CBD has become well-known among the health and wellness industry. While its roots lie within cannabis plants, CBD is distinct from THC, the marijuana compound more commonly associated with the plants. CBD does not cause the trademark “high” connected to marijuana use. Instead, it minimizes physical and mental pain or duress. CBD enables the endocannabinoid system by helping neurotransmitters function correctly within the body.
CBD comes in a wide variety of products, including oils, lotions, bath bombs, and edibles. Many people choose to give CBD to friends or loved ones in the form of gift boxes that allow an array of options to enjoy the natural remedy.
As the title of this article suggests, there’s a relationship between CBD oil and terpenes. But the relationship isn’t consistent, and there are some CBD products that contain no terpenes at all. What’s the difference you might ask? Let’s try to answer that.
What Are Terpenes
Similar to elements in the atmosphere and our surrounding environments, terpenes exist almost everywhere. They are natural compounds that give objects their distinct smells.
As to the relationship with CBD oil, terpenes are extracted from the same cannabis plant glands as CBD and THC. Terpenes are aromatic oils that colour the strands of cannabis plants with distinct flavours.
To put a mild point on the matter, terpenes are what enhance the strength of both the smell and taste of CBD products. They influence the ways that CBD products affect both the mind and the body when people ingest those products into their systems.
For example, the molecular compound of certain terpenes allows the mind and body to let go of stressful feelings in favour of a more relaxed state of being. On the other hand, other types of terpenes can increase energy levels and motivate users into focused productive periods.
Which Terpenes Are Best for Pain
The principal benefit of terpenes, as they relate to CBD oil, is the ability to minimize the effects of inflammation in the body. When the body is injured, or attempting to heal from an injury, the immune system triggers a state of inflammation to stop the injury from spreading. However, too much inflammation can sensitize nerves surrounding nearby muscles to the point where sharp feelings of pain or discomfort exude out from those sensitive areas.
Terpenes, working in conjunction with cannabinoids from CBD oil, prevent the body from entering a state of excess inflammation. Terpenes block the CB receptors in the body from being triggered during inflammation, sparing the nerves from the effects of the healing process. This allows the body to heal without causing uncomfortable levels of sensitivity.
The most common terpene extracted from cannabis plants is myrcene, which can be responsible for nearly two thirds of all terpenes within the plant. Myrcene has anti-inflammatory properties that shield the body during a healing process, and it also promotes a relaxed frame of mind. In essence, myrcene can help improve both physical and mental well beings.
A very educational table comparing different types of terpenes is also available. It compares how the different types of terpenes are extracted from their sources and their effects on people.
What Are CBD Terpenes Used For
CBD terpenes help the body shield itself during healing processes with anti-inflammatory properties. Research has highlighted the therapeutic benefits of terpenes and their relationship with CBD in what is commonly described as the entourage effect.
The anti-inflammatory properties of both CBD and terpenes reduce the overall sensitivity and discomfort in the body. But the benefits of both remedies also influence the brain as much as they do the body.
Scientists have tested how CBD oil influences the brain in people suffering from conditions like epilepsy, MS, Parkinson’s, and Alzheimer’s diseases. While more conclusive studies are still necessary to gain a thorough understanding of the net effects, the early clinical trials show promise in how patients with these conditions can vastly improve their quality of life with regular doses of CBD oil.
Patients with epilepsy, in particular, are encouraged to try CBD products to treat their condition. The FDA officially approved a strand of CBD known as Epidiolex to treat two rare versions of epilepsy, Lennox-Gastaut and Dravet syndromes.
Are Terpenes Important in CBD Oil
Terpenes have the ability to influence the strength and sensation of CBD oil. This is known as the entourage effect.
The entourage effect is an unproven theory describing how all of the molecular compounds of CBD products interact with each other and the net effect of those relationships on people who ingest the products. Theoretically, when the entourage effect begins to influence the body, the aromatic compounds of both CBD and terpenes activate anti-inflammatory properties in the body. The net effect is the body’s ability to absorb these natural benefits through the blood-brain barrier and by overcoming the body’s bacterial defense mechanisms.
It should be noted that the entourage effect has yet to be officially proven and that there is still no scientific evidence that it definitively strengthens other molecules within the body. A person’s unique endocannabinoid system, body mass, and preferred CBD product are more likely to influence how the body reacts to the benefits of CBD oil.
What About CBD Oil From CO2 Extracted Isolate
This extraction method uses pressurized carbon dioxide to pull CBD out of the cannabis plant. CO2 is kept at a certain temperature that allows it to maintain a state between a gas and a liquid. It’s in this form, in an off-variant of dry ice, that allows CO2 to extract CBD oil from plants.
However, because the CO2 is kept in a near frozen state, the cold temperature has the effect of freezing out any terpenes within the cannabinoids. As a result, CO2 extracted CBD oil contains no terpenes and has a specific use case of promoting health and wellness for people who choose to ingest these CBD products.
Since CO2 extracted CBD products are purely organic, they enable anti-inflammatory treatments for pain and other underlying conditions with less risk of sending the body into a state of too much inflammation. This allows users of these products to improve their overall health without the potential side effects of this type of treatment. As a result, CO2 extracted CBD products are perfectly safe for consumption without the need for terpenes.
Final Thoughts
Much has been documented about how CBD is extracted from cannabis plants, and there are just as many articles outlining the arms-length relationship between CBD and THC. The exact nature of how terpenes interact with CBD oil is less publicized but equally as important to understand how CBD can improve the overall health and wellness of one’s everyday life.
The strength of the smell of CBD oils and other products will give you a better understanding of the types of terpenes that co mingle with the products. This will also help you determine the likely effects on your body and brain when you ingest the CBD products.
Speak with your primary doctor about CBD and terpenes if you plan to add them to your regular routine. Your doctor will have a better understanding of the type of CBD extract and the size of the dose that best benefit you and your conditions.