Full-Spectrum vs. Broad-Spectrum CBD for Anxiety

CBD products are well-known for alleviating anxiety and panic disorders. But since full-spectrum CBD products contain THC and broad-spectrum products don’t, many people are wondering which is the best option to ease their symptoms. 

Research shows CBD plays an anxiolytic role in the body, but there’s a common misconception that adding THC to the mix will exacerbate symptoms instead of helping them. Reports conclude that small amounts of THC can decrease anxiety, too. Let’s explore how full-spectrum vs. broad-spectrum CBD can help relieve your anxiety. 

Try our Energy Gummies to get the benefits of full-spectrum CBD for anxiety!

Read our guide to full-spectrum vs broad-spectrum CBD for a deeper understanding of the differences between them.

How Anxiety Impacts the Body

Medical News Today reported that anxiety disorders are the most common form of mental illness in the United States, impacting close to 40 million people. Scientific studies confirm that anxiety is caused by a disruption of emotional processing activity in the brain. 

People with anxiety experience an increase in activity in the limbic system rather than higher cognitive processing. This imbalance negatively impacts one’s ability to respond to stressors in a healthy way, causing tension, irritability, and worrisome and intrusive thoughts. It can even cause physical symptoms like increased blood pressure, rapid heart rate, and sleep deprivation. 

39% of people with mental illnesses seek medication for conditions like generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and PTSD. 

Since serotonin is a neurotransmitter responsible for mood and sleep, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are often prescribed to block the reabsorption of serotonin into the body and increase its production. These medications can come with their own side effects. Many people are turning to microdosing cannabis as a benign alternative.

Using Full-Spectrum vs. Broad-Spectrum CBD for Anxiety

The cannabis plant contains many beneficial compounds, most notably CBD and THC. 

CBD is the main non-psychoactive cannabinoid found in cannabis and is commonly extracted from the hemp plant. CBD indirectly interacts with the body’s cannabinoid receptors in the endocannabinoid system (ECS), antagonizing the receptors (CB1 and CB2) to regulate key functions like sleep, mood, learning and memory, emotions, pain, and appetite. 

CBD can relieve stressors and alleviate anxious feelings. Results from animal studies showed that CBD has anxiolytic and antidepressant properties. It also assisted in physiological and behavioral responses to stress and anxiety. Clinical studies show that 79% of people using CBD extracts for anxiety experienced a decrease in symptoms within the first month.

There are three forms of CBD you can buy:

• Full-spectrum CBD
• Broad-spectrum CBD 
• CBD Isolate

Full-Spectrum CBD for Anxiety 

Full-spectrum CBD products contain a wide range of cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids, including trace amounts of THC. Using full-spectrum CBD is how people can achieve the entourage effect. This effect refers to a natural synergy that occurs between cannabis compounds. Research on whether the entourage effect is real or not is still new, but evidence suggests that combining multiple cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids will enhance each other’s effects.

Delta 9 THC is the most well-known psychoactive cannabinoid in cannabis and a key component of full-spectrum products. Unlike CBD, THC binds directly to the cannabinoid receptors in the ECS to assist in regulating homeostasis throughout the body. Medical research shows that CBD down-regulates THC’s psychoactivity to make it a more tolerable substance. 

Research shows that THC is helpful for anxiety and depression in small amounts, subsiding panic attacks and improving focus and concentration. THC offers feelings of relaxation and euphoria to calm intrusive thoughts and ease the mind. Microdosing for anxiety helps people avoid the potential side effects of THC’s psychoactivity while still receiving its benefits. People with stage fright microdose THC to help calm their nerves without exacerbating their tension or paranoia. 

Microdosing is the practice of using very low doses of THC. Low doses of THC can increase serotonin levels in the body. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that regulates mood, cognition, and happiness. When the body is deficient in serotonin, one might experience low energy, irritability, lack of sleep, and negative thinking, which can lead to anxiety and mood disorders. Just 5 mg of THC is enough to offer mild euphoria and boost serotonin without feeling impaired. 

Terpenes are another important aspect of using full-spectrum products for anxiety. These aromatic compounds are known to have antioxidant and neuroprotective properties. A scientific analysis discusses how terpenes can be useful for the treatment of mood and anxiety disorders. 

If you’re thinking about taking CBD for depression, you might want to consider how coupling it with low amounts of THC can help. Microdosing THC for depression can help you reduce your symptoms without crossing the “getting high” threshold.

All of our high-quality full-spectrum hemp CBD gummies are made with microdoses of THC that are compliant with the 2018 Farm Bill for federally legal consumption. If you’re seeking an uplifting boost that improves your focus, you can try our Energy THC gummies with just 2.5 mg of THC. 

Or, you can try our Bliss gummies, with 5 mg of THC for the ultimate chill vibes.

Broad Spectrum CBD for Anxiety 

The difference between full-spectrum vs. broad-spectrum CBD is THC content. Broad-spectrum CBD contains multiple compounds of cannabis, such as terpenes, flavonoids, and other minor cannabinoids, but no trace amounts of THC. This CBD type is best for users who do not want to use Delta 8 or Delta 9 THC for their anxiety but still want to experience the benefits of CBD and other cannabis compounds. 

