What is Full Spectrum CBD? Benefits & Uses

CBD is a relaxing, pain-relieving cannabinoid well-studied for its therapeutic effects. It’s experienced a huge market boom and can be found everywhere from dispensaries to health food stories.

CBD comes in many forms, including full-spectrum, broad-spectrum, and isolate. But what’s the difference between them?

Let’s explore the world of full spectrum CBD, how it works through the entourage effect, some of the benefits it’s currently being studied for, and more!

Full-Spectrum CBD 101

Full-spectrum CBD is chock-full of cannabinoids, flavonoids, terpenes, common plant-based compounds, and up to 0.3% THC. Many believe that it’s more effective than other forms of CBD — such as CBD isolate or broad spectrum CBD — because of the entourage effect.

In addition to CBD, cannabinoids found in full-spectrum CBD include:

• CBDA
• CBN
• CBG
• THC
• THCV
• CBC
• CBDV
• And more!

Full spectrum vs Broad-Spectrum vs CBD Isolate

• Full-spectrum CBD contains all the cannabinoids found in hemp plants. 
• Broad-spectrum CBD contains everything except THC.
• CBD isolate only contains CBD and no other cannabinoids.

The Entourage Effect

According to years of compiled research, the entourage effect is a synergistic effect in which different compounds help bring out properties in each other that make them more powerful than if they were isolated on their own.

In the context of full-spectrum CBD, the entourage effect is the idea that other cannabinoids besides just CBD can help the CBD be more effective, as opposed to an isolate of CBD.

Health Benefits of Full-Spectrum CBD

Full-spectrum CBD has a wide variety of health benefits, ranging from pain management to addiction treatment. It can even counteract the high and anxiety caused by too much THC.

Chronic pain is hard to manage, so any discovery of pain management can have massive implications for the chronic pain community. There are several clinical studies that show how CBD-rich extracts – even when given in many forms like topical, sublingual, vaporized, and more – can help alleviate chronic pain and inflammation from: 

• Multiple sclerosis 
• Fibromyalgia 
• Crohn’s disease 
• Neuropathic pain 
• Spinal and physical injuries 
• And more

Meanwhile, another study from Communications Medicine touts “clinical and cognitive improvement following full-spectrum, high-cannabidiol treatment for anxiety.” The search for effective anxiety treatment is vital because so many anti-anxiety medications have unwanted side effects or can lead to substance abuse, also called addiction.

Yet another study found that CBD can help not just anxiety, but also sleep. Just like anxiety, sleeping medication can leave you feeling drowsy the next day and people often have to choose between getting a night’s sleep with unwanted side effects, or struggling with insomnia without medication. CBD has the potential to help this problem!

It also seems that CBD even has the potential to help manage addiction, an incredibly exciting development in the field of harm reduction. Using CBD to help withdrawals and cravings, instead of pharmaceuticals, gives patients the option to go a natural route with less side effects.

This is just scratching the surface of the myriad of scientifically proven benefits of CBD.

Is Full Spectrum CBD Legal?

Full spectrum CBD is legal under the 2018 Farm Bill. This bill defines hemp as containing less than 0.3% THC, and all hemp-derived products are federally legal.

There was a huge boom in the cannabis industry following this bill, as scientists searched for new cannabinoids to study and manufacturers rushed to produce and market them.

Public opinion on CBD varies. Some people are scared of it because of its association with cannabis, whereas others – specifically the health and wellness crowd – quickly got behind the product and its well-documented benefits.

Will Full-Spectrum CBD Show Up On A Drug Test?

Although the THC content in full-spectrum CBD is low, it can potentially still be picked up by a drug test. Some drug tests have larger windows of detection than others, and some are able to pick up on very small amounts of THC.

Urine testing is largely the test of choice because of its accuracy. Other common options include saliva and hair testing.

Final Thoughts

Full-spectrum CBD harnesses the power of all the cannabinoids, terpenes, flavonoids, and essential oils from the hemp plant. The entourage effect creates synergy between all of these compounds, becoming stronger together than they would be on their own.

CBD research is just beginning, and full-spectrum CBD seems to have a never-ending amount of benefits, ranging from anxiety management to helping with withdrawals. Many turn to CBD when the traditional medical system has failed them, and research is increasingly on their side!

Frequently Asked Questions

How is full-spectrum CBD legal?

Full-spectrum CBD is legal because it contains less than 0.3% of THC, which is the legal limit for hemp-derived products according to the federal Farm Bill 2018.

Is full spectrum CBD legal in all states?

Contrary to popular belief, CBD is not legal in all 50 states, even if it is derived from hemp. This is because each state has its own Controlled Substances Act (CSA), which generally aligns with the federal CSA. Additionally, the Farm Bill permits states to regulate CBD as they see fit.

Note: The content on this page is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be professional medical advice. Do not attempt to self-diagnose or prescribe treatment based on the information provided. Always consult a physician before making any decision on the treatment of a medical condition.