In light of our Full-Spectrum CBD launch, we’ve come up with a handy education guide for those of you who have questions about this exciting new product. Especially as it has a little bit of THC (and more!) We hope this may answer any questions you have. If not, let us know, and we will do our best to follow up with more answers.
What does FULL SPECTRUM mean?
CBD is just one of many cannabinoids found in cannabis. CBD, and its other popular friend, THC, are just 2 of the over 100 cannabinoids potentially found within each plant, or strain. Just like the light-spectrum contains all the beautiful colours of the rainbow, there is a wonderful family of cannabinoids with their own individual mix of benefits and therapeutic effects.
When CBD is referred to as FULL-SPECTRUM it means it contains ALL the other cannabinoids that were extracted with it includign trace amounts of THC. (Note that when any of the cannabinoids in an extract, such as THC, are removed, the result is no longer full-spectrum and is, instead, BROAD-SPECTRUM. Obviously, if you remove a portion of something, it's no longer full)
Because hemp extracts are CBD-potent and contain a very small amount of THC, it is the choice for our full-spectrum CBD products as we can extract a therapeutic oil that’s well rounded enough to provide superior benefits via multiple cannabinoids, without intoxication.
When THC and CBD are combined, there is a synergy that makes their combined therapeutic benefits greater than if consumed on their own. This cannabinoid-synergy is more commonly known as the ENTOURAGE EFFECT
What is the ENTOURAGE effect?
There is evidence that the effects of an individual cannabinoid can be increased when another cannabinoid is introduced to the equation. This is also known as synergy. One of the first, or clearest examples of this is in how CBD and THC interact with each other to provide pain relief.
In a large, double blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study of people with cancer-related-pain, those administered both CBD and THC vs those given a placebo, and those given only THC, were found to have significantly reduced pain (and nausea).
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19896326/
While some will say that terpenes (which are responsible for much of the smell, flavour, and other effects / benefits of cannabis that differentiate between strains) contribute to this synergy or effect, there is zero evidence of this, despite many efforts prove this conclusion. This is not to say that terpenes do not have their own benefits – they absolutely do! We like to think of terpenes as being the essence within essential oils! Unfortunately, though, there is a lot of misunderstanding about the this within the CBD community. To be clear: the therapeutic benefits of CBD on its own, or terpenes on their own, do not add up to a greater sum when combined. Where CBD and THC can loosely be considered a 1+1=3 situation. CBD and terpenes together are a 1+1=2 scenario.
https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/can.2019.0016
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/17512433.2020.1721281?journalCode=ierj20
THC, especially, is thought to be the catalyst for this entourage effect, and it is believed that the effect is not limited to just combination with CBD, but many, if not all, of the other cannabinoids. This may mean that even a trace of one cannabinoid may have more of a profound benefit than one may assume, when combined with others.
CBD + THC – The benefits of SYNERGY
There are some fascinating results when one considers how THC and CBD interact, especially in ratios where the CBD content is significantly higher than the THC.
THC, most famous for being an intoxicant – the thing that gets you high, provides the intoxicating effects by attaching itself to the abundancy of CB1 receptors in your brain (for information on CB1 receptors and the endocannabinoid system, read our brief guide), especially in the areas that control things like pain, emotions, hunger/thirst, pleasure, and behavior. While the psychoactive effects of THC on these areas can lead TO intoxication, THC has several other significant benefits, especially pain relief. It’s also very therapeutic for severe-insomnia, IBD and cancer related pain and is even a tumor growth inhibitor.
But many, so many, of us don’t want to get high; we just want to feel better.
CBD, famous as a hemp-derived anti-inflammatory, has a remarkable effect on THC’s ability to intoxicate and may even prevent it! Especially when the CBD’s proportionate content is significantly higher than the THC. When present, CBD changes the shape of the CB1 receptor. THC is unable to attach itself rendering it unable to provide the intoxicating effect while allowing the other benefits to reach their potential.
PAIN RELIEF
THC works by tricking the nervous system or nerves into thinking the body, or a specific area, is not in pain (the scientific term: it inhibits neurotransmission release) whereas CBD is an anti-inflammatory. Together, they’re the pain-fighting duo you’ve been looking for, without intoxication.
BIPHASIC DOSING (GETTING THE BEST OUT OF YOUR CBD)
When taken on its own, CBD is biphasic, meaning that, at low doses and high doses it can provide different benefits/results. Alcohol is like this: when you have a couple, it can BE stimulating and exhilarating; more than a few and one becomes slurry and sleepy. When considering its pain-relieving qualities, this means that, on its own, taking more and more CBD does not mean more pain relief. As the doses increase, the benefits for pain simply can max-out. When adding a little (or a lot) of THC however, the biphasic limitations are reduced, and you can increase the dosage for ideal pain management.
Here is a visual example of the effect
The benefits of this is less can equal more, especially as far as pain management.
INSOMNIA
On its own, CBD is a wonder sleep aid. As we’ve noted in our Guide to CBD for Sleep it works, not as a sedative, but by calming down one's restless thoughts and allowing the body’s natural sleep cycle to take over. For those who suffer from more serious chronic insomnia, full spectrum may be the answer they’re looking for by further calming one down and getting them to rest. As we noted, the CBD will prevent intoxication, especially in concentrations more potent in CBD than THC.
AND MORE!
Our Full Spectrum comes in a distillate oil concentrate. In this form, third party lab tests have verified our samples to be:
|
Sample A4 |
Sample A3 |
Sample A2 |
|
THC: 0.43% |
THC: 0.42% |
THC: 1.85% |
|
CBD: 80.39% |
CBD: 80.61% |
CBD: 78.52% |
|
Other: 0.10% |
Other: 0.41% |
Other: 1.64% |
(note the remainder of the missing 19% or so is mostly fatty lipids that make up the rest of the distillate oil)
How does this translate into actual amount of THC / CBD consumed?
If we look at Sample A2, a 1000mg / 30 ml bottle of tincture, will contain the following quantities:
|
|
Sample A2 |
30 ml Bottle |
1 ml dropper |
|
THC |
1.85% |
22.8mg |
0.76mg |
|
CBD |
78.52% |
957mg |
31.9mg |
|
Other |
1.64% |
20.2mg |
0.67mg |
As you can see, there is less than 1mg of THC and over 30mg of CBD.
We’re confident that this ratio is high enough to provide therapeutic benefits without intoxication.
We want to take this opportunity to clarify something: CBD is psychoactive – it influences your brain chemistry by helping to produce serotonin. To say this is not psychoactive is clearly wrong. What it won’t do is provide an intoxicating effect, rendering you unable to perform some of your regular day to day activities with your regular ability.
We are so excited to be finally making these products available to you. We’ve been testing them amongst our friends and family for a few months to rave reviews and feedback. We can’t wait for you to let us know how these help you Enjoy the Sunnyside of Life.