When taking our broad-spectrum CBD gummies, you’re getting 10 mg of CBD that comes from a terpene-rich hemp extract blended with natural citrus flavors you can take at any time of the day.

CBD Isolate for Anxiety

CBD isolate products are pure CBD. Unlike full-spectrum or broad-spectrum CBD, which contain many cannabis compounds, isolate products contain CBD only. Many CBD isolate products are well-suited for localized pain, but haven’t demonstrated the same anxiolytic properties as full spectrum and broad spectrum CBD.

Of course, you’re welcome to test CBD isolate and see if it works to lower your anxiety. 

Safety and Side Effects of Full-Spectrum and Broad-Spectrum CBD

Delta 9 THC is safe to take in low doses without impairment, but in higher doses, it could get you high. If you’re unsure about how much to take, read our guide on the best THC microdosing amounts.

Broad-spectrum CBD oils do not contain THC and will not get you high. This type of CBD is not known to cause side effects, even in high doses. Whether you’re buying broad-spectrum or full-spectrum CBD products, finding brands and products that you can trust is key. 

Like nama. When using our full and broad-spectrum CBD products, you’ll never have to worry about consuming cheap CBD or other harmful ingredients. All of our products go through a vetting process with lab testing that we share with you to maintain content integrity and transparency with our users. 

Every edible we offer you, including our Delta 9 edibles, is gluten-free, vegan, non-GMO, and sustainably sourced. We believe in using superior hybrid strains of hemp cannabis so you can get the best of both worlds with a perfectly balanced blend. Be sure to read our guide about the best strains for anxiety and focus to find out what might work best for you. 

All of our vegan CBD gummies are carefully curated blends made with 100% American hemp extracts and all-natural ingredients and flavors. From our Anytime gummies to relax you throughout the day to our CBD gummies for sleep, our products are tailored to your needs and have gone through third-party testing for quality assurance. 

Full-Spectrum vs. Broad Spectrum CBD Legalities

After the 2018 Farm Bill created a legal distinction between hemp and marijuana, hemp-derived products became federally legal in the United States. Hemp refers to cannabis that contains no more than 0.3% THC by dry weight. This means that our Delta 9 THC products are federally legal as long as they remain in compliance with this law. Some states do have restrictions on this, but you can read our guide to find out if Delta 9 is legal in your state. 

Our products are carefully sourced from federally compliant hemp made in the USA, including our Delta 8 THC gummies. Delta 8 THC is a minor cannabinoid that has roughly half the potency of Delta 9. (Find out more about the difference between Delta 8 and Delta 9 here.) 

Resources

Blessing, E. M., Steenkamp, M. M., Manzanares, J., & Marmar, C. R. (2015, September 4). Cannabidiol as a Potential Treatment for Anxiety Disorders. PubMed Central (PMC). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13311-015-0387-1

Stoner SA. Effects of Marijuana on Mental Health: Anxiety Disorders. Alcohol & Drug Abuse Institute, University of Washington, June 2017. URL: http://adai.uw.edu/pubs/pdf/2017mjanxiety.pdf. 

Anxiety: Symptoms, types, causes, prevention, and treatment. (n.d.). https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/323454

Martin, E. I., Ressler, K. J., Binder, E., & Nemeroff, C. B. (n.d.). The Neurobiology of Anxiety Disorders: Brain Imaging, Genetics, and Psychoneuroendocrinology. PubMed Central (PMC). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psc.2009.05.004

García-Gutiérrez, M. S., Navarrete, F., Gasparyan, A., Austrich-Olivares, A., Sala, F., & Manzanares, J. (2020, November 19). Cannabidiol: A Potential New Alternative for the Treatment of Anxiety, Depression, and Psychotic Disorders. MDPI. https://doi.org/10.3390/biom10111575

Shannon, S., Lewis, N., Lee, H., & Hughes, S. (2019, January 7). Cannabidiol in Anxiety and Sleep: A Large Case Series. PubMed Central (PMC). https://doi.org/10.7812/TPP/18-041

Niesink, R. J., & van Laar, M. W. (2013, October 16). Does Cannabidiol Protect Against Adverse Psychological Effects of THC? PubMed Central (PMC). https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2013.00130

Medicinal cannabis for the treatment of anxiety disorders - PubMed. (2022, August 1). PubMed. https://doi.org/10.31128/AJGP-04-21-5936

Ferber, S. G., Namdar, D., Hen-Shoval, D., Eger, G., Koltai, H., Shoval, G., Shbiro, L., & Weller, A. (2020, February 1). The “Entourage Effect”: Terpenes Coupled with Cannabinoids for the Treatment of Mood Disorders and Anxiety Disorders. PubMed Central (PMC). https://doi.org/10.2174/1570159X17666190903103923

Farm Bill. (n.d.). Farm Bill | USDA. https://www.usda.gov/farmbill

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