A bottle of hemp oil with a dropper next to fresh hemp seeds on a wooden surface.

The difference between CBD Isolate and Hemp oil

Description: New and experienced consumers of CBD products are mostly confused about the functions of CBD isolate and hemp oil. Others even think they are the same products. But each of these products has distinct features and functions.

The federal regulation in the United States has stated that industrial hemp is not meant to be cultivated for commercial purposes. But in 2018, the regulation took a turn when the Farm Bill was passed, which stated that farmers could now produce and sell hemp plants and extract; CBD isolate, and Hemp oil.

Since this bill was passed, these products have experienced a surge in sales and demand in the market, having a large client base. But with this increased fanfare comes confusion regarding the difference between certain products. So, in case you are wondering about the difference between the hemp plant extract - CBD isolate and Hemp oil, keep reading this article.

What is Hemp Oil?

A nutritious setup of hemp oil, avocados, and nuts, highlighting the dietary benefits of hemp-based products.

Hemp seed oil is an extract from the seeds of the Cannabis sativa plant, and it is an oil that gives a strong and amusing flavor. The hemp seed oil contains between 70 to 90% polyunsaturated fatty acids, otherwise known as healthy fats. It is also high in Vitamins B and D and has a lot of omega-3 essential fatty acids, linoleic and tocopherols acids, and some nutritional antioxidants.

The quality of hemp seed depends majorly on how it is handled and processed. When hemp seed oil is appropriately processed, it contains delta 9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), according to research. But the production of hemp seed oil is restricted by some guidelines, which companies must adhere to if they wish to produce hemp seed oil. The guidelines were established to ensure that the hemp seed product contacts little to no amount of THC, at most 0.3%. The THC amount is not high enough to cause psychoactive effects when consumed.

Effects and Benefits of Hemp Oil

Hemp oil being poured from a small bottle into a spoon, showcasing its golden hue and smooth texture.

Hemp oil is mainly used as a supplement by manufacturers of several nutritional products, including yogurt, cookies, and snack bars. Hemp oil provides a great source of nutrients because it is rich in essential amino acids and unsaturated fatty acids.

The health benefit of hemp oil comes from the high elements of three polyunsaturated fatty acids - gamma-linolenic acid, alpha-linolenic acid, and linoleic acids. Therefore hemp oil has the following health benefits.

Improved Skin: research has proven that when hemp oil is consumed through oral means, it improves the symptoms of eczema (atopic dermatitis). These benefits can be traced to the contribution of fatty acids found in hemp oil.

Hemp oil is used for treating skin conditions such as

  • Acne
  • Psoriasis
  • Cradle cap

Hemp oil also helps to strengthen the skin and enable it to prevent infection.

Lower Blood Pressure: omega-3 fatty acids in hemp oil can help people with hypertension (high blood pressure) reduce their blood pressure. Experts say using blood pressure medicine with hemp oil supplements will help lower blood pressure.

Improve Heart Health: Reducing cholesterol levels can promote heart health, and hemp oil is a perfect supplement. Hemp oil is abundant in linoleic acid; this acid helps lower total cholesterol and bad cholesterol. Adding it to your diet plan can help reduce your chances of hypertension, stroke, and other heart-related diseases.

Pain Relief: hemp oil also possesses anti-inflammatory properties that help reduce pain. Hemp oil can be applied directly to the area where you feel pain, and you will witness relief.

Inflammation Reduction: hemp oil has the element of gamma-linoleic acid, which are effective in relieving signs of inflammatory issues like multiple sclerosis (MS), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Aids a Healthy Pregnancy: the content of hemp seed oil is beneficial to women who are pregnant. Research has shown that high omega-3 fatty acids in hemp oil are essential for a healthy pregnancy. It helps support the development of the baby's eyes and brain and also prevents depression during pregnancy.

Health Effect

A glowing brain with neural pathways, illustrating the neuroprotective benefits of CBD isolate.

Hemp oil offers several benefits to one's health, but it is vital also to know the potential health risk it poses. These health risks include:

Reduced Blood Pressure: as stated earlier, hemp oil helps to lower your blood pressure. But this may cause a significant problem for people with already low blood pressure (hypotension). Hypotension is caused due to various reasons, some of which include:

  • Pregnancy
  • Medication
  • Allergic reaction
  • Significant blood loss
  • Prolonged bed rest
  • Nutritional deficiencies
  • Septic shock

Ensure you consult your doctor if you experience any of the listed health issues before you use the hemp oil.

