Natural CBD oil Versus Synthetic Alternatives

Natural CBD oil Versus Synthetic Alternatives

People fail to tell the difference between natural CBD oil Versus synthetic. This article discusses the differences between both, including; what ids CBD oil, the difference between both, and a comparison.

The popularity of CBD oil is growing every day, and it looks like nothing can stop it. Evidence surrounding CBD has proved that CBD can help with almost everything. From alleviating stress, and pain relief to even helping treat skin conditions. People with arthritis, cancer, and fibromyalgia are taking CBD oil to help them. CBD oil can be used for both health and recreational use. However, more research is required to prove CBD oil’s benefits, such as treating the said conditions. Due to its growing demand, many brands are manufacturing their type of CBD oil, and it seems that the supply is insufficient since its consumption is increasing. There are synthetic alternatives to CBD oil in the market because of the growing demand, and many brands have hopped into producing the oil. In this article, people can examine how natural CBD oil is compared to synthetic CBD oil, showing its differences and similarities.

What is CBD?

CBD is one of the many compounds present in the cannabis plant. However, the CBD infused in our products is extracted from the hemp plant and not the marijuana plant. The reason is that the hemp plant contains less than 0.3 percent THC. According to Del Ciampo et al. (2020), THC is a compound in the cannabis plant responsible for the high effect. Unlike THC, CBD gives its user a calming experience hence one of the reasons people love using its products.

CBD Oil

Consider the basics of CBD oil and explain what it is. Mostafaei Dehnavi et al. (2022) stated that CBD is a naturally existing chemical in the cannabis plant. According to Atalay et al.(2020), CBD is growing because of its properties, such as anti-inflammatory and antioxidative properties, which provide some of its benefits. McAllister et al. (2015) noted that  CBD contains non-psychoactive effects, meaning it cannot give someone a high effect. THC is also a cannabinoid present in the cannabis plant. The THC compound is the one responsible for providing the high effect that one gets to experience after smoking marijuana. CBD oil contains no THC since it is extracted from the hemp plant, which has low traces of THC.

CBD oil is available in three forms. They are CBD isolate, broad-spectrum CBD, and full-spectrum CBD.CBD isolate only has the CBD compound and no other chemicals in the cannabis plant. Broad-spectrum CBD has most chemicals, including terpenes, except for THC. Full-spectrum CBD has all the compounds of cannabis pant including THC compound. However, it is safe for use and cannot be intoxicating since the THC levels are less than 0.3 percent.

What is Natural CBD oil vs. Synthetic CBD oil?

Natural CBD oil is CBD oil that is processed from the cannabis plant. CBD oil is naturally extracted from the hemp plant using chemicals such as butane and CO2. However, the most preferred way of extracting CBD oil is using Co2. It is because it retains most of the cannabinoids in CBD oil, adding to its benefits.

The demand for CBD oil is growing every day, and natural CBD oil may not be enough to meet people’s demands. Some countries still do not allow the use of cannabis plant products, hence banning CBD products. Most manufacturers cannot meet CBD production standards since the hemp plant is its main raw material and is unavailable. They have decided to process synthetic CBD oil, which is processed in the labs. Synthetic CBD oil is not extracted from the cannabis plant. However, it uses bacteria and other chemicals which are alike to that of the cannabis plant.

The Difference between Synthetic CBD Oil and Natural CBD Oil

CBD oil is not accepted y every person yet since people are afraid of the negative effects that synthesized products have not, like CBD itself, whereby it is al-natural. Some people cannot differentiate between natural CBD Oil and Synthetic CBD oil hence the reason they are afraid of the product. However, THC is not synthesized, although people do not like it since it causes psychosis. Most people fear consuming CBD oil because most manufacturers have taken advantage of synthetic CBD Oil, producing low-quality CBD oil.

The answer is yes if you wonder whether natural CBD oil and synthetic CBD oil are the same. They have the same chemical structure. According to Cristino et al. (2020), natural CBD and CBD oil bind with receptors such as CB1 and CB2, which are found in the endocannabinoid system.

The study above also stated that the health benefits of CBD are due to the properties it possesses, which are made possible by its structure. Hazekam (2018) noted that synthetic CBD oil has the same benefits as natural CBD oil.

