Of the many fascinating scientific facts and theories surrounding CBD and cannabis, none is perhaps more mysterious and controversial than the Entourage Effect.
This theory, that multiple compounds found within cannabis are more powerful when working in tandem than when isolated from each other, is the subject of much study, conjecture, and misinformation.
So, what is the Entourage Effect, does it actually do anything, and does it affect CBD products? For all of this to make sense, we’re going to have to start at the beginning with the individual building blocks of cannabis that make up the conditions for the Entourage Effect to exist.
Entourage Effect: CBD and the Building Blocks of Cannabis
There’s a wealth of molecular compounds within the hemp plant that work in tandem to create the Entourage Effect. For our purposes, there are three major ones that we’ll look at: cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids.
A Quick Note on Cannabis, Hemp, and Marijuana
Before we dig into the various compounds that contribute to the Entourage Effect, it’s worth explaining the difference between the terms cannabis, hemp and marijuana. Cannabis comes in two forms, at least in the eyes of the law. These are cannabis hemp and cannabis marijuana. Hemp is the form of cannabis with only trace amounts of THC (less than 0.3%). Marijuana refers to cannabis with greater amounts of THC. All of the CBD products we will be discussing in this article are derived from hemp and not marijuana.
Okay, back to those compounds …
Cannabinoids: CBD, THC, and More
Cannabinoids are the most well-known compounds we find in the cannabis plant. In fact, there are over 100 cannabinoids in the cannabis plant. Among these are our friends CBD, CBG, CBN, CBC, and their more infamous cousin, THC.
Unlike THC, CBD and other cannabinoids are not psychoactive, which means they don’t get you high. Instead, these other cannabinoids carry their own benefits to create the soothing and therapeutic effects CBD products are known for.**
While cannabinoids, like CBD, are what we primarily look for in products like CBD Sleep Gummies, CBD Morning Capsules, and CBD Oil Tinctures, they’re not the only hemp compounds that contribute to our experience.
Terpenes
Chances are, you’ve heard a bit about terpenes already. These are the chemical compounds that create the scents of plants. They’re responsible for the distinct smell of cannabis, and are also abundant in plants like tea, citrus fruits, and herbs.
Terpenes serve an important role in plants. They attract pollinators, warn away grazing animals, and repel insects and parasites. Humans use them extensively, especially in essential oils.
There are roughly 400 terpenes that we know of in the cannabis plant.
Aside from just smelling good, terpenes interact with systems in our bodies to impart their own notable healthful effects.**
Flavonoids
From the sound of the name, you may be assuming that flavonoids have something to do with flavor. They don’t (why keep things simple, huh?).
Instead, flavonoids contribute to the color of plants and flowers. The name comes from the Latin word flavus, which means yellow.
In addition to making apples red, cannabis green, and flowers a whole rainbow of colors, flavonoids serve deeper purposes in plants. They remove toxins, protect plants from invaders like microbes, and filter ultraviolet light.
There has been extensive scientific research on flavonoids and their beneficial effects. Anthocyanidins, are found in cannabis, grapes, and berries, and flavonols are found in cannabis, kale, and peaches.
There are 6,000 known kinds of flavonoids, and 20 of them appear in the hemp plant.
The Endocannabinoid System
Without an endocannabinoid system, not only would the Entourage Effect be impossible, but feeling the effects of any cannabinoid, including CBD, would be unattainable. Why?
The endocannabinoid system is a cell-signalling system found in all mammals (pretty much all vertebrates, really). You and I have an endocannabinoid system, and so do our dogs and cats, turtles and birds, snakes and fish.
It’s a system of receptors closely tied to our central and peripheral nervous systems, as well as our brains and systems that regulate sleep, immune response, digestion, mood, and much more.
The endocannabinoid system is made up of receptors throughout the body that interact with different cannabinoids and other compounds, like terpenes and flavonoids, to pass effects on to the systems, tissues, or organs they work with.
Without this system and its receptors, there would be no way for CBD and other cannabinoids to interact with our bodies.
