We all hear about the benefits of CBD, but how exactly does it work with the body to create those benefits? Consider this your go-to guide to demystifying CBD and explaining the basics.
What Is CBD?
CBD, or cannabidiol, is a naturally occurring substance found in the hemp plant. CBD is one of many “cannabinoids,” or compounds that interact with the human body’s endocannabinoid system to help regulate our overall physical health. B GREAT products contain 0.3% or less THC (tetrahydrocannabidiol) which means they provide the countless beneficial effects of hemp without the psychotropic effects of THC. In other words, our products won’t get you high.
Introducing Your Endocannabinoid System
You may not have heard of it before, but we all have an endocannabinoid system which is key to the human body’s regulation of numerous cognitive and physiological processes. Like an orchestral conductor, the endocannabinoid system helps the body’s systems work together.
Creating Balance
When life throws the body’s internal systems off balance, the endocannabinoid system helps to bring it back to equilibrium. Disruptions to the body’s homeostatic balance can come from several sources, like stress, injury, illness, or a general cannabinoid deficiency. The boost from supplemental full-spectrum CBD gives the endocannabinoid system the support it needs to keep the body’s functions working in harmony.
Specifically, the endocannabinoid system has two different kinds of receptors:
CB1, which are found in the central nervous system
CB2, which are found in the peripheral nervous system and immune cells
Since CB1 receptors are concentrated in the brain, CBD ingestible products can be particularly beneficial to the nervous system, gastrointestinal and endocrine systems. CB2 receptors are concentrated in the skin and smooth muscle, so CBD topicals may be beneficial for muscle soreness and post-workout inflammation.
Full Spectrum vs. Isolate
Hemp naturally contains over 100 cannabinoids and phytonutrients, including terpenes, ketones, fatty acids, vitamins, and various others. How many of these cannabinoids and phytonutrients are in CBD depends on the kind of hemp extract.
There are three kinds of CBD:
- CBD Isolate – CBD Isolate extracts cannabidiol from the hemp plant, essentially eliminating hemp’s other beneficial cannabinoids and phytonutrients and leaving only CBD in a highly purified form.
- Broad Spectrum – Broad spectrum hemp extract is full spectrum minus the THC.
- Full-Spectrum CBD - Full-spectrum hemp contains the cannabinoids and phytonutrients of the whole hemp plant, and these components work together to produce what experts term, “the entourage effect.” The entourage effect refers to the interaction between the different compounds in hemp that creates a significantly stronger effect on your body than any individual component could deliver on its own.Researchers believe that because full-spectrum hemp extract has higher bioavailability than CBD isolate, full-spectrum hemp extract is significantly more effective than isolate, even at lower concentrations.