CBD products have grown in popularity due to their potential health benefits. And if you are a CBD consumer, you might have read the label and noticed an unfamiliar word, which is terpene. The first question on your mind would be what are terpenes?
Why are they part of your full spectrum CBD products and, will they boost or damage your CBD?
Therefore in this post, we will learn what these terpenes are. Do they offer any real benefit for your CBD products and, will they help your general health and wellbeing?
What Are Terpenes?
They are aromatic compounds found in different varieties of plants, herbs, and trees. They are responsible for the distinct aroma, smell, scents, and taste of plants. Hence these helps plants in repelling predators like grazer animals and attract pollinators like insects to help carry pollen from one plant to another.
The cannabis plant has over 100 different terpenes. They can be available in both cannabis varieties that are marijuana and hemp. Therefore due to terpenes, you will have cannabis strains having different aromas and tastes like earthy to flowery smell and taste.
The Most Common Types of Terpenes
There are more than 100 distinct terpenes found in the cannabis plant. But we cannot list all of them here. Hence the terpenes in focus are the ones found in hemp and CBD products and, they include:
Limonene
It is a terpene found in citrus fruits like lemon and orange. Therefore it gives off a lemony aroma making it ideal terpenes to be used in cleaning products, perfumes, and candles.
Besides its scent, this terpene offers benefits to your health. It has anti-inflammatory, anti-anxiety, anticancer, and antiviral properties. Also, it can help with stress relief, ulcers prevention, and improving your mood.
Therefore by having the limonene terpene in your CBD products, it will supplement the benefits of this cannabinoid.
Myrcene
It is the most common terpenes found in hemp plants. It is also the smallest terpene in cannabis in terms of its structure chemically.
It has an earthy aroma and has relaxing effects. It can as well be, employed as a sleep aid. There is also research suggesting that it has muscle-relaxing effects.
Linalool
It is another common terpene that is found in 200 different plants. It has a floral aroma due to its presence in flowers like lavender.
The pleasant aroma of this terpene has made it become used in aromatherapy. Also, it may be helpful in sleep, stress, and anxiety.
A study involved rats that were subjected to stressful situations. Later the rats were then exposed to linalool. The findings showed that linalool inhalation represses stress-induced effects. Therefore this terpene has anti-stress effects.
Pinene
They are available in pine needles, therefore, in pine trees and some conifers. They also have an earthy pine-like scent.
This terpene has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties. Also, it is a bronchodilator where due to the terpenes aroma it improves airflow to the lungs.
Caryophyllene
It’s available in cloves, hops, black pepper, rosemary, and also hemp plants. It has a woody, spicy aroma and, due to its interaction with the endocannabinoid system (ECS), this terpene is necessary for CBD products.
Therefore, it binds with CB2 receptors. And has the likelihood, to help with mood, pain, and inflammation management.
Humulene
This terpene is also referred to as alpha humulene and is common in both cannabis and hops. And due to its hoppy and earthy smell, it has been utilized as an ingredient in beer.
It has been shown to have anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor properties.
A 2009 animal study showed that terpene humulene has a preventive anti-inflammatory effect.
Terpinolene
It’s a minor cannabis terpene hence found in small quantities. This terpene is available in tea tree oil, apples, and conifers. Therefore it will have a floral, woodsy citrus smell and aroma.
In terms of its possible benefits, this terpene has anti-inflammation and anticancer properties.
A 2013 study on rat brain cells showed that terpinolene is a potent antiproliferative (inhibitory) agent for brain tumor cells and may have potential as an anticancer agent.
Ocimene
It can be available in mangoes, black pepper, lavender, basil, and orchids. Ocimene has a sweet herbal scent and may offer anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and anti-fungal properties.
A 2014 study showed that essential oils from Citrus unshiu flower can potentially possess anti-inflammatory properties. But the chemical constituents of this oil supported this, and ocimene was part of the composition of the oil. Therefore ocimene can help reduce inflammation.
