the entire body.
CBD putatively stimulates the body's innate wellness capacities by signaling the endocannabinoid system (ECS) to produce more endogenous cannabinoids and modulating specific ECS receptors.
The ECS controls a wide range of biological functions, such as memory, cognitive performance, pain perception, stress management, mood regulation, and immune response on top of many others.
These receptors react to the cannabinoids our bodies produce which are molecularly very similar to the plant compounds from cannabis and hemp.
Cannabidiol alone has been the subject of a lot of research as it stands out from the rest with what seems to be the best for health.
The marijuana plant and the hemp plant belong to the same plant species.
As CBD does not give the consumer the psychoactive effects cannabis is known for, it is more readily available online and in shops.
CBD products are made by extracting the compound from the flowering portion of the hemp plant.
This crude extract contains cannabinoids, terpenes, fatty acids, and other plant materials.
The processing performed on a cannabis extract removes various components from the crude extract along the way.
Some processes remove some generally unwanted components like chlorophyll from an extract, while others remove more significant cannabis compounds like terpenes and cannabinoids (such as THC).
The CBD extraction process is no different for each of these products, which usually involves:

Carbon dioxide extraction
Steam distillation
Solvent extraction
Lipid extraction

CBD isolate is even a more refined product and goes through extra processing to remove additional impurities and seemingly non-beneficial components of the hemp plant
There is mounting research being focused on the benefits of CBD in various health applications

What is CBD Isolate?

CBD isolate products are generally labeled as being 99% or more pure CBD depending on the final product formulations.
As the name suggests, these products have been isolated down to just the CBD molecule.
All other cannabinoids are removed. They have no other dietary ingredient and just aim to deliver sufficient doses of CBD, isolated from the other cannabinoids and terpenes.
"Pure CBD" is typically synonymous with CBD isolate and refers to products with a 99% near-zero THC content or other phytocannabinoids.
They are the purest form of CBD.
This is the best process for isolating cannabidiol and eliminating THC/minor cannabinoids found in hemp
CBD isolate itself is a white powder, which may be available to consumers. Typically made via supercritical CO2 extraction of organic hemp flowers/leaves/stalks
The resulting CBD Isolate powder, which is lipid-soluble, is more often mixed with a carrier oil to become tinctures, or placed in capsules, edible products like gummies, topical salves, and so on.
Isolate is one of the least absorbed product forms unless it is formulated in a way to increase bio-availability

What are the Benefits of CBD Isolate?

CBD isolate is the most studies form of CBD
CBD isolate is suggested to have a myriad of benefits
Supports stress response Balancing stress
Supporting immune function
Promoting better sleep for occasional sleeplessness
Some people find the taste of hemp extract unpleasant, which may mean they should try a CBD isolate
Not only does CBD isolate work well in food or drinks, the odorless and flavorless compound might also make CBD isolate a better choice for cooking with CBD or mixing into some CBD cocktails.
CBD isolate powder can also be an appealing option for making CBD products for personal use, such as homemade CBD massage oil.
It is ultimately the safest way for types of CBD users to consume CBD if you don’t want to worry about consuming THC.
Highly versatile

What are the Downsides of CBD Isolate?

CBD isolate is very poorly absorbed (about 1%-2%) by humans with very low bioavailability unless it is specially formulated
CBD Isolates can sometimes be more expensive than full-spectrum CBD.

What is Full-Spectrum CBD?

Full-spectrum CBD generally refers to products that not only contain CBD but contain other plant compounds as well.
Full-spectrum, sometimes also called “whole plant,” means the full plant extract is included.
This version of CBD is also refined like CBD isolate with one less step, leaving most of the cannabinoids and terpenes intact.
Full-spectrum CBD includes several other compounds found in the hemp plant, including terpenes, flavonoids, as well as very low levels of other cannabinoids (CBN, CBG, and CBC are examples)
As such, full-spectrum CBD contains a level of THC, currently restricted to less than 0.3% for sale in the U.S.

What are the Benefits of Full-Spectrum CBD?

Even though full-spectrum CBD tends to contain below 3% THC, this is not normally enough of the chemical compound necessary to have psychoactive effects.
While full-spectrum products can contain CBC, CBDV, CBG cannabinoids they are usually at such low levels it is unlikely they will produce any additional benefits.
The potential benefits are the same for full-spectrum and isolate based products
Support Joint health
Muscle soreness and recovery post exercise
Support Stress response
One 2018 study found that certain CBD compounds may also have neuroprotective effects.
CBN is another cannabinoid that can potentially support calm within the body, although the amount would be higher than found in most full-spectrum products
Research is somewhat unclear with no evidence that CBD’s health benefits may be more prominent when multiple compounds from the hemp plant are present.

What are the Downsides of Full-Spectrum CBD?

Manufacturing quality is important as many products have THC content higher than their stated label amounts
May show up on a drug screening
THC content may cause problems with local laws and regulations
Because terpenes and flavonoids are present, the smell and taste of the plant are usually noticeable.

What about Broad-Spectrum CBD?

