You are as good as the company you keep. Thanks to the entourage effect, that’s a good thing for those who use CBD products. The entourage effect is the idea all compounds found in cannabis are best when taken together than when taken separately. This can be likened to eating an orange when you want vitamin C benefits compared to eating a vitamin C tablet.
While the entourage effect plays a crucial role in the benefits of CBD, not all products will trigger this phenomenon. Knowing if your formula is entourage effect-enriched is critical for those using hemp extract for optimal wellness. Let Made by Hemp guide you through the ins and outs of the entourage effect.
How Do I Know if My CBD Product Has the Entourage Effect?
It’s so easy to get caught up in the excitement surrounding the ever-growing presence of CBD products in health and wellness shops. Like any new product you purchase, it’s important to check out the label. There are many telling pieces of information on them, including if the product has the entourage effect.
Now, most CBD products won’t openly say, “Entourage effect included.” Instead, you are going to look for other words that classify what type of CBD product you are purchasing. While they all come with their own sets of benefits, these each have a different level of potency. Here are some terms to look out for when shopping for the highest-quality CBD products.
Full Spectrum CBD Oil
Full spectrum is the terminology to look for when seeking a product which has the entourage effect. CBD products that are truly full spectrum are extracted while maintaining the integrity of as many cannabinoids as possible, including tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), therefore, CBD oil derived from hemp will have trace levels of THC up to .3% by law.
Its low concentration of this molecule makes the product non-intoxicating. However, with THC in the equation, all of the cannabinoids are present. All cannabinoids being accounted for is the basis of the entourage effect and what makes full spectrum CBD oil one of the highest-quality hemp products on the market.
So, if you are buying CBD oil, and it’s labeled as full spectrum as well as zero THC… it’s not full spectrum.
Broad Spectrum CBD Oil
Broad spectrum CBD oil also carries the entourage effect, for the most part. However, the formula is likely not as potent as full spectrum hemp extract. The reason for this is that broad spectrum CBD oil contains little to no THC.
After the extraction process, some companies will remove THC from the final product. However, the remaining cannabinoids remain in the formula, therefore, broad spectrum can sometimes also technically be full spectrum, depending on the formula. Since THC levels are so low in hemp to begin with, the differences are minimal. However, broad-spectrum CBD oil may not be as bioavailable or beneficial as full spectrum.
CBD Isolate
When you first see the words, “CBD isolate,” you might interpret that the product is a potent dose of this cannabinoid. While there are benefits to using CBD isolate, you are legitimately purchasing CBD that’s isolated from other hemp compounds. That means there are no additional cannabinoids in the formula. Therefore, if you are buying CBD isolate, you most likely won’t experience the benefits of the entourage effect.
The benefit to CBD isolate, however, is that it is completely THC Free, and thus anyone needing to avoid any amount of THC can feel safe taking this product as it won’t cause a failed THC drug test.
CBD, THC, and the Entourage Effect
If you brush your hand over a hemp flower, you’ll notice microscopic hairs float into the atmosphere. These are known as trichomes. Like human hair follicles, trichomes have glands. Within these glands lie chemical compounds that make cannabis one of the most unique plants on this earth–cannabinoids.
Research indicates there are 113 known phytocannabinoids on record. Each cannabinoid has its own molecular structure that allows it to interact with our bodies’ endocannabinoid system in its own unique way.
The two most commonly known cannabinoids are THC and cannabidiol (CBD). THC is the cannabinoid primarily found in marijuana. It’s the reason the plant has intoxicating properties. However, there are low doses of THC also found in hemp.
Under federal law, all hemp extracts need to be formulated using hemp plants with a THC concentration of 0.3% or less. Otherwise, the product is technically considered marijuana. Instead of higher levels of THC, hemp plants are abundant in CBD.
CBD is responsible for opening the eyes of the mainstream media because this cannabinoid exhibits a litany of beneficial side effects, with none of them causing a mind-altering experience. With that being said, CBD doesn’t do all this beneficial work for your endocannabinoid system on its own. It gets by with a little help from its friends.
The Entourage Effect and Cannabinoids
While there are benefits to THC and CBD, you won’t experience maximum results without the other 111 phytocannabinoids discovered by humankind. Research on the entourage effect primarily looks at how THC and CBD interact with other chemical compounds found in hemp. However, there has been research and studies conducted on several phytocannabinoids and their potential benefits as well.
While in their beginning stages, the studies are promising. These early analyses also lend credence to the fact the entourage effect exists, and that this phenomenon plays a vital role in experiencing maximum benefits from hemp extract.
This Article first appeared on MadeByHemp.com