CBD products vary significantly, and you cannot assume that one works as well as the next. There are many companies who now offer CBD products, so it is best to understand what it is you are looking for. There are two types of products on the market today.

1. Many products are what is called “CBD isolates”. These contain chemically synthesised CBD or CBD that has been isolated from hemp in the laboratory. CBD is a single molecule and certainly is a valuable cannabinoid. Still, CBD isolates only interact with a part of the body’s natural endocannabinoid system and so only give you partial support.

2. Some companies add some terpenes to their CBD isolates and call them broad-spectrum. Often these terpenes are either synthetic or from a source other than hemp.

3. Other CBD products, like ElleVance’s, are made from complete hemp plant extracts, often blended in a carrier oil to achieve the desired potency. These hemp extracts each have unique combinations of cannabinoids and terpenes (called a profile) and different strengths. The quality of the extract is controlled by the specific hemp cultivar used, the growing conditions, the extraction process used, and how the product is stored. You cannot assume that one is the same as the next.

Many scientists believe that a broad-spectrum hemp extract containing a range of different cannabinoids and terpenes can be move impactful than CBD isolate, due to a mechanism called the Entourage Effect, whereby the different components act synergistically on different biological pathways.