Cannabidiol (CBD) is the most dominant, non-psychoactive cannabinoid found in the cannabis plant, second only to THC.

There are numerous ways to utilize this compound, but with nearly every method, the CBD needs to be extracted from the plant matter. It also needs to be purified so it can be used in high-end products and medications, and this is where CBD Distillate comes into play.

What is CBD?

CBD, or cannabidiol, is a non-intoxicating compound found in cannabis and hemp. CBD oils, gummies, and other products are continuing to grow in popularity as ways to manage anxiety, stress, pain, and other symptoms. We typically associate cannabis with getting stoned, but CBD can be extracted from the plant to make products that come without the high or the smoke.

The compound in cannabis that’s responsible for the psychoactive effects is called THC (tetrahydrocannabinol). While it does offer many of its own medical benefits, many people try to steer clear of THC because they don’t want the high, nor the legal ramifications that may come along with using “marijuana”.

Nowadays, you can turn to cannabis-derived CBD products with little to no THC for clear-headed symptom relief. It’s not just THC and CBD, either—cannabis produces dozens of potentially therapeutic compounds called cannabinoids.

All mammals have receptors in the body, CB1 and CB2 receptors, that interact with CBD, THC, and other cannabinoids. These receptors are found throughout the body and make up the endocannabinoid system (ECS), a complex signaling system that keeps our bodies in a state of homeostasis.

Simply put, the endocannabinoid system keeps us in balance by directing the communication traffic in our bodies. Plant based cannabinoids (phytocannabinoids) such as CBD interact with this system, mimicking natural compounds (called endocannabinoids) produced by the body.

What are the medical benefits of this cannabinoid?

One of the most common uses for CBD is to relieve anxiety and depression. Mental health is actually one of the few conditions for which quite a bit of research exists on the CBD front. According to the science, CBD influences serotonin levels in the brain. It’s an effective way for people to get immediate relief from numerous types of anxiety such as social fears and panic attacks.

Another well-documented use for CBD is for managing pain. Based on existing research, CBD seems to work best for treating two types of chronic pain: neuropathic and inflammatory. What’s interesting is that very low doses of THC are believed to boost the pain-relieving power of CBD, and this is where the entourage effect comes into play. Using plant-based medicines to treat pain is becoming an increasingly attractive option as opiate addiction continues to plague the United States.

So far, the only FDA-approved medication that’s CBD-based is used for treating epilepsy. In 2018, an oral solution called Epidiolex was passed by the FDA to treat two rare forms of epilepsy – Dravet syndrome and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome. CBD has shown promising results when tested against other neurological disorders as well.

A popular yet slightly controversial use for CBD is for relief from insomnia, although the effectiveness of this depends on who you ask. Some studies have indicated that dosing is a factor, with higher doses creating a sedative effect for some people, while low doses actually increase focus and alertness. This is an ongoing area of study, but many people swear by using CBD for sleep.

There is a lot of other research in the works regarding CBD and numerous other medical conditions. Of particular interest is using CBD to kill cancer cells. It’s also been suggested that CBD can lower blood pressure, treat addiction, and kill bacteria, although these uses are much less common and have not been studied as thoroughly.

What is CBD distillate?

CBD Distillate

The scientific definition of distillation is that it is the act of purifying a substance usually through a collection of heating and cooling methods. The end result of a distillation process is known as a distillate.

CBD distillate is a highly concentrated extract derived from hemp and cannabis plants, although the latter is not very common. CBD distillate typically has upwards of 90% cannabidiol and it’s considered one of the purest and cleanest extracts available on the market, second in purity only to CBD isolate.

Distillate retains a minimal amount of other compounds like plant waxes, vitamins, antioxidants, terpenes, and some minor cannabinoids. Whether it contains trace or illegal levels of THC depends on whether it was extracted from cannabis or hemp, although most of the time, hemp is preferred. This makes it great for anyone who needs accurate dosing but also needs the medicinal benefits the come from the entourage effect.

Another reason to choose distillates is that, because of their purity, patients often don’t need as much product to feel the effects. This can be economically advantageous for anyone who needs to use CBD daily but has been roadblocked by the fluctuating but generally high costs of purchasing these products.  

How is it made?

CBD distillation is a complex refinement procedure that separates the cannabinoid from raw plant material. The process is broken down into a few different steps.

• Initial Extraction: The first step in the process of creating CBD distillate is to extract the cannabidiol from the hemp plant matter. There are a few different ways to do this including CO2 supercritical extraction, solvent extraction, or the rinsing and sifting method (physical) method.
• Winterization – This step removes the unwanted impurities that are inadvertently extracted from the hemp plants during step one. During winterization, the extracted solution is placed into an extremely cold (winterized) environment for 24 to 48 hours. At this point, any impurities congeal and separate from the rest of the solution. The impurities are thrown out and the remaining product is filtered.
• Decarboxylation – Before being exposed to heat or oxygen, cannabinoids exist in an acidic state (CBDA, THCA, etc.). To convert the plant cannabinoids into their active state, the extracted solution is heated thoroughly.
• Distillation – The final process of distillation, the solution is vaporized and collected in a distillation cooling system. Each compound in the plant can be separated because of the variations in volatility, or boiling point, so the result is a relatively clean product.

The final product is a golden, thick oil type of product with a consistency that’s similar to raw honey.

Beginner’s Guide to CBD Tincture, CBD Isolate and CBD Distillat