CBD stands for "cannabidiol." That’s the easy part. The hard part is explaining to a consumer what cannabidiol actually is, what it does, and how it is extracted from nature. It’s also quite a task to teach the difference and nuances between different parts of the hemp plant from which CBD is taken, especially since explaining that some parts of the plant can be psychoactive even though CBD itself doesn't produce psychoactive effects.

As such, KULCBD is on a mission to spread the truth about CBD and CBD products. We find that there is a lot of misinformation about CBD, CBD products, hemp oil, and the like floating around, and we want our consumers to be informed about what our products contain, what they don’t, what they can do, and the wide range of health benefits they have to offer.

First and foremost, it is important to understand that even though CBD seems like a very trend-worthy term, it’s actually been around for thousands of years. Ancient Chinese doctors encouraged the use of CBD for pain relief. There are even records that show that CBD was used by some ancients for topical skincare. There is much science behind CBD, and as with most all consumer products, research, and clinical trials are a continuous and ongoing process. We're constantly learning more and more about how CBD works to provide health benefits, its effectiveness across certain products, and the safety of its usage.

For the purposes of our discussion, let’s focus on unpacking CBD and learning everything we can about the basics. Consider this your crash course: CBD 101. We'll discuss where CBD comes from, how it's extracted, what makes it safe to use, how to use it, when to use it, and where to buy it. We will also briefly discuss the topic of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), and the role it plays in full spectrum CBD oil.

What is Cannabidiol (CBD)?


Cannabidiol (CBD) is a cannabinoid found in the cannabis sativa plant. The cannabis sativa plant has two sub-species.

One species is well known for producing marijuana, which contains the cannabinoid THC. THC produces psychoactive effects and gives users the euphoric “high” typically associated with recreational use, although the marijuana plant is making way as medical marijuana, serving as a novel prescription medication, especially in the field of oncology.

The other species of cannabis sativa, usually referred to as the “hemp plant,” produces a high quantity of CBD, and a small amount of THC.

Together, there are about 144 cannabinoids in the cannabis sativa plants.

Cannabinoids are chemical compounds naturally occurring in the leaves, stalks, and flowers of the cannabis plant. Cannabinoids produce an effect in the human body because our bodies actually contain an endocannabinoid system, meaning we actually produce our own cannabinoids that we naturally already use throughout almost all of our body systems like the central nervous system, involved in processes that manage pain, sleep, mood, and more. Cannabinoids can be extracted from the cannabis plant in the form of oils, which can then be added to a cornucopia of products including skin creams, beauty products, tinctures, edibles like gummies and other sweets, vapes, capsules, drinks, and more.

Cannabinoids also contain terpenes. Terpenes are organic chemical compounds found in the plant that constitute the “oil” in the cannabinoid. Cannabinoids are rich with terpene blends, vitamins, nutrients, fatty acids, and antioxidants, which are all beneficial to the body in different ways. As such, consumers wishing to use CBD oil typically want to use a CBD oil that includes all available terpenes, vitamins, minerals, fibers, etc. that the plant has to offer. That brings us to how CBD oil is extracted.

How is CBD Oil Extracted?


CBD oil can be extracted from the cannabis plant in three different ways.

Carbon Dioxide Extraction. In this method of extraction, supercritical carbon dioxide (carbon dioxide that has properties of a liquid and a gas) is pumped into a chamber under intense pressure and low temperature. A hemp plant is placed in a second chamber. During the extraction process, the pressurized carbon dioxide is pumped into the chamber containing the hemp, which separates the oil from the plant material. The oil and carbon dioxide are then pumped into a third chamber where the carbon dioxide gas evaporates, leaving behind pure CBD oil.

May help with feelings of anxiousness and sadness. More and more patients who suffer from sad and anxious feelings are opting for natural, holistic ways to help them relax and soothe their tensions. CBD for promoting calmness and soothing emotional distress has shown promise in lab studies. It should be noted that these results are typically experienced after using a CBD product consistently and regularly for at least one week. Although some users may experience immediate effects, it can take up to a week for the effects to be felt fully.

This method is expensive, but is safe, and considered the best way to extract CBD oil, as the resulting extracted oil is the purest available.

