The world’s perception of cannabis is changing and people started to recognize it as a potential medicinal plant. The cannabis plant has been used as a medicinal plant for thousands of years. There are written ancient documents that tell us how the cannabis plant was used to treat pain and other body illnesses.

In 1940, a chemical compound present in the cannabis plant was discovered, cannabidiol (CBD). After much research, it was found that CBD was responsible for the pain-relieving properties of cannabis. CBD is one of the 113 known cannabinoid compounds of the cannabis plant.

For many decades, several studies have undergone to find out the effects of CBD on the human body. Most of these researches were successful and it is now known that CBD can effectively treat so many health problems such as stress, anxiety, depression, pain, arthritis, nausea, epilepsy, migraine, insomnia, acne, psoriasis, dementia, etc.

In this article, we will look at the differences between CBD distillate and CBD isolate.

What Is CBD Distillate?

Distillation is the process of purifying a liquid by heating or cooling it. The concentrates that are created by the distillation process are cleaner than other concentrates. CBD distillate is heavily refined CBD in the liquid form. CBD distillates are a tasteless and odorless form of CBD and it also has no impurities. One of the main features of CBD distillate is that it is densely concentrated. Therefore, you don’t need a lot of CBD distillate to have a potent effect on the body.

The hemp plant is most commonly used for extracting CBD, but it can also be extracted from the marijuana plant. 80 to 90 percent pure CBD is present in most of the hemp-based distillate. Other naturally occurring cannabinoids found in the hemp plant constitute the remaining 10 – 20 percent of the CBD distillate.

Types Of CBD Distillate

CBD distillate has numerous practical applications and that provides a lot of excellent opportunities for wholesalers and business owners. Before you get it to the opportunities that CBD distillate offers, you might need to know more about CBD distillate like the different types of CBD distillate available. Read ahead to know.

Full-Spectrum CBD

Full-spectrum or the “whole-plant” is the most common and popular form of CBD available in the market. The pronounced compound present in the full-spectrum CBD products is cannabidiol. But other cannabinoid compounds of the hemp plant, aromatic terpenes, flavonoids, vitamins, proteins, essential fatty acids, etc. are also present in it. A trace amount of THC is also present in full-spectrum CBD.

One of the main reasons why people prefer full-spectrum CBD over other forms of CBD is that it can provide the entourage effect. That means all the cannabinoids, terpenes, flavonoids, vitamins, proteins, and essential fatty acids present in the full-spectrum CBD work together to produce a more significant benefit to your body.

Full-spectrum CBD has an earthy flavor and it may also contain higher amounts of impurities because it hasn’t gone through any intense extraction process like CBD isolate. The trace amount of THC in full-spectrum CBD can also cause difficulties in the transport of its products across state lines because of the varying THC laws in different states of the country.

Broad-Spectrum CBD

The main difference between broad-spectrum CBD and full-spectrum CBD is that broad spectrum CBD is THC-free. Therefore, it is also known as THC-free distillate. 0.3 % of THC present in the full-spectrum CBD can still cause problems in some people. The full-spectrum distillates preserve all the original compounds of the hemp plant, including a trace amount of THC.

Broad-spectrum CBD is further distilled to remove the impurities. Therefore, it is more refined than full-spectrum CBD. People who want to have a cleaner CBD with minimal impurities can use broad-spectrum CBD. When compared to full-spectrum, broad-spectrum CBD cannot provide the entourage effect due to the absence of THC.

If you do not want to encounter any problems in the transport and licensing of your product, broad-spectrum CBD is a much safer choice than full-spectrum CBD. Broad-spectrum CBD can be produced in two ways. You can add the beneficial cannabinoids and terpenes to a CBD isolate. This method ensures that no unwanted substances exist in the end product. The other method is the further processing of full-spectrum CBD to remove THC from it.

How Is CBD Distillate Made?

CBD that is extracted using solvent extraction or CO2 extraction method cannot be considered as pure because it contains a trace amount of solvent or other undesired products of the hemp plant. With the help of distillation, the cannabinoids and terpenes are refined on a molecular level.

The distillation process is essential to filter out all the impurities from the CBD extract. The extracted CBD is added into a container with ethanol and left in a cold environment for a couple of days. This process is called winterization and it allows the solidification of undesired impurities and they will fall to the bottom of the container.

