CBD, terpenes and the entourage effect

How much do you know about CBD, terpenes and the entourage effect? When should you use full-spectrum hemp oil (FSHO) CBD or an isolate? The reason I ask that last question is that an isolate is just that. The purest form of CBD taken from the hemp, leaving behind everything else. Full spectrum CBD, however, contains all the natural chemicals found in the whole plant, including other cannabinoids, flavonoids, essential oils and terpenes. Let’s take a closer look at the differences.

CBD isolate

As I’ve noted, the CBD isolate is the purest form of CBD with no additional terpenes, cannabinoids and even trace amounts of THC that make an FSHO product.

So, if you are a bit unsure of the components of an FSHO, you may be considering a CBD isolate. However, a 2015 animal study showed that CBD isolate may provide certain health benefits, yet not as significant as with a full-spectrum CBD product. Also, according to that research, a CBD isolate may not be as effective  against pain and inflammation and may only occur at a certain dose. The effects of full-spectrum products, on the other hand, increase as the dosage does.

This is the reason people who wish to take high doses of CBD may prefer an isolate. This is not necessarily a negative quality of CBD isolate. Some people may prefer a product without THC, or they might be sensitive to this substance.

Full-spectrum CBD

It’s important to note that all of Lost Remedy products are made with FSHO. Here’s why. FSHO contains all the cannabinoids and compounds found in the hemp plant. In addition, it contains many essential vitamins and minerals, fatty acids, proteins, chlorophyll, fiber, flavonoids and terpenes. It also contains dozens of cannabinoids. The most abundant is CBD, which makes up 90% of this full-spectrum oil. Other cannabinoids contained in hemp oil are CBD, CBG, CBN and trace levels of THC (under .2%).

FSHO contains all the cannabinoids and compounds found in the hemp plant.

Extracted FSHO also contains vitamins A, C and E, as well as B complex vitamins such as riboflavin, thiamine and niacin. In addition, it’s a source of vitamins not sufficiently present in many diets including beta-carotene. As stated above, this FSHO includes numerous minerals, fatty acids, proteins and a host of other components, all of which work together to enhance the healthful benefits of this unique oil.

A word about terpenes

I wouldn’t be able to discuss FSHO without including terpenes, which are a vital part of the entourage effect. Terpenes – found in most plants – are the aromatic compounds t

hat in the hemp plant play an important role in helping CBD compounds reach optimal effects. In fact, the scent of terpenes has been found to support physical and mental health.

Although the hemp plant has around 200 terpenes, here is a list of the most notable, which are also found in other plants:

• Linalool. The same terpene found in lavender has a sweet, floral scent.
• Limonene. Limonene can also be found in lemon rind, orange rind, and juniper.
• Myrcene. Found in lemongrass and hops, which contributes to the scent of beer.
• Alpha and beta-pinene.Found in pine needles and have an earthy, woody aroma.

CBD and the entourage effect

Essentially, the entourage effect is when all the components of the CBD work in concert to support your health. CBD is just one of many components derived from hemp. True the others appear in lesser quantity than CBD, but they are important in supporting what CBD does in our bodies.

When you take CBD, you also receive a lot of botanical compounds. Each compound comes with its own effect and benefit, but which can change upon encountering other compounds. So, if you look at the dictionary meaning of entourage you’ll see it is a group surrounding or attending an important person. So, think of these lesser compounds such as cannabinoids, flavonoids, terpenes and other phytochemicals in the hemp plant as the group surrounding or attending CBD. Together these compounds can amplify each other’s chemistry, making the overall plant more effective in addressing symptoms.

As I’ve often mentioned in this blog, everybody (human or animal) has an endocannabinoid system (ECS), which is responsible for maintaining balance within our system. This balance is called homeostasis.

In 1998, Raphael Mechoulam, renowned CBD researcher, Israeli organic chemist and professor of Medicinal Chemistry at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in Israel, worked with fellow researcher Shimon Ben-Shabat to understand how our ECS demonstrated the entourage effect. An October 19, 2019, article explained that, “According to the duo, various inactive metabolites and related molecules boosted the activity of the primary endogenous cannabinoids [cannabinoids that naturally occur in our bodies]: 2-AG and anandamide. They said it helped explain why botanical drugs were often more effective than isolated ones.”

So, now you have a basic idea of 1) the entourage effect and 2) why Lost Remedy CBD topicals are made with FSHO.