Let’s learn about CBD
Every year, more and more industries seem to embrace this plant-based treatment. CBD has become a fascination of the medical, wellness, beauty, and food worlds alike. However, there are some pretty significant gaps in our knowledge about how it works.
Cannabidiol (CBD) is among the most well-known naturally occurring compounds found in the hemp plant. A popular subject of scientific research, CBD isolate is being thoroughly investigated and researched for numerous potential medical treatments and has appeared as a core ingredient in a wide range of products since its legalisation.
We are regularly asked “where does cbd come from?“. It is extracted from the leaves and flowers of the hemp plant and generally ingested underneath the tongue in its well-favoured oil form. It can also be mixed into drinks or meals or applied to the skin in the form of creams and ointments.
Prescription forms of cannabidiol are used to treat patients’ symptoms for various disorders. However, the results of the current research are unclear. CBD cannot yet be confidently recommended as a treatment.
One of the most notable facts about cannabidiol is that it may not contain the psychoactive element found in delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). This is the compound known for the ‘high’ it produces when ingested.
What are CBD isolates?
These products take many forms. Each one is primarily categorised by which parts of the hemp plant (specifically which compounds) go into it. The three different types of CBD to date are:
- Full-spectrum
- Broad-spectrum
- Isolate CBD products
Isolates refer to a form of cannabidiol products that contain none of the other compounds found in hemp. In other words, they are a pure CBD extract. Specifically, isolates are entirely free of the THC compound.
On the other hand, both full-spectrum and broad-spectrum products are liable to contain THC. Full-spectrum CBD contains the full range of compounds found in the hemp plant, including THC. Broad-spectrum, meanwhile, contains more of the compounds found in hemp than isolates, but no THC or only trace amounts.
Isolates rely on a highly specialised, scientific extraction process that results in a crystalline form. To accomplish this, isolates undergo significantly more processing than their THC-bearing counterparts.
The methods for extracting pure CBD are as follows:
- Carbon dioxide: a highly scientific process requiring special equipment.
- Steam: considered easy to do, but less efficient overall.
- Solvent: among the most efficient and cheap methods.
- Lipid extraction: considered able to extract more of the original plant material.
Isolates are free of the strong, earthy aroma and taste generally associated with CBD and CBG products.
What is CBD isolate good for?
Ample scientific research is being carried out the world over as governments and businesses attempt to understand if any positive benefits may arise from CBD usage. All claims of health benefits should therefore be taken with a pinch of salt until the results catch up with the market’s excitement.
There is research to indicate that CBD may have effects on the serotonin receptor. This may be a starting point for further investigation into the possibility of CBD as a legitimate treatment for certain conditions.
It’s also important to note that, while the research is of course nowhere near maturity by the standards of the medical field, other studies seem to suggest that isolates may have a lesser effect than CBD products containing compounds other than THC.
In other words, they may not be quite as effective as full or broad-spectrum products. The potential benefits of either one are still to be conclusively proven.
As it stands, isolates are generally chosen by those looking to avoid ingesting the psychoactive THC compound but are used in higher doses than CBD products containing THC.
Where to buy CBD isolate
All existing CBD products are currently classified as Schedule 4 drugs in Australia. This means that the only way to legally obtain isolates at this point is to get a prescription from a qualified medical professional or a specialised clinic.
The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), Australia’s governmental body for regulating therapeutic goods, has announced a down-scaling to Schedule 3 for certain low-dose isolates. The caveat here is that no existing products currently fit the bill. However, when the time comes, this means that such isolates will be available for legal over-the-counter sale.
The TGA’s ruling dictates that compliant CBD isolates must:
- Be registered by the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods (ARTG)
- Contain 1% or less THC
- Be administered at no more than 150 mg daily
- Consist purely of 98% CBD.
The lengthy registration process is likely to represent the biggest hurdle in manufacturers getting over-the-counter isolates to market.
Closing thoughts on CBD isolates
Isolates are just one category of available products based on cannabidiol. Its defining factor is that isolates are pure CBD extracts and require more processing than full-spectrum or broad-spectrum options. What this means is that isolates contain none of the compounds found in the hemp plant other than CBD.
All three categories are currently classified as legal to purchase in Australia, however, they are listed as Schedule 4 drugs and so can only be obtained through a doctor’s prescription. This is likely soon to change as a result of the TGA re-categorising certain isolates to Schedule 3, opening them up to be sold over-the-counter when products arise to meet the requirements.
Scientists are hoping to conclusively prove that CBD products may yield potential health benefits to the consumer. Current research remains in its fledgling stages and should not be relied on or taken as fact at this point.
Early indications hint towards the possibility that CBD isolates may one day be recognised as effective aids for dulling the symptoms of some chronic conditions, but only time and additional research will reveal the facts.