There is another type of CBD that lies between full-spectrum CBD and CBD isolate - Broad-spectrum CBD
Broad spectrum products are loosely defined; they can either contain CBD isolate plus other cannabinoids or be produced by using full-spectrum and removing the THC component

What are the Benefits of Broad-Spectrum CBD?

Offers the full benefits of CBD
Likely less risk of psychoactive effects if using cannabinoid isolates

What are the Downsides of Broad-Spectrum CBD?

Less researched
The broad spectrum component is usually added at very low or trace amounts
Less available than full-spectrum or CBD isolates
May carry a strong, natural hemp flavor

The Entourage Effect Explained

The “entourage effect” theory suggests that taking CBD and THC together, along with terpenes, may be more effective than taking either cannabinoid alone.
The “entourage effect” is considered a theory because there is no well-defined study that shows its relevance; CBD is the most studied cannabinoid with many studies using isolate. THC has been studied with various concentrations with CBD but the studies are not conclusive on the combined effect.
The relationship between cannabinoid and terpenes is not well understood, terpenes typically give hemp its flavor and odor characteristics
CBD has shown to have interaction with THC to reduce the effects of psychoactive effects.

What are the Types of CBD Products?

CBD products come in many forms, including edibles, gummies, powder, oil CBD tinctures, capsules, as well as in topical creams, balms, skin patches, and vape products.
Read more about the most effective forms of taking CBD here.

How to Choose the Best CBD Isolate & Full Spectrum Products?

The main factor in determining which type of CBD product should be used is its level of absorption by the body. Most full-spectrum and isolate products are poorly absorbed by the body due to their being lipophilic substances.
You may want to avoid Full-spectrum products due to the THC content, especially if you are older, concerned about drug tests or sensitive to its effects.
These are some primary considerations to make when choosing a CBD isolate or full-spectrum CBD product.

Exposure

Consider if you’re able or want to consume THC.
In general, there are several groups of people that want to avoid THC:
Those who don’t want to consume THC - This can be due to political, religious, personal, or other views.
For a handful of people, even trace amounts of THC can cause grogginess or other unwanted side effects.
Those who are drug tested for THC - This includes workplace screening and others who are screened professionally for marijuana.
Many CBD users are concerned that THC will show up on a drug test, which may be required by their employer.
These tests typically look for the presence of THC. Even though full-spectrum contains at most a trace amount of THC, there are reports of positive drug tests from full-spectrum CBD products.
Choosing a THC-free alternative is always recommended.

Effectiveness via the Entourage Effect

There isn’t sufficient evidence to demonstrate any entourage effect from full-spectrum CBD versus isolate CBD. The primary focus has been various levels of CBD and its effect on different benefit areas.

CBD Product Quality

The most important thing to remember when shopping for CBD of any kind is quality and dosage to ensure the highest level of support one might experience.
The key to dosage is first looking for products that have proven absorption as they tend to be several times more effective than regular or oil-based products.
A quality product is one that is highly absorbed and carefully formulated to ensure the product delivers the amount described on the label.
As mentioned above the there is no strong evidence suggesting a difference between full-spectrum and isolate products.
Some CBD packaging only identifies products as ‘THC-free’ with some inferior quality products being mis-labelled entirely containing too little or too much CBD or THC in the products.
You should always verify the cannabinoid and other contents via third-party lab reports. These COA’s confirm the hemp contents before the product is manufactured in its finished form. It will not guarantee the amount indicated on the label is accurate.
Look to the labs and ingredients lists for verification on your product contents.
Each product should be made by a company that discloses the source of their hemp.
It contains no more than 0.3% THC, according to the certificate of analysis (COA)
Passes tests for pesticides, heavy metals, and molds, according to the COA
If the company doesn’t provide labs, or you can’t easily verify the cannabinoid and terpene content, we suggest you look elsewhere.
It’s essential to ensure you know what is in the products you choose and providing these lab reports is expected of quality CBD brands today.
You should also look for indicators of user trust and brand reputation, such as customer reviews.
Whether the company has been subject to a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warning letter.
Whether the company makes any unsupported health claims.

Legal Implications

Federal law requires that CBD products must be extracted from hemp instead of marijuana. Hemp plants, by definition, contain less than 0.3 percent THC.
If you live in a state where cannabis is heavily regulated, CBD isolate might be a preferred version of cannabis to use.
There have been reports of CBD products containing higher THC content than what is legal (i.e., >0.3%).

Final Word

The “best” way to take CBD is to start with one using pure CBD carefully formulated with proven absorption data to ensure you get a consistent experience each time you use it.
Given high variability between users, you may need to experiment with a dose that works best for you – it is recommended you try the start low and go slow approach. You can adjust your dose over several days to find what works best for you.
The most researched cannabinoid is CBD in isolate form.
Don’t buy into the full-spectrum hype, there is no definitive studies confirming that approach. The other components are usually only present in trace amounts.
People should always carefully read labels before buying them and discuss using CBD with a doctor or healthcare provider.