How Does The Entourage Effect Work With CBD?

If you want to get the most out of your CBD, this blog post is for you. Understanding how and why CBD works the way it does allows you to make informed decisions about what products will work best for you.

This blog post discusses the entourage effect CBD creates when you take it, and how it works to provide users with the most effective health and wellness benefits.

What is the entourage effect?

The entourage effect is a theory that explains how all the native compounds from the hemp plant work together to enhance the therapeutic benefits of CBD more than when those compounds are taken alone.

The hemp plant contains over 100 natural compounds known as cannabinoids. Each of these cannabinoids interacts differently with an important system inside our bodies known as the endocannabinoid system.

This system plays a direct role in regulating other body systems and maintaining the balance between them.

For example, the cannabinoid known as cannabinol, or CBN, may interact with the endocannabinoid system to assist with sleep.

In contrast, the cannabinoid known as cannabigerol, or CBG, may interact with the endocannabinoid system to assist with stress.

Other key cannabinoids include CBD, CBC, and THC, and each of these interacts with the endocannabinoid system differently. The hemp plant also contains other natural compounds known as terpenes.

Terpenes are secreted from the same glands of the hemp plant that secrete cannabinoids, and they are the plant’s natural way of repelling predators and luring pollinators.

These compounds are responsible for the aroma of cannabis. When terpenes are extracted and taken in supplement form, they may play a role in pain management, relaxation, balance, and stress relief.

Common terpenes include limonene (also found in peppermint, rosemary, and the peels of citrus fruits), terpinolene (also found in lilacs, apples, tea tree, nutmeg, and cumin), myrcene (also found in mango, lemongrass, and thyme), alpha-pinene (also found in pine needles, basil, and dill), and beta-caryophyllene (also found in cloves, pepper, and cinnamon).

Other natural compounds from the hemp plant are known as flavonoids, or plant metabolites, which contribute to the plant’s color, aid in proper cell cycle function, and protect the plant against certain diseases.

When these compounds are taken in supplement form, they act as antioxidants and may help with human cell signaling pathways.

So what happens when cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids are taken at the same time? This is where the entourage effect CBD creates comes into play.

Together, cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids interact with each other and with the endocannabinoid system in perfect synergy to enhance the individual benefits of each compound.

How does the entourage effect work?

Now that we understand what the entourage effect is, it would be helpful to understand how it works to provide such effective benefits.

Research on this theory began with Dr. Ben-Shabat in 1998. In his paper, An Entourage Effect: inactive endogenous fatty acid glycerol esters enhance 2-arachidonoyl-glycerol cannabinoid activity, Ben-Shabat tests the activity of several different fatty acids, noting that the fatty acids “alone show no significant activity,” but together had the potential to increase the biological activity of other fatty acids.

This phenomenon was coined the “entourage effect” and is the same principle that we talk about when discussing the entourage effect CBD and other cannabinoids create.

In 2011, the entourage effect was further studied by Dr. Ethan Russo. In his paper, Taming THC: potential cannabis synergy and phytocannabinoid-terpenoid entourage effects, Russo expands the boundaries of the CBD entourage effect beyond cannabinoids and focuses on how terpenes may play an additional role in the synergistic effects of cannabinoids in the presence of THC.

His study revealed that cannabis supplements containing THC, terpenes, and other natural compounds from the hemp plant result in “complementary pharmacological activities that may strengthen and broaden clinical applications and improve the therapeutic index of cannabis extracts.”

The CBD entourage effect works with the human endocannabinoid system. When you take a CBD product that contains key cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids, the synergistic effects of all compounds with your endocannabinoid system maximize the therapeutic benefits of each individual compound.

How to maximize the entourage effect: 

Maximizing the entourage effect CBD products creates comes down to what natural compounds are present in your CBD product. In this case, we are talking about Broad Spectrum, Full Spectrum, and CBD Isolate.

Suppose you want to maximize the benefits of the entourage effect. In that case, you want the CBD product that contains a full cannabinoid profile and other natural compounds associated with the hemp plant.

A product like this would be called Full Spectrum. Full Spectrum products contain key cannabinoids from the hemp plant, including THC.

These products will also contain additional natural compounds from the hemp plant, including terpenes, flavonoids, vitamins, and minerals.

All of these compounds work together to maximize the benefits of the entourage effect. The entourage effect may still occur with a Broad Spectrum CBD product, but the effects may not be as enhanced.

Broad Spectrum CBD products do not contain THC, and this key cannabinoid is an essential player in the entourage effect. Without THC, the benefits of the entourage effect will still take place but may not be as strong as they could with THC.

With CBD Isolate products, you should not expect the entourage effect to occur. CBD Isolate products do not contain additional key cannabinoids, terpenes, flavonoids, vitamins, or minerals. Isolate products only contain the cannabinoid that has been isolated, providing focused, therapeutic results.

Sum It Up!

So, what is the entourage effect CBD creates? The entourage effect takes place when the cannabinoids present in the CBD oil work synergistically with the human endocannabinoid system to maximize the benefits each cannabinoid offers.

Products like Full-Spectrum CBD or Whole Spectrum CBD oil will have a greater entourage effect due to the amount of cannabinoids present. The entourage effect will still take place with Broad-Spectrum CBD products, but the effects may be lesser when compared to Full-Spectrum.

Get more out of you CBD, with CBD products that contain more cannabinoids than just CBD. Make sure to check third party lab test for products you are interested to see if they have more cannabinoids and not just CBD.

Why buy from Zatural?

At Zatural, our customers come first. Our mission is to help increase the standard of health through natural means. And we offer CBD products with large amounts of cannabinoids to offer a high-quality CBD experience.

All of our products are natural, organically grown, and handcrafted. We offer a 30-day satisfaction guarantee that allows you to return your product for a full refund if you are not satisfied.

For educational purposes only

*FDA DISCLAIMER -These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA.