Have you ever wondered what happens to the THC in your cannabis when it gets old and dried out?
Exposure to oxygen and heat turns THC into a minor cannabinoid with only mildly psychoactive qualities, called CBN, but all is not lost in your old cannabis.
CBN offers its own set of unique medical benefits.
In this guide, you’ll learn all about CBN in its most concentrated form, CBN isolate, including:
- How CBN isolate is made
- The uses, effects, and benefits of CBN isolate
- The science behind how CBN isolate interacts with your body
- Answers to the most frequently asked questions about CBN isolate
Table of Contents
- What Is CBN Isolate?
- How Is CBN Isolate Made?
- What Are the Effects of CBN Isolate? 5 Benefits of Using CBN Isolate
- How Does the Chemical Makeup of CBN Isolate Work in the Body?
- How Do You Use CBN Isolate?
- FAQs About CBN Isolate
- Looking for More Information About CBN Isolate, CBD, and THC Products? Hail Mary Jane’s Experts Can Help you Find The Best Cannabis Products for Your Needs
Check Out the Video Below For a Primer on CBN Isolate
What Is CBN Isolate?
Before diving into everything you need to know about CBN isolate, it’s important to first understand what cannabinol (CBN) is and how it differs from CBD and CBG.
Cannabis that has been improperly stored and exposed to air or ultraviolet light for an extended time will naturally begin to oxidize. The degraded THC then converts to CBN.
A study conducted by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime in 1999 testing the loss of THC potency in cannabis over time showed that over four years, the THC levels dropped to half its content, converting to CBN.
The study found that in the first two years of exposure to oxygen and light, the THC to CBN conversion rate was faster than in the final two years.
From the study, the UNODC found that “A relationship between the concentration ratio of CBN to THC and the storage time was developed and could serve as a guide in determining the approximate age of a given marijuana sample stored at room temperature.”
As THC converts to CBN, a variety of other cannabinoids and terpenoids accompany the CBN.
That’s why many choose to extract CBN in its purest form to be used separately for its own unique set of benefits or combined with other cannabinoids in a more controlled manner.
This extract of pure CBN is called CBN isolate.
CBN isolate is the most commonly available product of CBN concentrate.
In the extraction, CBN is isolated from all other compounds of the cannabis plant, including:
- Other flavonoids
- Cannabinoids
- Terpenoids
This extraction leaves a completely odorless and flavorless CBN isolate that is over 99% pure CBN.
CBN vs. CBD
CBD has enjoyed much popularity over the years.
At Hail Mary Jane, you will find a wide variety of CBD products, brand reviews, and suggested uses.
While the popularity of CBN is just beginning to grow, similarities in health benefits are being discovered between CBD and CBN, along with effects unique to each compound.
For example:
- CBN has been found to have increased effects on appetite, while CBD has a reducing effect.
- They have also been found to be a powerful duo when combined to combat stress and anxiety.
- Additionally when combined as a topical treatment, CBN and CBD have been found to relieve pain and inflammation.
CBN vs. CBG
Like CBN, CBG or cannabigerol is also emerging as a minor cannabinoid gaining notoriety for its health benefits.
Ingesting CBG has been recommended to help with ocular pain related to glaucoma and headaches.
Most cannabis plants can only produce 1% of CBG, making it quite scarce, but even small amounts of CBG have been shown to have a significant impact on treatment.
How Is CBN Isolate Made?
CBN isolate is made by extracting pure CBN from other inactive compounds. Flavonoids, cannabinoids, and terpenoids are also extracted through the process.
Among the different extraction processes available, two are most commonly used, but one is preferred as the most effective extraction process.
The industry preferred method of extraction is called carbon dioxide (CO2) extraction.
There are two approaches to CO2 extraction:
- The first approach involves closed-loop system machinery that brings the temperature of the CO2 to 31℃ while simultaneously increasing the pressure inside of the chamber to 75psi.
This combination of critical temperature and pressure changes the state of the CO2 into a supercritical fluid, an almost gaseous liquid, which passes through another closed chamber and acts as a solvent to completely isolate the cannabinol.
This approach, called supercritical CO2 extraction, is the gold standard among all others as it successfully extracts the CBN while leaving the compound completely intact.
Supercritical CO2 extraction has also been claimed in scientific journals to be an environmentally friendly extraction method. - The second approach to CO2 extraction, subcritical CO2 extraction, involves a low temperature and low pressure to extract the CBN.
That means it takes longer to isolate and yields much smaller amounts of the concentrate than the Supercritical CO2 Extraction method.
You might also find a commonly accepted extraction method called ethanol extraction.
Ethanol extraction is often used because of its cost-effective system. This system uses ethanol as a solvent that is applied directly to the cannabis plant.
In ethanol extractions it is known that other compounds can extract along with the CBN, requiring an additional process to separate the cannabinol.
