Cannabidiol (CBD) Isolates

At MarijuanaDoctors.com, we talk about CBD oil, topicals and even edibles. But, do you know about CBD isolate? This type of CBD medicine adds a new option to our medical marijuana medicine cabinet. Let’s learn about this condensed form of CBD.

What Are Cannabidiol Isolates?

CBD isolates are the purest form of any CBD product. They come in the form of a crystalline, white powder that consists of 99 percent CBD. For reference, most marijuana-derived CBD products peak at a 20 percent concentration. Hemp CBD items have about 3.5 percent CBD at most. When you buy a CBD isolate, the name speaks for itself — you get an isolated form of CBD.

During the isolate production process, the producer separates CBD from the other cannabinoids, terpenes and plant matter in marijuana. Thanks to this separation, CBD isolate has no THC. Even hemp-derived CBD products can contain up to 0.3 percent THC, making CBD isolate an outlier among other types of CBD.

How Do Producers Make CBD Isolate?

The exact steps involved in making a CBD isolate vary by producer. However, the basic process for isolating CBD from the cannabis plant involves:

• Extracting CBD oil from a marijuana plant
• Purifying the oil to get rid of waxes and plant material
• Decarboxylating the oil, or using heat to activate the cannabinoids
• Converting the CBD into a crystalline powder
• Undergoing third-party lab testing

Producers use various methods to separate CBD from the marijuana plant, but many of them use CO2 extraction. During CO2 extraction, the producer passes heated CO2 through the marijuana. The CO2 separates the cannabis’ components from each other as it passes through. Once the process finishes, any CO2 left in the CBD evaporates. Some companies still use chemicals like butane to create extracts like isolate. If you prefer a product extracted with CO2, remember to research your product before buying.

What Ways Can Patients Use Isolates?

As a tasteless and odorless powder, CBD isolate lends itself to many applications. Try these methods of using CBD isolate:

• Under the Tongue: Placing CBD isolate under your tongue lets it enter your bloodstream through your mucous membrane. You can hold it in your mouth for about 60 to 90 seconds to get the best results. Since the CBD enters your bloodstream instead of traveling through other parts of the body, you get relief within minutes.
• Homemade CBD Oil: Mix isolate into a cooking oil like olive or grapeseed oil to make CBD oil. You can then take the oil as-is or use it in cooking. Remember that CBD begins to degrade when it reaches around 320 to 350°F. If your recipe involves heat higher than this temperature range, you can mix the oil into your food after cooking.
• Mixed Into a Beverage: CBD isolate mixes well into drinks like smoothies, coffee and almond milk. Add it to your favorite beverage to get your daily dose of CBD.
• CBD Syrup: You can also blend CBD isolate into honey or agave nectar using a double boiler. Heat the sweetener, then stir in the CBD until it dissolves.

CBD isolate also works like a marijuana concentrate. If you have experience using cannabis products, you can vape or dab CBD isolate. The vapor created by CBD isolate has a minty scent and flavor. Inhaling CBD allows it to provide faster effects by entering your bloodstream without going to other parts of your body.

Benefits of CBD Isolates

Patients who prefer CBD isolates use them to take advantages of benefits such as:

• Lack of THC: Some patients have a high sensitivity to THC that makes even hemp products challenging to use. Others need to undergo frequent drug tests that pick up small amounts of THC. Both these groups benefit from CBD isolate’s zero percent THC content.
• Multi-Symptom Relief: CBD isolate brings the best of what CBD has to offer, including relief from pain, inflammation, mood disorders and seizures. Thanks to its high level of concentration, you have precise control over your dosage amounts.
• Versatility: The numerous methods of use for CBD isolate allow you to tailor your treatment with one product. You can also take CBD isolate as part of a comprehensive treatment plan including other types of cannabis medicine.

As you can see, patients have plenty to love about this natural medicine.

Potential Drawbacks

CBD isolate has one weakness to consider. While isolating CBD gives patients numerous treatment opportunities, a CBD isolate doesn’t have the effectiveness of full-spectrum CBD. Full-spectrum CBD products contain terpenes from the cannabis plant and trace amounts of other cannabinoids. These compounds work together with CBD to provide enhanced benefits in a phenomenon known as the entourage effect. When you take CBD isolate by itself, you need to take more of it to get the same effects as a full-spectrum medication.

However, you can work around this drawback by taking CBD isolate as part of a comprehensive treatment plan, using it to supplement other medications that include more compounds. Since CBD isolate is so versatile, you have many choices of supplemental medicine to consider.

How to Get the Most Out of CBD Isolate

You can get the best results from CBD isolate by using it alongside other types of cannabis medicine. Even small amounts of THC and terpenes will help the CBD improve your body’s natural healing processes. The way these compounds interact with your system depends on your body chemistry and other medications. A cannabis-trained doctor can help you understand how you can get the best CBD treatment. Browse our listings of marijuana-friendly physicians to find one near you.

Learn More About CBD From MarijuanaDoctors.com

At MarijuanaDoctors.com, we aim to provide the Internet’s top source of medical marijuana information. As part of our efforts to meet that goal, we offer plenty of resources that teach patients like you about CBD. We welcome you to learn more about this compound by visiting our guide to CBD. Once you have a grasp on the subject, you can expand your knowledge by reading our blog posts about CBD.