The Role of Terpenes in Full-Spectrum CBD Products
Why should you care whether terpenes are in your CBD? As we have deduced that terpenes are aromatic compounds found in plants that may be beneficial to your health.
But how are terpenes and full-spectrum CBD linked?
There are three types of CBD products in the market with distinct chemical compositions. They are labeled differently and include:
CBD Isolate
It is also referred to as pure CBD. When CBD is labeled this way, it is, portrayed that the product has the cleanest form of CBD. Therefore, no THC and other hemp plant cannabinoids, terpenes, and components.
Full-Spectrum CBD
It has all the chemical compositions in the hemp plant, such as flavonoids, terpenes, and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). The hemp’s natural compounds have not been extracted. The full-spectrum CBD is, considered ideal since the compounds are collaborating to deliver relief, better classified as the entourage effect.
Broad-Spectrum CBD
It has all the chemical compositions of the hemp plant but, THC is removed. You can classify it as a full spectrum without the THC.
Therefore a broad spectrum and full-spectrum CBD are ideal here if you want terpenes as part of your CBD product.
So What Is This Entourage Effect?
When the cannabis compounds from the phytocannabinoids to terpenes are taken together, they work collectively and produce a better effect. It is what’s referred to as the entourage effect.
Since a full spectrum CBD has all the compounds of cannabis, you will experience an entourage effect when taking it.
A 2011 study review showed that the phytocannabinoid-terpenoid interactions do lead to the entourage effects. And this interaction may be beneficial in relieving pain, inflammation, depression, anxiety, addiction, epilepsy, cancer, fungal and bacterial infections.
A 2018 study describes entourage effects as the united benefits of specific terpenes and flavonoids that could boost the therapeutic potential of CBD to improve cognition in disease states that manifest impairment.
It can also be defined as the act by which cannabis compounds support the effects of major cannabinoids like CBD.
The role of terpenes in CBD products is to boost their benefits to your health. Therefore if linalool terpene is contained in your CBD, your product will have a floral scent and may relieve stress. Hence CBD users will experience both the benefits of cannabinoids and terpenes in the same product.
But to ensure that your full-spectrum CBD product is of high quality with terpenes and phytocannabinoids contained in it, check its Certificate of Analysis (COA). It will help you determine the type of terpenes included and the composition of cannabinoids. Also, the COA should be from an independent third-party laboratory.
Conclusion
By now, you grasp what are terpenes and why they are an integral part of your CBD product.
Terpenes can be found in all plants and, cannabis is not an exception to the rule. Some of the notable terpenes are limonene, ocimene, terpinolene, humulene, caryophyllene, pinene, linalool, and myrcene.
They are available in the cannabis plant but, they are just a few of the terpenes since they are more than 100 terpenes.
CBD and terpenes work in sync with each other and, no one compound can be better than the other. It is why a full-spectrum CBD, is considered much more efficient since different compounds are working together (entourage effect) to relieve a condition and boost your wellbeing.
Therefore without terpenes, cannabinoids like CBD would not have the same therapeutic effects in terms of usefulness and relevancy.
But the research on terpenes and how they affect your body is still limited. Most of the conclusions on terpene use are based on anecdotal evidence.
This is not a surprise because before the 2018 Farm Bill research focus on CBD and the different compounds found in cannabis like terpene was not there. Hence more research is needed to understand the interaction between terpenes and cannabinoids.
And if you are interested in taking a full spectrum CBD product due to their terpenes, be sure to consult with your doctor. It will help you avoid unnecessary effects that might happen when you use CBD together with other medications. Such drug-drug interactions can cause unpleasant side effects and even lead to the medication you might be using not working.
Therefore proceed with caution in such a case. But full-spectrum CBD products are considered safe to use with mild side effects.
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Disclaimer: fabuleaf’s products have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended for diagnosing, treating, curing or preventing any disease. Any information discussed in this blog is not a replacement for professional medical advice. Please consult your doctor or physician for medical advice.