What Are the Effects of CBN Isolate? 5 Benefits of Using CBN Isolate
CBN isolate can be used to treat a wide variety of ailments and is utilized for its many healing properties, including:
- Insomnia relief
- Anxiety relief
- Anti-inflammatory
- Pain relief
- Appetite stimulation
Below, we’ll take a deeper look at these 5 benefits of CBN isolate and how many find it useful.
#1: Insomnia Relief
Although many report that CBN has aided in insomnia relief, there is little evidence that supports the claim that CBN isolate alone has sedating effects.
However, a 1975 study on a small group of adult human subjects found that the combination of CBN and THC did cause drowsiness.
#2: Anxiety Relief
CBN has been known to naturally increase dopamine levels which support improvements in mood and relaxation. CBN is also found to help with more acute anxiety symptoms like panic attacks.
#3: Anti-Inflammatory
Controlled CBN research is still in its early stages, but research is already pointing to the potential of CBN to fight inflammation from arthritis and autoimmune disorders like Crohn’s Disease.
#4: Pain Relief
CBN, much like CBD, has been shown to relieve pain in animals as supported by studies on both cannabinoids.
Additionally, scientists concluded that combining CBN and CBD had an increased effect on pain relief.
Although the effect was not as strong as THC, it was non-intoxicating, unlike THC.
#5 Appetite Stimulation
According to a study done on rats, scientists found that CBN had a similar effect to THC which increased the appetites of the test subjects.
How Does The Chemical Makeup of CBN Isolate Work in the Body?
So what’s the science behind how CBN and other cannabinoids can offer relief for such a variety of ailments?
The answer is the Endocannabinoid System (ECS).
The ECS is a chemical receptor system that regulates a large amount of the bodily functions inside of all mammals including:
- Sleep cycles
- Appetite
- Immune function
- Blood pressure
- Pain response
- Hormones
- Inflammation
The ECS is made up of two primary chemical receptors, CB1 and CB2.
The body naturally produces endocannabinoids, 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) and anandamide (AEA), that bind to receptors CB1 and CB2, ensuring the body maintains homeostasis.
When the body fails to produce sufficient endocannabinoids, some systems can become unstable and cause health problems.
Studies have shown that supplementing the cannabinoid-deficient with plant-based cannabinoids, like CBN, holds “therapeutic promise in a wide range of disparate diseases and pathological conditions”.
Conditions examined in the study for possible treatment included:
- Mood and anxiety disorders
- Movement disorders such as Parkinson’s and Huntington’s disease
- Neuropathic pain
- Multiple sclerosis and spinal cord injuries
- Cancer
- Atherosclerosis
- Myocardial infarction
- Stroke
- Hypertension
- Glaucoma
- Obesity/metabolic syndrome
- Osteoporosis
How Do You Use CBN Isolate?
CBN isolate alone is most often found in a CBN isolate powder form that can be incorporated into homemade recipes like pastries, tea, or combined with a carrier oil as a topical.
CBN isolate can also be found infused in a range of products alongside CBD, including:
- Topicals
- Tinctures
- Diffuser oils
- Oil cartridges for personal vaporizers
If you’re looking for tips and reviews on personal vaporizers or other products to use with your CBN isolate, the experts at Hail Mary Jane provide an extensive, curated collection of top products to choose from.
FAQs About CBN Isolate
Are you still left with questions about CBN isolate?
Below you’ll find answers to the most frequently asked questions about CBN isolate.
Can CBN Isolate Get You High?
CBN isolate carries only mildly psychoactive properties.
Compared to THC, CBN isolate is considered mildly psychoactive, at only about 10% as intoxicating as THC.
Where Can I Find CBN Isolate for Sale?
You can buy CBN isolate, wholesale CBN isolate, and CBN isolate bulk through various cannabis e-commerce retailers.
What Dosage of CBN Isolate Should I Use?
As with any other cannabinoid, the dosage is subjective and unique to the individual so a bit of trial and error is required to find the perfect dosage for you.
With CBN isolate, the concentration is typically over 99%, so you can safely assume that 1 milligram of isolate renders 1 milligram of CBN.
It’s always good to start with the smallest recommended dose based on your product type, then slowly increase your daily dosage until you reach the desired effects.
Is CBN Isolate Legal?
CBN isolate is legal, but if there is any THC present in the product, the levels must be below 0.3% to be legally sold in the United States.
Looking for More Information About CBN Isolate, CBD, and THC Products? Hail Mary Jane’s Experts Can Help you Find The Best Cannabis Products for Your Needs
Feeling overwhelmed by all the products available to choose from?
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Our team of cannabis experts has scoured the market to test, review, and curate a list of coveted products that won’t leave you feeling disappointed.
Whether you’re looking for the best CBN isolate, CBD, or THC products, Hail Mary Jane has got you covered.