CBD Isolate

A doctor holding a CBD isolate container, representing its medical and therapeutic benefits.

CBD isolate is a pure form of CBD (cannabidiol). CBD isolate is a chemical compound that is found in the cannabis plant. Other CBD strains like full-spectrum CBD and broad-spectrum CBD products contain THC element (Psychoactive element of cannabis), but CBD isolate does not contain any THC.

CBD isolate is the best choice if you want to try out a CBD product free from tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) elements. THC is one of the most active elements in the cannabis plant, and other CBD products have at least a small percentage of it. But CBD isolate was manufactured for people who want a THC-free CBD product.

Although CBD isolate isn't capable of causing a psychoactive effect on you, it can affect your mood, pain perception, and appetite. Due to the unique form of CBD isolate, manufacturers use several extraction processes to remove all the compounds and elements from the cannabis plant, especially THC substances. This process of extraction is what makes the CBD pure and crystal form.

For easier consumption, the CBD isolate in crystal form can be ground in powder form. And CBD isolate does not have any distinct taste or scent.

Effects and Benefits

A display of hemp oil capsules, a CBD isolate container, and a dropper bottle on a clean white surface.

CBD functions by taking action on the human body's cannabinoid receptors. Cannabinoid receptors are present in the human body because it produces cannabinoid, which controls the function of some of the human body. Some of these includes:

  • Memory
  • Mood
  • Inflammation levels
  • Appetite
  • Pain perception

Experts believe that CBD is not directly attached to the human body's cannabinoid receptors, but CBD influences the receptors in other ways. CBD's effects on the human body manifest through activating these receptors.

Effects of CBD isolate on the human body include:

  • counteracting the formation of tumors (anti-tumorigenic)
  • reducing or preventing anxiety (anti-anxiety)
  • relieving pain (analgesic)
  • boosting the immune system (immune-modulating)
  • fighting inflammation (anti-inflammatory)
  • reducing or preventing seizures (anticonvulsant)
  • preventing vomiting (antiemetics)
  • recovery or regeneration of the nervous system (neuroprotective)

Benefits

A woman applying hemp oil to her skin, showcasing its moisturizing and nourishing effects.

CBD isolate can help improve health conditions such as:

Anxiety: studies have shown that CBD isolates contain anti-anxiety substances. It operates in the body by restructuring how the brain reacts to the chemical serotonin. Several studies were conducted to know if CBD improves anxiety or sleep, or both in some cases. The research was born on 72 adults who had sleeping or anxiety issues at a clinic.

Experts figured that 79% of the patients had decreased anxiety after administering CBD treatment. And nearly 67% of the patients had their sleep scores improved within the first month, but it wasn't constant.

It was concluded through the research that CBD is beneficial to people with anxiety disorders.

Pain and Inflammation relief: CBD has been used by several people to treat various kinds of inflammatory issues and pain, they include:

  • Cancer pain
  • Neuropathic pain
  • Arthritis pain
  • Chronic back pain
  • Fibromyalgia

Although CBD isolate is stated as a pain relief substance, experts say that full-spectrum CBD products are more effective in treating pain conditions. This is because cannabidiol acts in synergy with the THC in the full-spectrum CBD product to stimulate its analgesic effects.

Epilepsy: CBD isolate can treat epilepsy, and it has the presence of an antiseizure substance. It is considered hope for people who live with this condition.

Health specialists have proven that CBD isolate can improve seizure control, especially in those with specific epilepsy syndromes.

But research is still going on; more exploration is being carried out before CBD isolate can be approved for people with epilepsy and used to manage its symptoms.

Before using CBD treatment for seizures, consult a doctor or health specialist to discuss your treatment options.

Cancer: the research of CBD on cancer growth is currently in the early stages, but there has been some progress in animal studies. CBD isolates have shown in animal studies that cancer growth can be prevented.

The NCI (National Cancer Institute) stated that CBD might eradicate some symptoms of cancer and also alleviate the side effects of treating cancer, which may include:

  • Nausea
  • Vomiting

But CBD hasn't been approved by the NCI due to insufficient research.