Steam Extraction. This method is likely the oldest method of extracting CBD. For steam extraction, a hemp plant is placed in a glass container with boiling water set beneath it in a separate container connected by a tube. As the water begins to boil, steam travels into the container holding the hemp plant, causing vapors that hold CBD to extract from the plant. These vapors are collected into another adjoining tube where they are condensed and distilled to separate the CBD oil from the water vapor.

This method makes it more difficult to extract an exact amount of CBD from the plant, so it can be hard to determine the actual amount of pure CBD which is taken from the plant.

Solvent extraction. This method is pretty much identical to steam extraction except that instead of using steam to extract the CBD oil from the plant, a solvent, such as petroleum, butane, or even propane, is used. This method is less desirable for extracting, as trace amounts of the solvent can sometimes be found in the extracted CBD oil.

Is CBD Oil Salfe for Use?


When a product contains CBD oil, it contains it in one of three ways: as a CBD isolate, a broad spectrum CBD oil, or a full spectrum CBD oil. At KULCBD, our products all contain high-quality, full spectrum CBD. We believe full spectrum CBD is most beneficial. Here’s why.

CBD isolate refers to CBD oil that has been extracted from the hemp plant by itself. In other words, no other cannabinoids, terpenes, nutrients, fibers, compounds, oils, vitamins, or minerals existing in the hemp plant have been extracted along with the CBD. You may think this sounds great; even “pure.” But what makes a great CBD oil work most effectively is the synergistic union of the CBD oil and other plant parts together. When these parts all work together congruently, the CBD oil is said to have the “entourage effect,” which means all the portions work together to deliver the maximum benefit the plant has to offer.

Broad Spectrum CBD refers to CBD oil that has been extracted along with all the other important parts of the plant except THC. THC, as we discussed previously, is the psychoactive cannabinoid responsible for feelings of being "high" in marijuana use. The variety of cannabis sativa from which CBD oil is generally derived contains extremely low amounts of THC, however with broad spectrum CBD oil, that small amount is removed completely.

Full spectrum CBD oil has been extracted from the plant along with all the other plant compounds, including a trace amount of THC, usually less than 0.3%. This amount of THC is not enough to produce any euphoric feelings or make a full spectrum CBD product user feel "high" or "altered." However, this small amount of THC is enough to produce the entourage effect in full spectrum CBD oil, making full spectrum CBD oil the most highly desirable CBD oil for any CBD product.

How to Use CBD


CBD is a product that is beneficial for supporting and improving the functions of many different parts of the human body. Many users simply like to take CBD daily as a supplement to their health and wellbeing. CBD taken in this manner can be taken in the form of a tincture, a capsule, a drink, or an edible.

We at KULCBD have found excellent success with incorporating CBD into skincare products. We offer an entire line of CBD skincare that promotes radiance and wellness in the skin and can improve skin health when it comes to moisture imbalance, breakouts, and signs of aging from deep inside the pores.

One of the greatest benefits of CBD oil for the skin is its moisture balancing capabilities. CBD oil is able to dissolve excess sebum produced by overly active sebaceous glands. This means that even if you have oily skin, you can still use CBD oil products and get great results because the oil in the CBD works with the oil on your skin. CBD skincare products can dissolve the excess oil and help regulate the oil production of your sebaceous glands, eliminating oily patches without drying out areas of skin that may become dry otherwise.

CBD is a great hydrator as well. When CBD is applied topically to areas of dry skin, it can hydrate the area and promotes healthy levels of the skin’s own moisture production. This is why CBD oil skincare products are some of the very best for consumers who experience combination skin.

Additionally, CBD oil can be beneficial for users who deal with outbreaks. Irritating bumps that are already formed may be relieved of redness and irritation from a CBD skincare product, and the natural moisture balancing capability of CBD oil helps prevent future breakouts from starting.

Cannabidiol is one of over one hundred cannabinoids found in the hemp plant. It is beneficial for use in many ways, including as an ingredient in skincare and wellness products. CBD can be extracted in three different ways and can be placed into products in three different strengths or spectrums. It is important to understand the different methods of extraction of CBD and the different strengths in which CBD is available so that you can make an informed decision about the product you wish to use.

Sources:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5345167/

https://www.nm.org/healthbeat/medical-advances/science-and-research/what-research-says-about-cbd-oil

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terpene

https://www.cbdoil.org/cbd-extraction-methods/#

https://www.cancer.org/treatment/treatments-and-side-effects/complementary-and-alternative-medicine/marijuana-and-cancer.html