Entourage Effect: Whether you’re an experienced cannabis flower user or a novice, chances are you’ve come across the term entourage effect. One of the reasons why most individuals begin using cannabis is to enjoy this unique effect.
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So, what is the entourage effect, and what are its health benefits? It happens when the many compounds within the marijuana plant interact, and when you take them together, they give you a better response than when you take one alone. More research is ongoing, but many reports and cannabis experts, suggest this unique phenomenon could alter your CBD experience.
The Entourage Effect Explained
The weed plant has over 400 different chemicals, each affecting a user uniquely. It has over 200 terpenes, 100 cannabinoids, several phenolic compounds, and many flavonoids. Some of these elements are inactive; some are beneficial, active, and good for humans, like CBD. Some are even potentially dangerous and psychoactive, like THC.
In a CBD hemp flower, the effects of one element can be diminished while that of another compound can be pronounced. What is CBD hemp flower? Also known as a hemp bud, it is the flower of a female hemp plant. One element will become more effective when it works with another in the phenomenon. A passive element becomes active when combined with other ingredients.
The entourage effect is the harmonious response of several elements in harmony. As an analogy, imagine the lead singer singing on the microphone. While he might have an incredible voice, when accompanied by a pianist and a guitarist, the music becomes better.
However, if the pianist is terrible, the singer would be better off singing alone. So, the entourage effect doesn’t always guarantee a better experience. But we all agree that listening to a great singer with an excellent pianist, guitarist, and other instrument players will deliver a fantastic musical experience.
You can say the same about medicinal cannabis. Its healing properties are most significant when you consume the plant’s most comprehensive spectrum of elements.
What Does The Available Research Say?
Taking terpenes and Phytocannabinoids of CBD flower might provide extra therapeutic benefits. So, what is CBD flower? It is the dried hemp bud. Unlike THC flower, which gets you high, cannabinol is non-psychoactive. It doesn’t intoxicate you. Several conditions have been studied concerning the entourage effect. Most studies show that when cannabis compounds work together, they might be beneficial for:
- Anxiety
- Pain
- Epilepsy
- Inflammation
- Fungal infection
CBD Flower Vs THC Flower
CBD might help reduce the unwanted THC effects. Some users claim to experience hunger, anxiety, and sedation after taking THC flowers. Human and rat studies suggest that cannabidiol might help minimize these effects. Remember that THC and CBD come from the same plant, each planted separately.
A hemp plant will have higher levels of CBD than THC. Marijuana plants have higher levels of THC than CBD. Nevertheless, both are full spectrum, meaning there is a specific ratio of one to the other in the two plant variates. Both marijuana and hemp plants have over 100 other cannabinoids on top of flavonoids and terpenes, all of which have beneficial health properties.
Phytochemicals Such As Flavonoids and Terpenes Might Improve Your Brain Health
Some research found that certain terpenes and flavonoids might offer anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects. The study proposed that the elements could enhance the therapeutic potential of CBD.
There Is A Need for More Research
Like most things we know about medical marijuana, the entourage effect is a well-supported theory. Not all studies have found evidence to support it. Some researchers have tested common terpenes both in combination and alone. They found that THC effects on the cannabinoid receptors CB2 and CB1 remained unchanged by adding terpenes. But it doesn’t mean the entourage effect doesn’t exist. It just means there is a need for more research.
Is the Entourage Effect the Same As Getting High, And Does CBD Flower Smell Like Weed?
No. The entourage effect happens in both CBD hemp strains and marijuana plants (these are cannabis plants with THC levels above 0.3%). Only strains with high THC levels will get you high. THC is the only compound associated with substantial psychoactive effects. While the entourage effect can enhance this psychoactive effect, it doesn’t mean each strain will get you high.
Plants with low THC levels often make users feel at ease and relaxed without psychoactive effects. CBD flower smells like a weed thanks to the terpenes concentrated on its resin glands. Some of the terpenes include pinene, myrcene, and limonene. Cannabis strains have a unique blend of terpenes, giving them a unique taste and smell.
Do Other Medicinal Plants Have This Effect?
Yes. The phenomenon doesn’t apply only to the hemp plant. Other roots, plants, and fungi commonly have medicinal properties. These plants also have many active compounds that work together and against each other. One such plant is turmeric, which has the anti-inflammatory element curcumin. Curcumin and terpene piperine working together improves the extent of absorption, serum concentration, and bioavailability.
Takeaway
Terpenoids and Cannabinoids in CBD flowers are thought to interact with each other and your brain receptors. The interaction is known as the entourage effect. Some reports suggest that this effect makes consuming CBD and THC together more effective than consuming a particular one alone.
However, it is still a theory and more research into the weed plant and its compounds is needed before we can conclude the extent of its medical benefits.