Comparison between Natural CBD Oil and Synthetic CBD Oil

Natural CBD oil and synthetic CBD oil have the same structure, although some differences exist. These differences include:

  • According to Nelson et al. (2020), natural CBD contains other cannabinoids such as THC, apart from CBD, while synthetic CBD oil only contains the CBD compound and not any other cannabinoid.
  • Synthetic CBD oil does not have terpenes or flavonoids; hence, it does not possess any flavor, while natural CBD oil contains terpenes and flavonoids and an earthy flavor.
  • According to Raup-Konsavage et al. (2020), synthetic CBD oil does not have the whole entourage effect since it only possesses the CBD compound. Ribeiro (2018) noted that natural CBD oil has the whole entourage effect since it has several compounds.

Conclusion

It isn’t easy to produce natural CBD oil, and manufacturers have decided to look for synthetic CBD oil alternatives. Their chemical structure is similar, but it does not mean that they are not different from each other. Synthetic CBD oil lacks other compounds like terpenes and THC; some cannot experience its full entourage effect while consuming it. What matter is that synthetic CBD oil follows the CBD law; hence you should not be scared to use it since it is safe and legal to consume. Talk to your doctor before consuming it since you may have negative reactions if you use CBD products such as CBD oil. Also, do not consume any CBD product since it interacts with some medications if you are taking other medications.

References

Atalay, S., Jarocka-Karpowicz, I., & Skrzydlewska, E. (2020). Antioxidative And Anti-Inflammatory Properties Of Cannabidiol. Antioxidants, 9(1), 21.

Clarke, R. C., & Watson, D. P. (2007). Cannabis And Natural Cannabis Medicines. In Marijuana And The Cannabinoids (Pp. 1-15). Humana Press.

Cristino, L., Bisogno, T., & Di Marzo, V. (2020). Cannabinoids And The Expanded Endocannabinoid System In Neurological Disorders. Nature Reviews Neurology, 16(1), 9-29.

Del Ciampo, L. A., & Del Ciampo, I. R. L. (2020). Cannabis Use In Adolescence: Physical And Functional Repercussions. International Journal Of Medical Reviews And Case Reports, 3(11), 761-761.

Hazekamp, A. (2018). The Trouble With CBD Oil. Medical Cannabis And Cannabinoids, 1(1), 65-72.

Mcallister, S. D., Soroceanu, L., & Desprez, P. Y. (2015). The Antitumor Activity Of Plant-Derived Non-Psychoactive Cannabinoids. Journal Of Neuroimmune Pharmacology, 10(2), 255-267.

Nelson, K. M., Bisson, J., Singh, G., Graham, J. G., Chen, S. N., Friesen, J. B., … & Pauli, G. F. (2020). The Essential Medicinal Chemistry Of Cannabidiol (CBD). Journal Of Medicinal Chemistry, 63(21), 12137-12155.

Raup-Konsavage, W. M., Carkaci-Salli, N., Greenland, K., Gearhart, R., & Vrana, K. E. (2020). Cannabidiol (CBD) Oil Does Not Display An Entourage Effect In Reducing Cancer Cell Viability In Vitro. Medical Cannabis And Cannabinoids, 3(2), 95-102.

Ribeiro, S. (2018). Whole Organisms Or Pure Compounds? Entourage Effect Versus Drug Specificity. In-Plant Medicines, Healing, And Psychedelic Science (Pp. 133-149). Springer, Cham.

Ieva Kubiliute is a psychologist and a sex and relationships advisor and a freelance writer. She's also a consultant to several health and wellness brands. While Ieva specialises in covering wellness topics ranging from fitness and nutrition, to mental wellbeing, sex and relationships and health conditions, she has written across a diverse range of lifestyle topics, including beauty and travel. Career highlights so far include: luxury spa-hopping in Spain and joining an £18k-a-year London gym. Someone’s got to do it! When she’s not typing away at her desk—or interviewing experts and case studies, Ieva winds down with yoga, a good movie and great skincare (affordable of course, there’s little she doesn’t know about budget beauty). Things that bring her endless joy: digital detoxes, oat milk lattes and long country walks (and sometimes jogs).

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