Try one CBD oil brand and you think you’ve tried them all, right? Not quite. Many believe that all CBD products are the same, but this definitely isn’t the case. Understanding how CBD products can be different can help you along your journey of finding which product works for you.
Differences in the Source Plant
Full spectrum CBD oils contain a wide variety of cannabinoids, terpenes and flavonoids. The specific compounds and their ratios can impact the benefits that the product provides. Just like with marijuana, hemp comes in different strains. They are, after all, both cannabis plants.
Unlike marijuana, hemp products aren’t usually labeled with their strain name. And even if they were, there’s no guarantee the strain grown in one state, such as ACDC, is the same as the ACDC grown in another state.
While all of the hemp strains used for CBD products are high in CBD, they don’t necessarily have the same ratios of other cannabinoids and terpenes. Some hemp strains may be higher in more uplifting terpenes like limonene, while others may have more myrcene which is known to be more sedating.
This is why you can purchase from one brand and have different results than from another brand. It’s because they very likely use a different source plant or strain.
Different Extraction Methods
Even among brands that use the same or similar strains, extraction method can make a big difference. While there is no absolute best extraction method, some individuals respond better to one over another.
For example, Charlotte’s Web, uses CO2 extraction for the majority of their products. The exception is their Original Formula product that instead uses alcohol extraction. Even though the actual plant being used is identical among the products, the end result is slightly different because of the different extraction method. Because of this, many find that they get different effects with the Original Formula versus the other Charlotte’s Web tinctures.
What Does This All Mean?
If one CBD product doesn’t work for you, it’s possible that another one will. It sometimes takes trying a few different brands before finding the right one for you.
To give yourself the highest chance of success, we highly recommend looking at the third party lab reports of products and picking one that contains a cannabinoid and terpene profile that best suits your needs.
