CBD products generally fall into three categories. Understanding what each product contains can help you choose the best formula for your requirements.  

1. CBD Full spectrum contains the full array of essential oils, terpenes, fatty acids, flavonoids and over 100 cannabinoids that the plant has to offer including traces of THC. These products harness the ‘entourage effect’ by preserving all of the compounds naturally produced by the plant which will provide the widest array of health benefits.

2. CBD Broad Spectrum includes the broad selection of compounds found in full-spectrum CBD except from THC. This product is best for people who want to avoid THC completely but still gain some benefits from the other remaining compounds in combination with CBD. 

3. CBD Isolate is made by extracting and then removing all the cannabinoids apart from CBD which is isolated. These products do not harness the entourage effect but may still have some more limited benefits.

Drug tests are screening for THC which is the only psychoactive compound in cannabis. 

Most drug tests would only be triggered if you are consuming a product with over 5% THC content. In the UK, broad-spectrum and CBD isolates contain traces below the limit of detection.

That being said the sensitivity of drug tests may vary and there is a small possibility it could pick up the trace amounts of THC in your system. 

Choosing a regulated, lab tested CBD product will help ensure that the quantities of each ingredient are true to the labeling so you can minimise any risk of a positive test result.

A full spectrum CBD product contains hundreds of cannabinoids, flavonoids, terpenes and fatty acids. We are still learning a lot about the medicinal properties of each compound as well as their overall therapeutic capabilities when taken together as an ‘entourage’. 

Here is a brief overview of some of the key compounds and their possible therapeutic value:

CBD (cannabidiol)

Multiple studies have investigated the use of CBD to help with anxiety, PTSD and sleep. A 2019 double-blind study (gold-standard) conducted by the New York based Addiction Institute of Mount Sinai found that CBD reduced cue-based anxiety and cravings amongst 42 recovering heroin addicts. The University of Colorado performed a chart review with 72 psychiatric patients which found that anxiety improved but not sleep. 

More investigation is needed to understand CBD’s effectiveness as a pain management treatment. A review of 11 randomized controlled trials including 1219 patients showed CBD could help with chronic neuropathy pain in humans. Further research is needed but there is a body of evidence suggesting CBD could help with chronic pain, muscle spasms caused by MS and arthritic pain.

Epidiolex is a CBD rich licensed drug approved by NICE and prescribed by the NHS in some cases to treat seizures caused by some rare types of epilepsy such as Dravet and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome. 

THC (tetrahydrocannabinol)

Some of the strongest evidence for the use of THC as a medicine is to reduce nausea (especially when caused by chemotherapy), stimulate appetite, halt seizures in certain types of epilepsy and as a treatment for neuropathic pain and spasticity. 

Sativex is a licensed THC and CBD medicine widely prescribed for multiple sclerosis and nausea caused by chemotherapy justified by successful studies as a treatment. 

The trace amounts of THC in a full spectrum CBD product are believed to enhance CBD’s own medicinal properties as part of the entourage effect. 

Further research is being conducted to justify its use to treat conditions as varied as glaucoma to tourette’s syndrome. 

THCA (tetrahydrocannabinolic acid)

Initial research and anecdotal evidence suggest that THCA can also help with nausea and appetite loss, inflammation linked to lupus or arthritis and the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. 

Avenues of research have investigated the possible treatment of muscle spasms, pain and insomnia with THCA as well. 

CBN (cannabinol)

There have been very few human CBN trials to date but animal trials suggest that this cannabinoid can help with appetite stimulation, work as a powerful neuroprotectant and may reduce intraocular pressure which is the biggest risk factor for glaucoma.  

CBN and CBG have also been successfully tested on multiple antibiotic-resistant bacteria and could be a viable and sustainable anti-bacterial alternative. 

Fatty acids 

Studies suggest the fatty acids and vitamins found in abundance in cannabis oil could be good for protecting skin from aging, oxidation and inflammation and help with skin issues including psoriasis, eczema, acne and dermatitis. 

Promising initial research linked a reduction of inflammation in the brain and improved heart health to the fatty acids found in cannabis but more research is needed. 

Terpenes 

Myrcene, beta-caryophyllene, limonene, alpha-humulene and pinene are the main terpenes found in CBD oil. Their therapeutic properties mirror many of those produced by the key cannabinoids. 

Traditional Mexican medicine has used myrcene rich tea as a muscle relaxant and sedative for hundreds of years.

Data suggests beta-caryophyllene can help with inflammation especially in the colon and brain as well as more general pain management. 

Little is understood about how limonene works in the body and brain. Most studies use much higher doses than the quantities present in CBD oil. There are some indications that it could have antifungal and antibacterial properties. 

Alpha-humulene also exhibits antibacterial properties and could help terminate cancer cells when combined with other terpenes. 

Pinene’s medicinal properties are still in the early stages of discovery. Research suggests it could help with treating anxiety, inflammation, pain and short term memory impairment. The practice of walking through pinene rich forests, also called ‘forest bathing’, has been proven to boost human immune function.