Are all CBD’s created equal?

God no.

Not even close.

Not only is there a number of fundamentally different CBD varieties in the basic naturally occurring CBD family, within each of those you can have different methods of extraction, derivation and distillation in the way the final product is derived.

In addition to that, the final product can be infused or blended into a variety of different base or carrier oils.

In addition to that, it can be made for internal use and it’s highest bio-availability, or external use and it’s highest bio-availability, or it can be used as a secondary tertiary ingredient that might make a unique or cute item, but with little to no therapeutic value.

Don’t freak out, it’s not that hard to get a handle on when you get a chance to just observe the data for a little bit, learn the right words for the variables, and carrier oils, and then you’ll be all set.

Types of naturally occurring CBD’s are:

In the interest of keeping it simple and focused it’s… CBD-a, CBD, CBG and CBN, that’s it. Just those four. Well, for simplicity’s sake, just those four as the most common versions. There’s other lesser or subcategory varieties that are minor players, but these are the main primary ones to be aware of.

CBD-a, is naturally occurring, in all forms of industrial hemp, and psychoactive cannabis. It is raw, unadulterated and has had preliminary results reflecting it could possibly assist with predominantly issues of inflammation. CBDA, similar but different from THCA, is the main constituent in hemp and cannabis with elevated CBD levels.  CBDA selectively inhibits the COX-2 enzyme, contributing to industrial hemp, and/or, anti-inflammatory effects COX-2 inhibitors are well known in different types of pain relief supplements such as turmeric, ginger, or white willow bark, as well as pharmaceutical drugs that are classified as NSAIDS (COX-2) inhibitors are a type of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) that specifically blocks COX-2 enzymes. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents (usually abbreviated to NSAIDs) are a group of medicines that relieve pain and fever and reduce inflammation.

CBD, ah the clinical heavy hitter and media darling that we all love and hold dear. CBD is easily the one that everyone is the most familiar with, and has the most research internationally on it’s benefits. It is found in industrial hemp as well as medical cannabis naturally, on it’s own, unadulterated as it is found in nature. Based on it’s preliminary research internationally, CBD has shown tremendous medical and holistic potential. CBD acts as an antagonist at both the CB1 and CB2 receptors, yet it has a low binding affinity for both. This suggests that CBD’s mechanism of action is mediated by other receptors in the brain and body. Most often this is associated with it’s reported uses for pain management, calm focus, sleep management, anxiety management, headache management and prevention, de-escalation of cortisol related issues, and certain aspects of recurring PMS and menstrual cramping. CBD can come from both medical cannabis, and industrial hemp, as well as certain other plants in small trace amounts such as clove, cacao, turmeric, certain types of pepper, ginger, and

CBN, In general, there is little to no CBN in a fresh hemp plant. CBN acts as a weak agonist at both the CB1 and CB2 receptors, with greater affinity for CB2 receptors than CB1. The degradation of THC into CBN is often described as creating a sedative effect, known as a “couch lock.” CBN is almost exclusively, but entirely found in medical cannabis varieties.

CBG, is also a non-psychoactive cannabinoid, CBG is primarily known to kill or slow bacterial growth, assist in helping to potentially reduce inflammation, (particularly in its acidic CBGA form,) and possibly promote bone growth. It acts as a low-affinity antagonist at the CB1 receptor. CBG pharmacological activity at the CB2 receptor is also currently unknown. In general, CBG is is regarded an an oxidized form of CBD, which has been furthered along the oxidation process, and is closer to being in a state of decay.

CBD and the process of oxidation

Speaking of decay, that is something that will help us to understand how the processes naturally proceed in their oxidation processes, and when I say oxidation, just think about an apple from going to being just barely ripe, to ripe and juicy, to slightly brown, to brown and rotten. That’s all it means, and is how it’s easiest to perceive it.

With regards to CBD oxidation or degradation some feel that represented in it’s most simplified form, that the process goes CBD-a > CBD> CBN> CBG.

Years back when CBD was new to the market, CBN and CBG were regarded as “junk chemicals” in the grand scheme of things, but to me that just meant they hadn’t yet figured out maybe some of the newer benefits to an emerging market. Much like the appendix, initially it was thought it was a left over from a version of humanity that had long since moved on past it’s use of that unique aspect of the anatomy, and then as time passed it proved itself to be the store house of much needed healthy bacteria, and was very important to the health balance of human beings in so many ways.

When we talk about receptors, specifically CB1 and CB2, we’re simply talking about designated areas in the brain that are specifically designed and exist exclusively to absorb and process the substance family we call CBD. AS an example only 1 in 4 cats have the receptors that can absorb and get a type of psychoactive effect that makes them so happy and silly when they are exposed to catnip. Some people attribute them to adaptive evolutionary or selective inclusion, others would state that it is the manner in which God or a Creator deity designed them, or a combination of both, one after the other. Either way you get the idea about how receptors fit into the picture for how substances and specifically chemicals found in nature or otherwise, can affect human beings. And cats!

So, with all that said, you can at least get a brief overview of how these all fit together for the sake of wellness.

Now within that framework and use of proper terminology for the most part, we have different methods of extraction, and infusion. Each variety, and methodology will have a little more or less to offer a particular customer hoping to get relief from a handful of different symptoms.

Hopefully that helps to at least get you started on your way to understanding the substance known as CBD, and it’s surrounding family of full spectrum components.

If you ever have any questions about any products or anything in general, please don’t hesitate to contact us, we’re here to help.

JVS