With the CBD market still young and up for grabs, there are so many brands and products coming out by the day. This can be confusing, especially if you are only dipping your toes into the CBD world.
If you have come across the terms “hemp-derived CBD” and “marijuana-derived CBD,” you may wonder if there’s any difference between them and what it means to choose one over the other. A simple resounding answer to that is, “Yes, there is a difference between CBD products derived from hemp and those derived from marijuana,” at least from a concentration standpoint.
However, always remember that CBD is the same compound, regardless of the source or extraction technique. The difference lies in the presence and concentration of other cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids.
No matter what source of extraction you pick, the effects will be obvious after you experimented with the dosage and the different ways of intake. Mix it into your food, take it directly or shake it up into different healthy smoothies. It will soothe muscle cramps and nervous strains, which will be especially relevant after an intense workout or for the relaxation phase after some quality time with your significant other or one of the ultra-fit companions over here.
What is hemp-derived CBD?
As the name suggests, hemp-derived CBD is cannabidiol obtained from hemp. Hemp is a type of cannabis sativa that is bred and cultivated to contain as much CBD as possible. Of course, it is impossible to eliminate all THC and other chemical compounds, but their concentration can be reduced even further with a proper extraction technique.
Note that products are legally recognized as CBD only if they are obtained from hemp. All hemp-derived CBD products at Botanicam contain no more than the federal THC limit of 0.3 percent.
Most CBD oil is obtained from hemp, and manufacturers give little regard to the presence and concentration of the other compounds as long as THC is within the limit. The medicinal value of hemp-based CBD products can be said to be lower than that of marijuana-derived products.
What is marijuana-derived CBD?
Marijuana is any cannabis plant whose THC content is more than 0.3 percent. Marijuana-derived CBD is any CBD product that is extracted from cannabis plants that answer to this description.
One significant upside of marijuana-derived CBD is that it contains several of the other compounds that occur naturally in the cannabis plant. CBD is thought to work synergistically with the other cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids to produce the entourage effect.
The entourage effect is the therapeutic effect you experience when various cannabis compounds act on you simultaneously. The thinking behind it is that cannabinoids and terpenes all stimulate receptors in the human endocannabinoid system (ECS). The ECS regulates several bodily functions, including mood, emotions, rest, and sleep. Cannabis compounds increase each other’s effect on this system, and the user experiences more therapeutic effects as a result.
On the flipside, marijuana-derived CBD can get you high if there is too much THC in the product you take. This THC can also accumulate in the body and show up in a drug test.
Concentration of contaminants
The risk of contaminants isn’t always talked about by many CBD enthusiasts. Both hemp and cannabis plants are bio-accumulators, meaning they absorb significant amounts of heavy metals and other contaminants from the soil. For this reason, you should always consider the source of a CBD product before buying it.
Hemp plants contain about 5 percent of CBD, while cannabis plants can have as much as 20 percent. Thus, for the same amount of CBD, you would need more hemp plant material than regular cannabis material. Consequently, you will be ingesting more contaminants consuming hemp-derived CBD compared to marijuana-derived CBD.
That said, before you base your CBD choice on this factor, it is worth noting that it is very rare for the cannabis plant to accumulate contaminants to toxic levels. There is nothing wrong with being picky with what you consume, but there are more important factors to prioritize if you want to get the full health benefits of CBD. Furthermore, most commercial cannabis farmers in Europe and the US practice green farming, meaning the soils are filtered and ridded of harmful contaminants.
Hemp-derived CBD vs. marijuana-derived CBD: which one is better?
There is not much CBD-related information on the internet to help us get a definite answer to this question. What you deem appropriate should be a matter of individual conscience.
Hemp can be an excellent source of CBD if grown in refined nutrient-rich soils. That, however, doesn’t mean hemp plants are the undisputed champions in CBD production.
Marijuana may produce far more effective cannabidiol due to the high amount of cannabinoids and terpenes it has. Then again, information on the upsides and downsides of the other cannabis compounds is limited, so we really can’t tell whether it is just the entourage effect they bring with them.
However, going by the information we have, full-spectrum CBD is more beneficial than CBD isolate or broad-spectrum CBD.
Can you obtain full-spectrum CBD from hemp?
As stated above, full-spectrum CBD contains all compounds that occur naturally in the cannabis plant. But hemp is cultivated with only CBD in mind. So, can you extract full-spectrum CBD oil from hemp?
Well, you can; that’s the straightforward answer. But the extract won’t be of the same quality as what you would get from marijuana with unaltered chemical makeup.
Hemp – to fall under the legal definition of hemp – must contain at most 0.3 percent of THC. THC has a unique role to play in the entourage effect. So if its presence is reduced, users may not enjoy the full benefits of the said effect.
What’s more, the suppression of THC during cultivation and the extraction and purification processes isn’t delimited to target only the compound. The presence of other cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids is altered as well, and that reflects on the synergistic functioning of the cannabis compounds.
Conclusion
Hemp-derived CBD and marijuana-derived CBD are two different things. Both have health benefits, but depending on the effect you are looking for, one can be better than the other.
For instance, if you want to manage your anxiety but do not want to get high, hemp-derived CBD would be more suitable. If you don’t mind taking the bad with the good, then full-spectrum marijuana-derived CBD would be a better choice.
If you want to experience the full entourage effect, but with the impact of THC excluded, broad-spectrum CBD is created with that in mind. Always get your CBD products from a reliable supplier – someone who gets their supplies from legit farmers and has a full understanding of the compound.