After filtering out the ethanol and coagulated impurities, the CBD is heated for further refining. The heat vaporizes the liquid CBD and it is fed through the cooling tube and the pure distillate drips out of the tube. This process will be repeated many times to get the desired percentage of CBD in the CBD distillate.

Decarboxylation

Decarboxylation is a major step in the production of CBD distillate. All the cannabinoids in the hemp plant are present in their acid form and heat is necessary for activating it. In order to do that, the hemp is vaped or smoked to release the active compounds present in the plant. This makes sure that the compounds will be able to interact with the cannabinoid receptors in the endocannabinoid system.

There is no standardized temperature for the decarboxylation process. However, a higher temperature than THC is required for the activation of CBD. But the major disadvantage of this process is that it removes most of the terpenes that are sensitive to heat and makes it a more neutral-tasting product.

After the extract passes through the winterization and decarboxylation processes, it is ready for the removal of excess compounds. Steam distillation and fractional distillation are the two main methods used for creating a refined product that can reach up to 99 % purity. The final product, CBD distillate, is perfect for adding to products like edibles, tinctures, oils, etc.

What Is CBD Isolate?

CBD isolate is considered as the purest form of CBD. During the manufacturing process of CBD isolate, CBD is separated from all the other cannabinoids and other compounds of the cannabis plant. CBD isolate comes in the form of crystals and powder.

Among the two forms of CBD isolate, crystal CBD isolate is the less refined and can only be used through dabbing. On the other hand, powdered CBD isolates can be consumed in many ways. One of the main features of CBD isolate is that it does not contain THC, the psychoactive compound of the cannabis plant.

Various extraction processes are used by the manufacturers to separate all the cannabinoids and other compounds except CBD from the plant material. The end product of the process is CBD in a crystal form. These crystals will be then grinded into powder form to make the product easier to consume.

Effects Of CBD Isolate

CBD interact with the cannabinoid receptors in the endocannabinoid system that may influence several functions of our body, including appetite, memory pain perception, inflammation, mood, and other cognitive functions. CBD interacts with these receptors and activate them. As a result, CBD exerts its effects on the human body.

There are so many potential effects of CBD on the human body. CBD can boost the immune system and prevent autoimmune diseases that affect the human body. The use of CBD isolate helps to counteract the formation of tumors and also reduces inflammation that may lead to pain. CBD is also neuroprotective, which means it helps in the regeneration of the nervous system.

A recent study has found that CBD isolate is effective in reducing pain and swelling at a specific dose. It is also proven to be effective in reducing or preventing anxiety and seizures. CBD isolate is also an ideal choice for those who must refrain from having THC in their system.

Benefits Of CBD Isolate

CBD isolate can be effectively used for the treatment of the following health conditions.

Anxiety Disorders

Many clinical studies on both animal and human beings have shown the anti-anxiety effects of CBD. The compound changes the way of response of our brain to the chemical serotonin and reduces anxiety.

Epilepsy

Many studies have proven that CBD has antiseizure effects, which is very helpful in the treatment of epilepsy. A study in 2017 found evidence indicating that CBD reduces the frequency of seizures in epileptic patients. Recently, FDA has approved the use of Epidiolex, a prescription drug that contains CBD. It is used for the treatment of two severe forms of epilepsy; Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and Dravet syndrome.

Pain Relief

The use of CBD for treating pain and other inflammatory conditions are on the rise. Arthritis is characterized by severe joint pain due to inflammation in the joints. The anti-inflammatory properties of CBD help in reducing the pain and thereby reduce the pain associated with it.

Cancer Treatment

Cancer treatment such as chemotherapy and radiation therapy can cause side effects like nausea, vomiting, and loss of appetite. CBD can alleviate these side effects and assists in the treatment of cancer. Recent studies have also found that CBD can inhibit the growth of cancer cells in people suffering from breast cancer.

Both CBD distillate and CBD isolate are beneficial products and the choice depends on the type of ailment to be treated and the benefits that are expected. It is always a good thing to consult with your doctor before using any of these CBD products to ensure that you do not have any allergic reactions to these products.