Want to better understand the entourage effect and how to get the most out of your CBD? Keep reading!
CBD has the potential to unlock several health and wellness benefits, but it does its best work in combination with other compounds found in the Cannabis plant.
There are several different CBD products on the market that contain different compounds of the plant - CBD Isolate, Broad Spectrum, & Full Spectrum. These terms are used to describe the extraction method used and define which compounds can be found in the product.
CBD is just one of over a hundred cannabinoids and terpenes that are found in resin glands (trichomes) of the Cannabis sativa plant. Other cannabinoids like CBC, CBA, CBG, and THC and terpenes such as myrcene, pinene, limonene, and caryophyllene, are also naturally present in cannabis and play a supportive role.
What is the Entourage Effect & Why Does it Matter?
In the world of CBD products, the synergistic relationship between CBD and the other naturally occurring compounds is called the “Entourage Effect”. Every cannabinoid and terpene present in full-spectrum CBD works synergistically to enhance all other components so CBD users can experience optimal health benefits. Simply put - CBD works better when it has all components of the plant (including some THC - 0.3% or Less).
The term “entourage effect” was first coined in 1998 by Dr. Ben-Shabat in his paper, An Entourage Effect: Inactive Endogenous Fatty Acid Glycerol Esters Enhance 2-Arachidonoyl-Glycerol Cannabinoid Activity. The concept has most notably been explained and expanded upon by Dr. Etahan Russo in his 2011 peer-reviewed article entitled, Taming THC: Potential Cannabis Synergy and Phytocannabinoid-Terpenoid Entourage Effects. In his article, Dr. Russo summarizes the results of dozens of research papers concerning medicinal uses of cannabis and the evident synergies between the various cannabinoids and terpenes found in Cannabis sativa.
One particular animal study published in the Journal of Pharmacology and Pharmacy in 2015 showed that CBD alone demonstrated a bell-shaped dose response in the treatment of inflammation-induced pain. The bell-shaped or biphasic dose response refers to the fact that increasing the dose of pure CBD without other cannabinoids or terpenes results in pain relief up to a point but actually showed reduced effectiveness once that dose was exceeded. However, increasing the dose of CBD that is combined with other cannabinoids and terpenes evidenced a consistent, more linear, increase in effectiveness.
The bottom line? CBD is more effective and predictable with its entourage. Synergy matters. A full spectrum product is best.
Define Full spectrum, Broad spectrum, and CBD Isolate?
With CBD products labeled as full-spectrum, broad-spectrum, or CBD isolate, it’s hard to determine which product is right for you. These terms are basically referring to the makeup of the team, the synergy of the players that surround the CBD in the product. Although every company is unique, the main differences from one CBD product to another are the cannabinoids and terpenes included and how those compounds work together.
Full-spectrum CBD is packed with cannabinoids like CBD, terpenes, and trace amounts of THC--less than the national legal limit of 0.3% to maximize your unique benefits through the entourage effect. Broad-spectrum CBD still harnesses some of this synergistic power, although the entourage effect may be reduced because these CBD products have all traces of THC removed. CBD isolate, however, contains no terpenes or cannabinoids other than CBD, removing potential benefits associated with the entourage effect.
WHAT IS OPTIMAL SPECTRUM?
The number and concentrations of cannabinoids and terpenes in full-spectrum products offered by most CBD companies is not standardized. The mix of cannabinoids and terpenes differs in each cannabis plant with each grow season, from farm to farm, in different locations within a field, and with inconsistencies in the processing methods. Due to this variability, CBD consumers may buy the same product over and over again and experience varying beneficial effects with every new purchase.
Uncle Sam's CBD offers CBD tinctures with formulations based on our extensive research done with all of our suppliers. Want to try the Uncle Sam's difference? Shop our CBD Products online today.
We used cGMP compliant processes and test each lot of product for key cannabinoids and terpenes. Then, we add back any compound that is below our minimum specification. If our product works for you today, it will work the same with each subsequent purchase.
With this newfound knowledge on the entourage effect, you can maximize your CBD benefits with products that include all of your favorite compounds. Find your new favorite CBD product with Uncle Sam's CBD!
At Uncle Sam's CBD, we are only satisfied with the best, which is why we make sure all of our CBD tinctures present the ideal amounts of CBD and terpenes in our balanced formula. Whether you’re enjoying our easy-to-use CBD tincture sprays, our new CBD topical pain cream, or our paws-itively amazing CBD oil for dogs and cats, you can be confident you are using high-quality, organically grown CBD.