Entourage Effect: Delta-8 THC Works Better With Terpenes

Cannabis connoisseurs know about the entourage effect to boost the potential of cannabis and enhance its ability to create more preferable results. Many people in the CBD (cannabidiol) industry quickly learned about the entourage effect because it is commonly used by marijuana users, which combines cannabidiol with tetrahydrocannabinol (Delta-9 THC) in marijuana to produce a better effect than when you take THC alone.

Granted, both CBD and THC work favorably well by themselves but what if you could experience these two separately but with their effects enhanced significantly? What if we were to tell you that cannabinoids, such as THC, holds even more potential and you are capable of taking advantage of it using terpenes? In this article, we focus on the entourage effect and how Delta-8 THC works better with terpenes.

What Is The Entourage Effect?

The Entourage Effect is the idea that active cannabis compounds can increase or enhance activity when combined with inactive compounds. The two compounds come together synergistically in the Endocannabinoid System to increase the effects, rather than strictly relying on an isolated compound. In other words, the cannabinoids in a full spectrum hemp product (contains all cannabinoids without extraction and isolation) work together, delivering a greater effect, rather than consuming larger quantities of an isolated product to achieve the same results.

WHEN WAS THE ENTOURAGE EFFECT DISCOVERED?

Just over two decades ago (1998), Professors Raphael Mechoulam and Shimon Ben-Shabat put forward the idea that the Endocannabinoid System demonstrated what is called the “entourage effect”, which utilized a variety of inactive metabolites and molecules with a close relation, increasing the activity of cannabinoids.

DOES THE ENTOURAGE EFFECT REALLY WORK?

A study conducted in 2010 reported that patients who were given a combination of both THC and CBD reported having less pain than those who were given pure THC extract or an extract that contained near-equal levels of THC and CBD. The patients in the study had cancer and suffered from pain. A review of studies published in 2011 in the British Journal of Pharmacology found that taking both cannabinoids and terpenes together may have positive effects with certain conditions.

Entourage Effect and Delta-8 THC: What Is The Relation?

Although the information we have on the Entourage Effect is mostly based on combining Delta-9 THC with other cannabinoids and terpenes, you shouldn’t be surprised that Delta-8 THC works in the same way due to its similarities.

The molecular similarities between Delta-9 and Delta-8 THC show a strong relation. The two have also been known to share many of the same characteristics and effects they deliver. With this knowledge, we can assume that Delta-8 THC can also produce enhanced effects when combined in an Entourage Effect, rather than ingested as an isolate.

What Are Terpenes?

While many people are aware of the cannabinoids in the cannabis plant, very few are aware of the terpenes in them. Terpenes are aromatic compounds that are found in the cannabis plant, though they also exist in many other plants as well. If you were already aware of terpenes, you may associate them with the cannabis plant, however, because the cannabis plant contains much higher concentrations of terpenes compared to others.

The aromatic oils of terpenes are the cause of different scents and flavors in a variety of cannabis strains. For instance, our Cali Orange Kush strain that lives in our Delta-8 THC Cartridge utilizes a terpene profile that delivers the smell and taste of orange and citrus.

DIFFERENT TYPES OF TERPENES

There are as many as 20,000 terpenes that exist, and the cannabis plant produces more than 100 of them. Some of the most common terpenes in cannabis are Myrcene, Limonene, Linalool, Caryophyllene, Eucalyptol, Alpha-Bisabolol, Trans-Nerolido, Humulene, Camphene, Terpinol, Alpha and Beta-Pinene, and many more.

Some of them have citrus, apple, and woody notes to name a few, and are often found in some of the industry’s most iconic strains, such as Skywalker OG (rich in nerolidol) and Strawberry Cough (contains Pinene). Researchers have also found that terpenes not only help with both the smell and taste of cannabis but it also plays a vital role by offering various medical benefits.

How Delta-8 THC Works Better With Terpenes

Delta-8 THC works better with terpenes because the terpenes can be used to enhance Delta-8 or even counteract some of its flaws. To give you a clear example, Leafly, the industry’s go-to source for all things related to cannabis and cannabis strains, shares that the Grand Daddy Purple strain uses myrcene, caryophyllene, and pinene, which may help exhibit better sleep (due to myrcene), while also reducing pain and inflammation (due to both THC and caryophyllene).

To go further in-depth on these terpenes and how Delta-8 THC works better with them, one example included in a review by Dr. Ethan Russo (neurologist and pharmacologist who studies cannabis compounds) titled “Taming THC: potential cannabis synergy and phytocannabinoid-terpenoid entourage effects” shared that Pinene helps counteract compromised memory caused by THC. There are many more terpenes that can be combined with Delta-8 THC to enhance its effects and boost its powerful benefits.

Conclusion

Our Delta Extrax premium Delta 8 THC products use a combination of both Delta 8 THC distillate and strain-specific terpenes to deliver an enhanced experience beyond what Delta-8 THC commonly offers. We wholeheartedly believe in the Entourage Effect and we believe you will too after using our Delta-8 cartridges.

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