With a variety of CBD products on the market, it’s important to know the differences in order to choose the right CBD oil for your pet!
Understanding the difference in CBD products is just as important as choosing the right CBD product for your pet. Since these differences can also directly affect price and product benefits, it’s crucial to consider the true meaning of “Full Spectrum”, “Broad Spectrum” and CDB “Isolate” when it comes to a CBD oil for pets:
1. CBD Isolate
CBD isolate is 99% pure CBD. It comes in a powder, and is the most popular form for a few reasons, including its inexpensive cost and its lack of smell or taste (if produced correctly). It can also easily be mixed and formulated into a product. However, it’s the least efficacious form of CBD, which means it has the less medicinal benefits when compared to a broad spectrum or full spectrum oil. CBD isolate is void of all the other supporting compounds found in the hemp plant, such as Terpenes, which give the plant its overall medicinal benefits. These other compounds include, minor cannabinoids, such as, CBG or CBC and terpenes. CBD isolate is created by “crashing out” (turning the CBD into a crystal form) the pure CBD from the rest of the hemp compounds.
2. “Broad Spectrum” CBD Oil
Broad Spectrum CBD oil is the next best option to CBD isolate as it does include some of the other supporting cannabinoids, while still excluding THC and the terpenes. Broad spectrum oil is also known as a “distillate”, which is the CBD oil that’s left after it goes through a distillation process. It’s very similar to how an oil company refines oil into gasoline. Broad spectrum oil is still a commodity of the hemp industry as it can be mass produced using just about any quality of hemp material. One concern with this form is the process of removing the THC from the CBD oil. THC is most often removed using chromatography, and this process employs extremely dangerous chemicals to separate out the cannabinoids. These chemicals can then be refined out of the CBD oil, but because it’s time consuming and sometimes costly, residual solvents may still remain. Understandably, then, it‘s so important to know the source of your CBD oil and be able to track it throughout cultivation, extraction and formulation.
Full spectrum CBD oil is an extract that contains the highest number of compounds found in the original hemp plant, including THC. Full spectrum CBD oil produces the commonly used phrase “Entourage Effect”, which refers to the synergistic relationship of all the compounds in the hemp plant, including cannabinoids and terpenes. Through this synergy, the compounds work together to bring on more therapeutic benefits. Full spectrum CBD oil has the highest medicinal value and is the least processed CBD oil of the three options. A quality full spectrum CBD oil first starts with hemp genetics. Not all hemp is created equal. In fact, there are many levels of quality when it comes to hemp genetics, and better genetics create CBD oil with better efficacy. In addition to genetics, it’s crucial to properly harvest, dry, and cure the hemp, since heat and natural environmental exposure can harm the plant’s compounds if these steps aren’t done right. Finally, the extraction method, whether it’s through carbon dioxide (CO2), alcohol or hydrocarbon, needs to be completed with care and knowledge of the process (including temperature). Interestingly enough, even though a full spectrum CBD oil has less post processing, it is actually more expensive to produce.
When you’re shopping for a CBD product for your pet, you likely want one that’s safe and comes with the most benefits. Understanding the differences between Full Spectrum, Broad Spectrum and CBD Isolate will help you make the best decision for your furry best friend.
Source: Animal Wellness Magazine
