What Is CBD Oil, And Why Do People Take It?

CBD oil is manufactured from organic hemp plant extracts or cannabis sativa. There are three types of CBD oil, full spectrum, broad spectrum, and isolate. Most people prefer CBD oil since they are organic and deliver an entourage effect.

CBD products are gaining popularity due to their health benefits. CBD is infused in various products, including capsules, vapes, gummies, and topicals. However, it is CBD oil being infused in these products. CBD oil is pure from the hemp plant extracts obtained using supercritical carbon dioxide (CO2). CBD oil is obtained from the hemp plant's leaves, stems, or roots. It is offered in full spectrum (whole plant), broad-spectrum or isolate (pure) CBD. Most people use CBD oil because it is more effective and has various health benefits. However, before considering CBD oil, understand what it is and its benefits.

What is CBD Oil?

CBD oil combines chemical compounds derived from an organic hemp plant or cannabis sativa. The hemp plant has various chemical compounds with healing properties that make it important for our health. Cannabidiol (CBD), tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), flavonoids, and terpenes are the main elements of the hemp plant incorporated in either full spectrum, broad-spectrum, or isolate. Understanding the types of CBD will help you know the potential health benefits of each and the risks involved. The hemp plant elements infused in each type of CBD oil are used for differentiating between full spectrum, isolate, and broad spectrum as follows;

Broad Spectrum

Although broad spectrum CBD oil is the second most popular after full spectrum, it is the most recommended. It has various useful elements of the hemp plant, with gives it the advantage of the entourage effect. Most people prefer broad spectrum CBD oil because it prevents you from getting exposed to THC's intoxicating side effects. Broad spectrum oil has CBD, terpenes, and flavonoids. According to de Assis et al. (2021), a broad spectrum helps in reducing internal and external pain. Pain is one of the main causes of discomfort and lack of sleep. Therefore, one can have enough sleep by using broad spectrum CBD oil to address pain. Also, broad-spectrum CBD oil allows a person to enjoy other health benefits such as lowering stress and anxiety by regulating the production of stress and anxiety hormones through its anti-inflammatory effect.

Full Spectrum CBD Oil

Full spectrum CBD oil is the most dominant since it doesn't require much effort to extract various elements. Full spectrum CBD oil is also advantaged to various health benefits due to the entourage effect, which is the ability of various chemical compounds to work together to offer more health benefits. Each element of full spectrum CBD oil is important in enhancing its effectiveness, including tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). According to Gallily et al. (2018), THC is suitable for regulating the production of hormones due to its anti-inflammatory properties. Full spectrum can help relieve stress, anxiety, and pain and improve one’s mental alertness. However, this can only be achieved when taken in considerable potencies. THC remains a major concern to most people as one of the major active elements of the hemp plant. Oberbarnscheidt & Miller (2020) explained that, unlike other elements, it has intoxicating side effects. The 2018 Farm Bill limited THC levels to 0.3% to minimize the intoxicating effects among its users.

Isolate

Most people who wish to avoid THC consider either broad-spectrum or isolated CBD. However, unlike the broad spectrum, isolated CBD oil is limited from the entourage effect since it has a single chemical compound. It is manufactured with pure cannabidiol (CBD). It limits it to CBD-related health benefits only. Therefore, most people consider pure CBD oil to avoid THC-related side effects, including getting high. CBD enhances sleep and reduces pain, anxiety, and sleep. Schoedel et al. (2018) suggested that CBD is used to treat epilepsy, which is the only approved health benefit.

Why CBD Oil?

Although there are various products, including CBD gummies, tinctures, vapes, and topicals, most people prefer CBD oil. The reasons why it is highly embraced are as follows;

Fully Organic

Most people prefer CBD oil since it is the pure form of hemp plant extract. It is manufactured using organic hemp plant extracts obtained using CO2, a clean extraction method. Other CBD products, such as tinctures, undergo processing involving various chemicals interfering with their purity levels. Full spectrum CBD doesn't require any extraction since it has all the elements of the hemp plant. Therefore, manufacturers are only required to obtain crude oil, which doesn't require chemicals to extract it.

Rapid Effectiveness

Among products like gummies, capsules, and topicals, CBD oil delivers rapid effectiveness. It is the second most effective way of delivering CBD into your bloodstream after vaping. Sublingual use is the most effective way of delivering CBD oil to your bloodstream. It requires you to measure considerable amounts of CBD oil using a dropper and place it under the tongue for about 60 seconds. It allows the thin capillaries under the tongue to absorb CBD oil rapidly into the blood. The impact of sublingual use is expected in approximately 30 minutes.

Is CBD Oil Legal?

CBD oil was legalized by the 2018 Farm Bill in the USA. However, the Farm Bill has some restrictions to safeguard the users. THC being an intoxicating element, the Farm Bill restricted to 0.03% the levels found in the hemp plant and cannabis sativa. Marijuana CBD oil is illegal since its THC levels exceed 10%. However, CBD oil is only legal in specific states. The Farm Bill gave states mandates to regulate the use of hemp-based products within their regions. As a result, 12 states restricted CBD products within their borders, including Tennessee and Texas.

Conclusion

CBD oil is the most effective and pure hemp-based product. However, the only way if determine their purity levels is by using the lab results. The lab results should be from an IOS-certified lab since they have adequate personnel and equipment. They are also questionable for any false results, putting their license at risk of operation contamination. Also, check on the potency levels to avoid overdosing unknowingly. Some brands post wrong potency levels putting their customers at risk. The Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) has been sending warnings to brands falsifying the actual potency levels for consumer safety. Therefore, before considering any brand, confirm its reputation.

References

de Assis, P. M., Ferrarini, E. G., Baldasso, G. M., Paes, R. S., Gouvêa, M. C., Segundo, C. E. N., ... & Raposo, N. R. B. (2021). Broad-spectrum Cannabis oil alleviates behavioral symptoms associated with stress-related anxiety and depression in mice. Pharmaceutical Sciences, 28(2), 239-250.

Gallily, R., Yekhtin, Z., & Hanuš, L. O. (2018). The anti-inflammatory properties of terpenoids from cannabis. Cannabis and cannabinoid research, 3(1), 282-290.

Oberbarnscheidt, T., & Miller, N. S. (2020). The impact of cannabidiol on psychiatric and medical conditions. Journal of clinical medicine research, 12(7), 393.

Schoedel, K. A., Szeto, I., Setnik, B., Sellers, E. M., Levy-Cooperman, N., Mills, C., ... & Sommerville, K. (2018). Abuse potential assessment of cannabidiol (CBD) in recreational polydrug users: a randomized, double-blind, controlled trial. Epilepsy & Behavior, 88, 162-171.