The cultivation of CBD hemp skyrocketed in the US after the legalization of hemp-derived CBD that opened a big market for the wide range of CBD products, which belonged to a legally grey area before the government took the significant step of hemp CBD legalization in 2018. However, the law has set some specific guidelines regarding the THC content of CBD products. Any CBD product that has greater than 0.3% THC will be deemed illegal in the US.
Factors That Determine The Effectiveness And Quality Of CBD Products
Let us take a look at the factors that influence the effectiveness of CBD products.
CBD Content
CBD is one of the hundreds of cannabinoids in hemp. It is not always the exclusive content of CBD products. Full-spectrum CBD products have several cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids extracted from hemp in addition to its core content, CBD. Less than 0.3% THC is also present among the cannabinoids in full-spectrum CBD products. Broad-spectrum CBD has all full spectrum compounds except THC. CBD isolate has cannabidiol as its only cannabinoid.
The amount of CBD in a cannabidiol product is referred to as its potency or strength. The higher the CBD content, the better the benefits you can expect from the cannabidiol product.
Extraction Method
The cannabinoids in hemp can be extracted by employing the following extraction methods:
- CO2 extraction: Known for the high purity levels it guarantees, experts generally recommend CO2 extraction for manufacturing CBD products. It uses carbon dioxide to pull out essential components from hemp plants.
- Ethanol extraction: Grain alcohol/ethanol is used as the solvent in this extraction method. It is less expensive when compared to CO2
In addition to the extraction methods discussed above, several extraction methods like using solvents like butane, propane, and hexane are also used in the CBD industry. Being toxic in nature, these hydrocarbons left out in the final product even in traces can affect the health of the user adversely. Hence the risk associated with these extraction methods is high.
The efficiency and purity levels of the extraction method influence the effectiveness of the final CBD product.
Intake Options Offered
A CBD product may have more than one intake options, each with varying bioavailability. The term bioavailability refers to the amount of CBD that reaches the bloodstream of the user. If a CBD product offers highly bioavailable intake methods, it can be regarded as an effective product.
The quality of your CBD experience depends on the quality of the cannabidiol product that you use.