Full Spectrum CBD Oil, Zero THC CBD Oil or CBD Isolate - Which Is The Best?

For anyone beginning their CBD oil journey, choosing the best CBD oil can seem like an impossible task. The marketplace is crowded with hundreds of CBD companies all vying for your business. Then there’s the different types of CBD oils available: Full Spectrum CBD oil, Zero THC CBD oil, and CBD isolate; and let’s not even get started on all the different strengths and flavors. In this article, we are going to iron out any confusion you may have about which type of CBD oil to choose, bringing you one step closer to buying the best CBD oil for you.

CBD, otherwise known as Cannabidiol, is a compound called a cannabinoid found in cannabis sativa, also known as hemp. There are over one hundred other cannabinoids in cannabis sativa. Perhaps the best known is THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol), responsible for the stoned feeling in marijuana. However, in strains of hemp used to make CBD oil, THC is only found in trace amounts. CBD itself is completely non-intoxicating because it doesn’t affect the same receptors in our brain activated by THC. Consequently, any CBD oil sold with the legal amount of THC (below 0.3%), will not make you feel high.

That’s not to say that CBD is inactive. Many of you might have seen the amazing cases of children with epilepsy whose seizures were dramatically reduced after taking CBD oil. It’s no surprise then that the first pharmaceutical CBD drug has been developed to treat children with rare types of epilepsy that do not respond to conventional medicine.

Not only that, scientists are currently researching CBD for treating various conditions such as anxiety, chronic pain, neurodegenerative diseases, fibromyalgia, migraines, and depression.

Most CBD sold in the US comes in the form of CBD oil because the CBD molecule is found in the sticky trichomes in hemp, and is therefore oily in texture. In order to create a product that is easily absorbed into the body, CBD products are usually mixed with some kind of carrier oil such as olive oil, hemp seed oil or coconut MCT oil.

You will also notice that CBD oil is sold as a nutritional supplement, and because of that we cannot make any medical claims about our CBD oils. However, we can guide you in choosing the best CBD oil for you.

Remember how we said CBD is one of over 100 cannabinoids in the hemp plant? Well, if we added in all the other active molecules, we’d reach over 400 in total. As well as minor cannabinoids such as CBDA (Cannabidiolic acid), THCA (Tetrahydrocannabinolic acid), CBDV (Cannabidivarin), CBG (Cannabigerol), all with their own therapeutic potential, the hemp plant also boasts some other very cool compounds called terpenes.

Terpenes provide the distinctive aroma associated with hemp and all other aromatic plants and flowers in nature. They also have physiological effects on our bodies. Limonene for example has been found to alleviate depression, pinene is a bronchial dilator, meaning it clears our airways and helps breathing, and linalool is not only anti-inflammatory, but also aids sleep. These terpenes are commonly found in most hemp plant varieties.

Then there are the flavonoids, which not only provide vibrant color in our food, but are also antioxidants, protecting our cells from free radicals.

Who knew the hemp plant contained so many helpful compounds for our health?

But the story doesn’t end there. While it’s pretty amazing that these individual molecules have such therapeutic effects on our bodies, scientists now believe that there is a synergy between them. It’s called the entourage effect. And to use an acting analogy, there is a star in the show (in this case CBD), but the supporting cast also have an important role making sure the protagonist really shines.  

Science backs up the entourage effect, with various studies showing CBD oil containing all the molecules found in hemp, is more effective than pure CBD on its own (also known as CBD isolate). Not only that, research shows that less whole plant CBD oil is needed to create a therapeutic effect than isolated CBD.

The term commonly used for CBD oil containing all the active molecules in hemp is ‘Full Spectrum CBD Oil’.

People often ask, if Full Spectrum CBD Oil contains 0.3% THC, can you fail a drug test due to CBD? The answer is almost certainly no, but this does rely on the full spectrum CBD oil you buy containing the legal amount of THC. There have been various studies done on commercially available CBD products, and some of them did have over 0.3% THC. So, always make sure that the CBD oil you buy comes with third party lab tests proving not only the cannabinoid content, but that your product is free from pesticides, heavy metals and mold.

While at Mtiva we believe that anyone looking for maximum benefit from their CBD oil should opt for a full spectrum product containing less than 0.3% THC, there is a growing number of zero THC CBD oils available on the market. Also known as ‘Broad Spectrum CBD Oil’ and ‘THC Free CBD Oil,’ any residual THC is removed from the CBD extract during the distillation process.

Broad Spectrum CBD oil should still contain all the other minor cannabinoids, terpenes, flavonoids etc, but scientific studies have yet to be conducted to see how these THC free CBD oils stack up against their full spectrum cousins.

We currently live in a pharmaceutical paradigm that offers drugs based on single molecules. Many of them have their origin in plants and flowers, aspirin and morphine being just two examples. However, when it comes to hemp and cannabis, purer doesn’t necessarily mean better.  

That’s not to say that pure CBD isn’t available to buy. Known as CBD isolate, it has had all the other compounds such as minor cannabinoids, terpenes etc removed. In fact, the only approved CBD pharmaceutical drug, Epidiolex, is 99% pure CBD. But, as mentioned previously, it’s been noted in studies that whole plant or full spectrum CBD oils out perform CBD isolate every time.

If you’re about to embark on your CBD Oil journey, it’s important to make an informed choice about which CBD product is going to give maximum benefits to your health. Based on current research and anecdotal accounts, it’s clear that Full Spectrum CBD oil is head and shoulders above the other types of CBD oil on the market. If you’re still worried about failing a drug test, makes sure you only choose a CBD company that offers third party lab tests for every batch of CBD oil product, proving that the THC level is below the legal 0.3% limit.

At Mtiva, we guarantee you high quality, full spectrum CBD products, made from US grown, organic certified hemp. Using state of the art supercritical CO2 extraction methods, we maintain all the vital ingredients in the hemp plant and all our CBD oil are lab tested to ensure purity and safety.

Why not stop by our website, or speak to our customer service team who will be delighted to answer any remaining questions you may have about which is the best CBD oil for you.