What are Terpenes?
If you’ve ever inhaled wet pine in a mist-filled forest or taken in a deep, relaxing breathe of lavender oil at the end of a yoga class, then undoubtedly you’ve experienced the fragrant power of terpenes. Often referred to as the aromatic compounds within essential oils, terpenes are protective odors that plants and flowers naturally produce to ward off predators and attract pollinators.
Terpenes and Cannabis
You may know some people that welcome the smell of cannabis, while others may need to politely excuse themselves from the room, and that’s because there are a whopping 120 terpenes that have been identified within the cannabis plant that can be pleasing to some noses but repelling to others. The wide array of terpenes contained within cannabis contributes to its complex scent profile, which can range anywhere from pine, grass, earth, fruit, skunk— to even cheese in certain strains! There are many factors that influence each strain’s development of terpenes, including climate, soil type, plant age, and genetics, which accounts for the diverse variety of terpene profiles within cannabis.
Terpenes Beneficial Value and the Entourage Effect
Terpenes have come into the spotlight within the past few years because of their ability to interact synergistically with cannabinoids contained within cannabis, like THC and CBD. The interaction between terpenes and cannabinoids increases the therapeutic effects of cannabis as a whole, also known as the “entourage effect.”
Each individual terpene is associated with unique effects and holds its own therapeutic value. The effects of any individual terpene may change or become enhanced when in the presence of other compounds, contributing to the “entourage effect.” In 2011, neurologist and researcher Ethan Russo published a groundbreaking paper that described the way terpenes and cannabinoids like CBD worked together to boost and modulate the effects of each other in the body’s Endocannabinoid System (ECS).
The Main Terpenes in Cannabis
While cannabis contains many terpenes, there are a few that occur the most common, which significantly contributes to the aroma and overall effects of a particular strain:
Alpha and Beta-Pinene
Aroma: pine, woodsy
Also Found In: pine needles, rosemary, basil, parsley, dill
Beta-Caryophyllene
Aroma: spicy, woodsy, pepper, cloves
Also Found In: black pepper, cloves, cotton, cinnamon
Humulene
Aroma: woodsy, earthy, herbal, spicy
Also Found In: hops, cilantro, cloves, basil
Limonene
Aroma: lemon, orange
Also Found In: citrus rinds, peppermint, rosemary, juniper
Linalool
Aroma: flowery, sugar, citrus
Also Found In: lavender
Myrcene
Aroma: musky, herbal, citrus, earthy
Also Found In: mango, lemongrass, thyme, hops
How to Get More Terpenes
Research shows that terpenes offer significant therapeutic value on their own, but when combined with other cannabinoids like CBD, they greatly increase the therapeutic influence that cannabis has on the body’s ECS. One of the most effective ways to achieve the “entourage effect” is to choose a full-spectrum CBD product that includes all of the beneficial cannabinoids, terpenes, fatty acids, flavonoids, and vitamins and minerals that are naturally contained within the cannabis plant.
In addition to choosing a full-spectrum CBD product that is naturally rich in terpenes, choosing a product that has added terpenes can drastically increase the benefits and effectiveness of CBD as they work in synergy to support your ECS. HempLand® USA’s team of leading researchers have developed a groundbreaking product that significantly increases the bioavailability and effectiveness of our full-spectrum CBD with added terpene support.
Cannabitol® Full-Spectrum CBD Oil Enhanced with ECS5™ contains our terpene-rich full-spectrum CBD oil and combines this with our proprietary blend of 5 highly active botanicals that are also rich in beneficial terpenes, including beta-caryophyllene, limonene, pinene, myrcene, among a variety of others. Cannabitol® with ECS5™ provides the most advanced support available for your Endocannabinoid System.
Learn more about how ECS5™ with added terpenes provides the world’s most effective ECS support >>
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