Cannabinoids

Full Spectrum vs Broad Spectrum vs CBD Isolate

Which extract type is for what.

The cbdin.bg editorsCompiled from the sources cited

We write about hemp and cannabinoids the way we would want it explained: no promises of treatment, and a reference behind every claim.

12 Mar 2026Updated 20 Aug 20266 min read

The difference between the three is how much of the plant survives processing.

Type	What it contains	THC
Full spectrum	The plant's whole cannabinoid and terpene profile	Trace amounts below the legal threshold
Broad spectrum	Cannabinoids and terpenes with THC removed	None detectable
Isolate	Purified cannabidiol, around 99%	None

The entourage effect

The idea that cannabinoids and terpenes interact, and that the whole plant behaves differently from an isolated compound, is known as the entourage effect. It was put forward in 1998 by Ben-Shabat and Mechoulam and has been studied since.

Where it stands today matters: the hypothesis has preclinical support but is not established as a proven effect in humans, and it is not a basis for a health claim. So we describe it as a hypothesis, not as a product advantage.

When each makes sense

Picture one and the same 20% / 2000 mg bottle, made three different ways:

In a 0.5 ml serving	Full spectrum	Broad spectrum	Isolate
CBD	100 mg	100 mg	100 mg
Other cannabinoids	CBG, CBC, CBN — traces	CBG, CBC, CBN — traces	None
THC	Below the legal threshold, not zero	None detectable	None
Terpenes	Retained	Partly retained	None
Before a drug test	Not the first choice	Suitable	Suitable

Look at the first row: it is the same number in all three columns. None of the three is inherently "stronger" — strength comes from the milligrams in a serving, and how to work that out is in How to Choose Your First CBD Oil.

Continue reading

CannabinoidsCBD vs THC: the Difference and the Drug Test

Sources & references

Every factual statement above rests on the documents listed. Check them yourself.

Ben-Shabat S. et al. An entourage effect. Eur J Pharmacol, 1998https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9721036/
Russo E.B. Taming THC: potential cannabis synergy. Br J Pharmacol, 2011https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21749363/
Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 on health claimshttps://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A32006R1924