In an unregulated market, it's hard to establish universal standards for quality and safety. While many CBD companies set the bar at different heights as they see fit, it's unlikely that two vendors follow identical rules or practices.

However, just because the government isn't involved doesn't mean CBD manufacturers can't make hemp extracts that meet or exceed any potential regulatory standards - Colorado Botanicals is living proof of that.

So how does Colorado Botanicals manage to make pharmaceutical-grade CBD that outshines other vendors for quality and safety? It's not a magic formula but rather a practical mix of technology, experience, and scientific expertise.

Full-Spectrum and Broad Spectrum Options

Full-spectrum and broad-spectrum extracts are superior to isolate options in several ways. We'll get into the main reasons later. For now, let's quickly establish what these CBD oil products are.

Full-Spectrum

Full-spectrum CBD is the most robust option. Manufacturers make no effort to filter out any compounds during extraction - including THC.

This type of oil is as close to the original plant source as possible. There's only one arguable disadvantage, but it can be a dealbreaker for some. Since full-spectrum CBD carries up to 0.3% THC, there is a possibility - albeit a slim one - that it could affect specific individuals or even show up on a drug test.

Broad-Spectrum

Broad-spectrum CBD is the closest thing you'll get to full-spectrum. Like its counterpart, broad-spectrum retains all the hemp's compounds, minus any THC. This fundamental difference makes it an attractive choice for people uncomfortable with the intoxicating substance.

That being said, THC does offer some therapeutic benefits, so removing it may detract from the product's effects. But broad-spectrum CBD is the best choice for people who can't or won't use THC.

However, this brings us to our main problem. Despite years of innovation, modern conventional extraction methods do poorly retain other cannabinoids (i.e., CBG, CBN, CBC) and plant compounds like terpenes.

We'll get into this issue shortly. But first, let's get to know Colorado Botanicals and how their proprietary innovation helped solve a chronic problem faced by most - if not all - other CBD vendors.

Who is Colorado Botanicals?

Established in 2017, Colorado Botanicals went from a small CBD startup to a leading brand in the industry.

Colorado Botanicals story is both unique and inspiring. The company's founder learned about CBD while a family member was battling cancer. Although the research was - and still is - ongoing, the promising results of preliminary studies fascinated him. For him, the next logical step would be to further explore the industry.

Initially offering broad-spectrum CBD oil, Colorado Botanicals has expanded its lineup to include other products, including full-spectrum extracts. They've also moved away from strictly oils and now carry CBD gummies, creams, and capsules.

Colorado Botanicals also improved existing formulas by adding natural extracts like Curcugen - a proprietary turmeric extract known for many health benefits. Some of Colorado Botanicals CBD products also include other cannabinoids, like CBG Oil, for expanded therapeutic effects.

It didn't take long for the company's innovative approach and potent, high-quality products to catch the attention of several consumer publications. Observer, Discover Magazine, and Men's Journal all recommended Colorado Botanicals as their top CBD oil of 2022.

Next-Gen CO2 Extraction

CO2 extraction has been the primary method for making hemp-derived CBD products for quite some time. But despite leaving no trace solvents, carbon dioxide also leaves behind very few additional compounds, such as other cannabinoids and terpenes.

While the process effectively removes unwanted plant material, like chlorophyll or lipids, conventional CO2 methods require a lot of heat. Consequently, terpenes become collateral damage and are destroyed, leaving behind a product that's a shell of its source plant. Vendors often fix this by infusing their products with terpenes after production. But this artificial approach doesn't provide the same therapeutic benefits.

But as they say: "modern problems require modern solutions" - an adage that Colorado Botanicals took to heart.

So, where did this innovative drive come from that made Colorado Botanicals a highly successful vendor among a sea of competing products?

Colorado Botanicals saw the glaring problem with CO2 extraction that made even top-quality CBD lose a lot of its health value. But Colorado Botanicals managed to turn this problem around.

The Advantages of Pharmaceutical Technology

Although Colorado Botanicals doesn't disclose all the details of its proprietary method (for a good reason), one significant component of the process is their use of pharmaceutical technology and facilities.

Colorado Botanicals understands that the best quality CBD formulas require genuine medical expertise. To facilitate this, the company relies on accredited experts like cannabis-savvy pharmacists and extraction experts with years of experience.

Their team has the medical and practical knowledge to employ complex extraction and purification methods that exceed conventional CO2 by leaps and bounds.

The end result is a pure, clean extract with a substantially higher amount of naturally-retained compounds compared to most other vendors. They are able to achieve retaining more cannabinoids, including terpenes, by separating the compounds from the unwanted oils in the extract using separation science.

What are Terpenes and Their Benefits?

So far, we've discussed how Colorado Botanicals proprietary CO2 extraction technique retains natural terpenes. But what are terpenes, and why are they so important?

Terpenes are oily compounds found throughout the plant kingdom, responsible for giving them their distinct scent and flavor. For instance, limonene is mainly found in citrus fruits, as it gives them that unique "citrusy" smell and taste. Myrcene - the most common terpene in the cannabis plant - is native to mangoes and known for its relaxing effects.

Interestingly, however, cannabis (the genus that includes both "marijuana" and "hemp") can carry terpenes from many plant species. These compounds play a critical role in driving cannabis' flavor and - more importantly - the recreational and therapeutic benefits.

Plant terpenes have been a staple of natural medicine for quite some time and may offer a variety of potential benefits, including:

  • Anti-bacterial
  • Analgesic
  • Anti-nausea
  • Sleep aid
  • Mood stabilizer
  • Appetite enhancement
  • Anticonvulsant

These plant compounds exist in a variety of types, combinations, and concentrations, depending on the cannabis strain.

What is the Entourage Effect?

The Entourage Effect is a synergistic relationship between cannabinoids and terpenes. Initially proposed by cannabis researcher and neuroscientist Dr. Ethan Russo, he studied and concluded that cannabinoids and terpenes work better together compared to products such as pure CBD isolate, which contains none of those key compounds.

This unique mechanism allows the aforementioned substances to boost, complement, and even alter each other improving or - even altering - the effects of cannabis products.

For example, CBD is known to indirectly change the shapes of our endocannabinoid receptors, blocking THC uptake. As a result, mixing CBD and THC will reduce the intensity and duration of THC's intoxicating effects.

Conclusion

Colorado Botanicals has more than proven its mettle. Thanks to its proprietary extraction process and pharmaceutical purification technology, the company is more than a match for larger companies that rely on brand recognition rather than potent, top-tier extracts.

As Colorado Botanicals spreads its product line to offerings like CBD gummies and CBG oils, they'll continue applying the same process to, once again, shoot far above the heads of their competitors.

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