Is CBD Effective Without THC?
This is a question we get asked about regularly, so we decided to create this blog post to clear things up for our community.
To preface the article, we’d like to share about the different types of CBD. There are numerous CBD products on the market, but there are primarily 3 variations of CBD that you will find within your products.
These variations include Full Spectrum CBD, Broad Spectrum CBD, and CBD Isolate.
The Entourage Effect
An important concept to be aware of is something called the entourage effect.
The entourage effect is when the various compounds found in hemp oil work together to create a more effective product. These compounds include terpenes, flavonoids, and cannabinoids such as THC and CBD. Basically, think about how much healthier a salad is when you have a dozen vegetables in it, versus just lettuce.
So now that you have a basic understanding of the entourage effect, let’s talk about the different types of CBD oil
The Different Types of CBD Oils You Need To Know
Full Spectrum CBD is the most common oil. It is the pure oil extracted from hemp, so it contains a wide variety of compounds such as CBD, THC, flavonoids and terpenes (to name just a few…). This tends to be the most effective oil, due to the entourage effect.
Broad Spectrum CBD is a zero THC CBD product. It has everything that full spectrum CBD has, minus the THC. This is a very effective oil, due to the entourage effect. However, the process to make it zero THC makes the price slightly higher than full spectrum. That being said, broad spectrum is your most effective zero THC CBD oil.
CBD Isolate is pure CBD. It has no other compounds present. CBD isolate is zero THC, but it lacks the benefits of the entourage effect. For that reason, you save some money but the oil is
less effective.
CBD Vs. THC
We need to have an important conversation about the difference between THC and CBD. These two compounds have a lot in common. They are both found in hemp and marijuana. They are both a cannabinoid.
Cannabinoid is a blanket term for a “family” of compounds found in marijuana and hemp. Generally, there are over 100 cannabinoids found in these plants. CBD and THC are just two of them.
The reason CBD and THC get so much coverage is because they have been found to have the most significant impacts on mammals, and they are also found in the highest concentrations in hemp and marijuana.
The most important difference between the two is that THC gets you high and CBD does not. In fact, THC is the only cannabinoid that gets people high. For this reason, many people choose to avoid THC.
Although Hemp does contain THC, the amount present is less than 0.3% which is NOT enough to get you high, but it can be enough to cause a “false” positive on a routine drug test.
Which Oil Is Right For Me?
When buying CBD the main question you want to be asking yourself is whether you would like to consume THC or not. As we stated above, you don’t have to worry about the THC in your CBD oil getting you high, but you do have cause for concern if you are expecting a drug test.
Although many people taking CBD with trace amounts of THC have passed a drug test, it seems to be just as common for people to fail their test as well. So it’s up to you to decide if you want to take the risk or not. For us, the risk is definitely NOT worth failing a drug test.
For that reason, we suggest you look for a guaranteed zero THC CBD product. Although our legal team has advised us not to guarantee that you will pass a drug test taking our zero THC CBD, you can read up on our blog about the risk factors, and make your own decision based on facts.
Also, some of our community members choose to avoid THC because of stigmas against marijuana, or because they just don’t want any THC in their system.
Depending on your current situation, you will need to decide if zero THC CBD is the right choice. But which product should you buy if you want to avoid the THC?
What Type of Zero THC CBD Product Should I Buy?
As we said above there are two types of zero THC CBD products. There is broad spectrum CBD and CBD isolate.
We always suggest people buy a broad spectrum CBD if they want to go THC Free. That’s because of the benefits you will experience from the entourage effect. It will cost you more money than CBD isolates, however in this case quality is more important over quantity.
So… Is CBD Effective Without THC?
The short answer is yes, although you can tell from the article it is more complicated than that. Generally speaking the most effective type of oil is Full Spectrum CBD (contains THC), followed by Zero THC Broad Spectrum CBD, and then followed by Zero THC CBD Isolate.
People still experience benefits from CBD isolate, however generally the reported effects are less significant than Broad Spectrum.
THC is an important compound in the entourage effect, but it is not the be all and end all. Each compound has beneficial qualities. Individual terpenes, flavonoids, and cannabinoids are all effective. But they are stronger together.
CBD minus THC (especially broad spectrum) still has a whole whack load of beneficial compounds. So if you can’t consume THC, don’t get discouraged! Zero THC CBD is still very effective.
A Final Note About CBD
Everyone experiences CBD differently. Some people can take large amounts and not notice much effect, while others just need a small amount to see improvements in their lives.
It also takes time for CBD to take effect in your body. You may need to consume CBD for 2-4 weeks before you notice pronounced effects. CBD takes time to build up and do its work in your body.
So if you start taking Zero THC CBD and you notice it is not “effective” right away, We suggest being patient with the oil. There is a lot of hype about CBD on the internet, so sometimes people have exaggerated expectations. Although CBD is a “miracle” for some people, that is not true for everyone.
If you really want to see if CBD is working for you, we suggest being consistent with taking the oil. Take it everyday, 1-3x / day. Try to take it at the same time each day to build a routine. Consume CBD for a minimum of 2 weeks (but even up to 4 weeks) before passing judgement.
Keep a notebook and write daily notes in the morning and evening about how you feel, especially regarding certain physical, mental or emotional concerns you are hoping CBD can help you with.