The system gets its name from endocannabinoids, which are types of cannabinoids our bodies naturally produce. In fact, endocannabinoids were key to discovering the Entourage Effect.
The Entourage Effect: A Short History
In 1998, scientist Raphael Mechoulam at Hebrew University of Jerusalem was studying the effects of a specific endocannabinoid molecule’s interaction with endocannabinoid system receptors, when they found that it worked better in combination with two other molecules.
Mechoulam and his team termed this the Entourage Effect.
Scientists like Ethan Russo, Gudrun Ulrich-Merzenich, and Hildebert Wagner soon saw the potential for understanding how multiple cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids work together to enhance overall effect by increasing absorbency and changing one another’s behaviors.**
Russo has gone on to study the Entourage Effect in depth throughout his career, and has become one of its most outspoken proponents, citing a number of studies.
Is the Entourage Effect Real?
This is where we get down to brass tacks. Is the Entourage Effect really a thing?
Yes, the Entourage Effect is real. But, we’re still at the very earliest stages of understanding how the Entourage Effect works, and how well it works in different combinations of cannabinoids and other compounds.
Why is that? Put simply, it’s because of THC and the legalization and stigmatization around it.
Most solid scientific studies of the Entourage Effect have involved THC — specifically, how well THC and CBD work together. But, it’s difficult for scientists to expand on this research, because of the laws surrounding how and why THC is used.
When it comes to THC-free results, we largely have to rely on anecdotal evidence. And that evidence is pretty overwhelming.
There has been a lot of exaggeration around the Entourage Effect, especially in the cannabis and CBD communities, and it’s important to approach it with an open, but logical mind.
What Does the Entourage Effect Do?
We’re going to preface this with a simple statement. Since the science is still ongoing, the FDA doesn’t allow us to claim that CBD treats any particular illnesses or conditions. Instead, we’re going to share what we do know from both published scientific studies and anecdotal evidence.
The Entourage Effect is a group dynamic, kind of like the Avengers. Alone, each hero is powerful. Together, they’re unstoppable. When multiple building blocks of the cannabis plant are present, their own individual effects are enhanced and the overall effect of the CBD product you’re using is stronger.**
What the Entourage Effect actually does depends on what building blocks of the cannabis plant you’re working with. Essentially, the properties present in each individual building block can be enhanced by the presence of other building blocks.
CBD works in concert with other cannabinoids, like CBC, CBN, and CBG, to achieve enhanced effects that people find more soothing, more energizing, and more focusing, depending upon the combination.**
While some scientists remain skeptical, Ethan Russo and others show great enthusiasm for the therapeutic properties of the Entourage Effect.**
How to Get the Entourage Effect
The simplest way to benefit the most from the Entourage Effect is to be mindful of the kind of CBD oil your products are made with. Full spectrum CBD and broad spectrum CBD possess the most potential for providing the Entourage Effect.**
Full spectrum CBD contains all the naturally occurring cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids found in cannabis hemp, including legally allowed (0.3%) trace amounts of THC. Broad spectrum CBD filters out that remaining bit of THC, losing some other building blocks in the process, but holding on to enough to still give you a slightly diminished, but still potent Entourage Effect.
You can also try products specifically formulated to deliver the Entourage Effect in the way you need it. For instance, our CBD + CBN Calming Tincture is made with full spectrum CBD oil and additional CBN and calming terpenes to produce just the chill evening you need. **
Similarly, our CBD Morning Capsules and CBD Oil Wellness Tincture are formulated with additional CBG and terpenes to enhance the focusing effect people find in the combination of CBD and CBG.**
From CBD topicals for sore muscles and irritated skin to delicious and healthy CBD gummies, there’s a multitude of ways you can experience the combination of CBD and valuable cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids to achieve the Entourage Effect — and reap benefits far more powerful than you ever would from any individual building block.**
Interested in the Entourage Effect? Try our CBD + CBN Calming Tincture with ingredients selected to enhance your chill.