Side Effects of CBD Isolate

Since CBD isolate does not contain THC, its side effects are minimal compared to other CBD products (full-spectrum and broad-spectrum). But there are some cases where it can cause severe reactions in some people. These side effects include:

  • Diarrhea
  • Fatigue
  • Insomnia
  • Irritability
  • Weight loss or gain
  • Increase or decrease in appetite

CBD isolate can also cause significant side effects when taken with some prescription or medications. So, ensure you speak to your healthcare provider before using CBD isolate or other cannabis-related products.

CBD isolate can also interact with specific dietary supplements, so you should always be on the lookout if your medication or accessory has a warning about taking grapefruit. Grapefruit and CBD can alter the metabolism of medicines like cholesterol drugs. So if your medication carries a warning sign against grapefruit, you should stay clear from CBD.

CBD isolate, when taken in large quantities, can increase the toxicity of your liver, so you should be mindful of the dose you consume.

Critical Differences Between CBD vs. Hemp Oil

A side-by-side comparison of CBD isolate and hemp oil in glass containers, with hemp leaves and seeds in the background.

To clarify some other confusion about the differences between hemp oil and CBD, their fundamental differences have been listed to show that they are entirely different products. These basic differences include the following:

  • Chemical makeup
  • Method of production
  • Monetary value and where it can be purchased

Chemical Makeup

This is the fastest method to note the distinction between CBD isolate and hemp oil, viewing the ingredient and labels of the products. Both CBD isolate, and hemp oil originated from the hemp plant (a unique type of cannabis plant rich with cannabidiol and low in THC).

Hemp oil is mainly referred to as hemp seed oil because hemp oil is an extract from the hemp plant's seeds. Hemp seed oil is a standard product in the kitchen and beauty world, and it has been used as an ingredient for cooking and a substance added to make beauty products over the years. Brands like Nutiva are perfect examples of manufacturers that use hemp oil in their products.

On the other hand, CBD isolate is an extract from hemp or any cannabis plant rich in cannabidiol. It is produced using the whole hemp plant and its seed, but a process that extracts the THC from the substance is involved. Most times, CBD isolate/oil is usually associated with CBD vapes. But they are similar in that CBD vapes contain hemp-based elements.

Method of Production

The production methods of CBD isolate and hemp oil is another crucial difference. The hemp oil production process involves a cold-press extraction using hemp seeds. While CBD isolate is manufactured using the whole hemp plant and a more sophisticated tech extraction method.

There is two commonly used method used for extracting CBD isolate, there are:

  • Traditional solvent-based extraction
  • Supercritical fluid extraction (CO2 extraction).

When produced, hemp oil has a green or dark outlook, and CBD isolate more between light gold and dark brown. Also, hemp oil has a nutty flavor, while CBD isolate has an earthly or neutral plant flavor.

Monetary Value & Where can it be Purchased?

CBD isolate is the most expensive because of the extraction process involved in producing it. So it will cost you more to purchase a CBD isolate product than hemp oil. Even if you find a cheap CBD isolate product, you should check if it's legitimate.

Hemp oil and CBD isolate can be purchased at local grocery stores, healthy food stores, and pharmacies around you. But in some cases, they are sold in different places. Some CBD isolate brands can be purchased online from their direct website and in some pharmacies. In comparison, hemp oil can be purchased at any local grocery store, online store, and beauty store.

Conclusion

A jar of white CBD isolate powder and a dropper bottle of golden hemp oil on a wooden table, with hemp leaves in the background.

The significant distinction between hemp oil and CBD isolate comes from its cannabinoid content. Cannabinoids are the beneficial compounds in the cannabis plant. And both CBD isolate and hemp oil are legal because of the amount of THC (the psychoactive compound).

Hemp oil is the extraction of the whole cannabis plant, which contains all the cannabinoids. But CBD isolate is an extract of a single cannabinoid. So if you are looking to enjoy a cannabis strain with the benefits of a psychoactive effect, then you should consider hemp oil. But if you want the health benefits of CBD without any entourage effect, you should consider CBD isolate. Both products are beneficial to the human body; it now comes down to your preferences and needs.

 

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