A Beginner’s Guide

The Entourage Effect

If you’re looking to reap all the potential benefits CBD wellness has to offer, considering the entourage effect when choosing your products will help you find what’s best for your needs. We’ve put together a small guide to help you better understand what that means.

entourage effect

What are Cannabinoids?

Cannabinoids are the most well-known compounds in the cannabis plant and include THC and CBD. THC is the psychoactive compound that produces the “high” associated with marijuana use, while CBD is non-psychoactive and doesn’t produce any intoxicating effects. Studies have shown that when CBD is combined with THC and other cannabinoids, it can enhance its revitalizing, relieving & balancing effects.

CBD, is generally known for its many benefits like relieving anxiety, chronic pain, and insomnia. It’s a great all-natural alternative to chemical medicines.

Similarly, THC has many of the same benefits of CBD but with the additional psychoactive component is well know for it’s mind-altering effects of increased creativity and for inducing a high.

But what many people don’t know is that both CBD and THC work even better when combined with other compounds found in cannabis in what is known as the “entourage effect.”

entourage effect

What Is The Entourage Effect?

The entourage effect is a term used to describe the synergistic effect experienced when intaking multiple compounds found in the cannabis plant, including cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids. Each of these compounds has unique properties and enhances the therapeutic effects of eachother. Hence the word ‘entourage’.

As for the case of THC & CBD, CBD can naturally balance out some of the psychoactive effects of THC and some of its side effects.

When you take CBD with THC, it can help reduce some of the side effects from THC like anxiety and also decrease feelings of disorientation or confusion. So by taking the two together, a user could gain the increased pain relieving, stress reducing and sleep enhancing benefits of both CBD & THC, while having a calmer and disorientating high.

In wild cannabis plants, THC is usually found with large quantities of CBD. 

So it would almost seem that nature intended us to have both together to unlock full benefits of both cannabinoids and experience the “entourage effect”.

There are also other cannabinoids such as CBDV, CBG, THCV, CBN and CBC which may each have their own unique effects, and which if taken together may create an even greater “entourage effect”.

What Are Terpenes & Flavanoids

Terpenes are aromatic compounds found in the essential oils of many plants, including cannabis. Terpenes not only give cannabis its distinctive scent but also have unique therapeutic properties. For example, the terpene limonene is known for its uplifting effects, while the terpene myrcene has sedative properties.

Flavonoids, also found in cannabis, are a class of compounds found in many plants. These compounds are responsible for the bright colors of many flowers and fruits and also have healing anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.

So What Does This Mean For Me?

So the recap, these compounds work together synergistically to create a more powerful therapeutic effect than CBD or THC alone. For example, a study published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology found that a CBD-rich cannabis extract that also contained small amounts of THC and other cannabinoids was more effective at reducing pain and anxiety than a CBD isolate.

It’s important to note that not all CBD products are the same. Some CBD products may contain only CBD isolate and not take advantage of the entourage effect. These products are good for people who want to avoid THC. If you want to take advantage of the entourage effect and its many benefits it’s important to choose a CBD product that contains a Full-Spectrum of compounds, including cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids.

Full-Spectrum CBD contains all the naturally occurring cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids found in cannabis hemp, including legally allowed (0.3%) trace amounts of THC to give you the best entourage effect, convenient packaged in one product.

So In Summary..

The entourage effect is a fascinating phenomenon that highlights the potential benefits of using a Full-Spectrum CBD Product or combining a CBD Product with a THC Product. By combining all the compounds found in the cannabis plant, including cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids, the therapeutic effects of CBD and THC may be enhanced. So, when choosing a cannabis product, it’s important to look for one that takes advantage of the entourage effect to maximize the potential benefits.

Ready to unlock the full benefits of the entourage effect?

Try our Full-Spectrum CBD Vapes and Full-Spectrum Gummies and Oil Tinctures!