Why CBD Isolate Products Fall Short

Are the CBD products you’re taking working as well as they can for you? If they contain CBD isolate instead of a full- or broad-spectrum cannabinoid and terpene profile, you may be shorting yourself on all the benefits you could be getting from your CBD product.

That’s because full and broad spectrum products are better than isolates when it comes to offering benefits like relief from discomfort, improved sleep and more. To better understand the difference between full spectrum and broad spectrum products and CBD isolates, let’s first talk about what makes a product an isolate in the first place.

CBD Isolates

A product made with a CBD isolate means exactly what it sounds like – the CBD has been isolated from other compounds found in hemp. In the past, a lot of CBD products and studies only focused on the CBD isolate.

But, as we started creating the Onyx & Rose brand, the research we explored heavily indicated that when CBD is isolated, you need to take much more to get it to work the way you want. Simply put, it’s just not as powerful alone.

We turned to nature and looked closely at what we saw occurring. Hemp is complete with a complex profile of cannabinoids, terpenes and other beneficial compounds that can provide a much better match for the human body than a single isolate dose alone. By leaving hemp’s complete profile intact, our CBD oil requires less processing and is more natural.

This synergistic effect of hemp’s entire profile is often referred to as “the entourage effect.”

Explaining the Entourage Effect

When CBD is not isolated, it provides powerful benefits working alongside other cannabinoids like CBG, CBN, THC and THCa, as well as a wide array of terpenes including bisabolene, farnesene and guaiol. When these compounds work together, they can help provide much stronger relief than CBD from isolate.

That’s because CBD and the other beneficial compounds in hemp target the endocannabinoid system, which plays an essential role in the well-being of the human body. The endocannabinoid system helps maintain a number of integral functions, including mental health and wellness, appetite, nutrient transport, energy storage, immune function and the regulation of stress and pain perception.

Cannabinoids and the Endocannabinoid System

Your body is already set up to receive help from cannabinoids. In fact, it even makes its own. These are referred to as endocannabinoids, and they’re naturally produced in your body. When you take a full- or broad-spectrum CBD oil, you’re bringing in beneficial cannabinoids that your body recognizes. These cannabinoids from an external source — called phytocannabinoids — target the CB1 and CB2 receptors within the human body.

CB₁ receptors exist in multiple areas of the body and perform various tasks relevant to where they’re located. CB₁ receptors:

• Increase appetite

• Help regulate body fat buildup

• Inhibit the overactive firing of nerve cells, which helps control conditions like epilepsy

• Change the way you react to stress and trauma

• Offer relief from anxiety

• Help moderate sensitivity to pain

• Connect the brain and the gut

CB₂ receptors are located in the immune cells of the spleen, bone marrow, tonsils, and the digestive tract. Like CB₁ receptors, the role of CB₂ receptors corresponds to their locations within the body. CB₂ receptors:

• Decrease inflammation

• Promote heart and bone health

• Reduce or prevent nausea and vomiting

Understanding Terpenes

Hemp is also loaded with beneficial terpenes. Terpenes are hydrocarbons found in the essential oils of hemp, and they’re responsible for the smell that cannabis produces. Our full and broad spectrum CBD products contain a range of terpenes that each play a unique role in improving well-being:

Beta-caryophyllene

Beta-caryophyllene is gastroprotective and contains strong anti-inflammatory properties. Studies show it may also help provide relief from anxiety and depression.

Humulene

This terpene also serves as an anti-inflammatory agent and a hunger-suppressant, and can even contribute to relief from general discomfort.

Linalool

Linalool has anticonvulsant and antibacterial properties and contributes to a feeling of relaxation.

Alpha-Pinene

Energy boosting and therapeutic, alpha-pinene improve focus and memory.

Bisabolol

Bisabolol offers anti-irritant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties.

Alone, these terpenes are powerful, but they can truly pack a punch when combined with the rest of the compounds in hemp’s profile.

A Full Spectrum Beats an Isolate—Every Time

One of the most incredible properties of hemp is that its benefits are more powerful than the sum of its parts. Cannabinoids and terpenes each provide their own benefits, but when they work together (as they naturally occur), the benefits are multiplied.

A CBD isolate might have been the earliest option on the market, but it’s certainly no longer the best. When you’re looking for a CBD product to bring you the maximum amount of benefits, opt for a full spectrum or broad spectrum product. These offer the benefits of terpenes and the most bang for your buck.

To find out how you can benefit from the entourage effect, test them for yourself and find your perfect balance!