If you’re reading this, you’ve probably heard of CBD and THC (even if you have no idea what they do exactly), but have you heard of the Entourage Effect? Well, if you think it’s the name of that annoyed feeling you have after watching a certain HBO show, you better keep reading.
Cannabis is a complex plant. While we know it contains 111 distinct cannabinoids, CBD and THC are the most commonly studied. To understand the Entourage Effect, you must first understand CBD and THC.
What is CBD?
CBD (Cannabidiol) is used for a wide variety of medical issues, helping with symptoms of autoimmune diseases, diabetes and nausea, among others. CBD does not give you the infamous “high” or “buzzed” feeling that comes with THC. There are many medical marijuana patients in Arizona who seek products with high levels of CBD like K.I.N.D. Kaps, our line of CBD-filled capsules, to treat their ailments. While some weaker CBD products are sold over the counter, you will find higher quality CBD products in state licensed dispensaries.
The important to thing to note about even the purest CBD product – and some CBD products, especially in the world if K.I.N.D., can be as much as 80% or even 99% pure – is that they will not create the cannabis Entourage Effect. This is because the cannabidiol has been isolated from the other compounds found within the cannabis plant. We’ll get to why this is important in a moment.
What is THC?
THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol) on the other hand is what is responsible for that euphoric and cerebral high most commonly associated with marijuana use. Legality becomes a factor when traveling across state lines with THC products, regardless of their medical use. If you want to medicate discreetly, check out our K.I.N.D. Concentrates Live Resin Vape Cartridges – one of our most potent products.
Again, while high-quality THC products such as those in the world of K.I.N.D. are highly purified and potent, because the tetrahydrocannabinol is isolated from the other component in cannabis, no Entourage Effect will be created.
Why do you need both? The Entourage Effect, that’s why.
Much like the way our body uses Vitamin C to absorb Iron, K.I.N.D. Concentrates has found that CBD and THC work best when taken together. This is called the “Entourage Effect.” As you may already know, there are currently products that have 100% CBD or 100% THC, but what is most effective for pain relief is a blend of both. Through tireless research, we have found that the most effective ratio of THC to CBD is 1 to 10, 1-part THC to 10-parts CBD. This will give patients the benefits of CBD’s pain-relieving properties without the high that comes with THC.
Many people have a lot of questions when it comes to the entourage effect. Here are the answers to some of the most popular ones:
1) What is the entourage effect?
We touched on this above, but a fuller entourage effect definition might say that it relates to the way the behavior and effects of certain organic compounds within cannabis change when they are in the presence of the others.
The organic compounds which cannabis contains include:
- At least 113 different cannabinoids, including the highly important CBD and THC but also many others which have beneficial effects – or which act to magnify the strength of the effects of the CBD and THC.
- Phytonutrients.
- Terpenes (these are the organic compounds which give strains of cannabis – and many other plants and even some varieties of insects – their unique flavors and scents as well as contributing to the entourage effect).
One of the best ways to think of how the entourage effect works is to consider what “entourage” actually means. That is:
“A group of people attending or surrounding an important person.”
Now, replace the important person with CBD or THC and imagine their entourage as the many other compounds found in cannabis. Now it’s easy to picture how these cannabinoids are much more effective with their “people” surrounding and supporting them.
2) What does the entourage effect feel like?
The Entourage Effect is not something that you can really feel in and of itself. However, what you will be able to feel is a major difference between the strength of the effect of a pure CBD or THC product of a certain percentage and that of a full-plant – sometimes called a full spectrum – product which contains the same percentage of that cannabinoid but which also contains all of the other parts of the plant.
The effect you will notice from a full spectrum or full plant product will always feel noticeably more potent. Even if it theoretically contains the same quantity of the cannabinoid you are taking it for.
3) Has the entourage been proven?
There have been several studies done on the marijuana entourage effect. Prominent among them was the study with the catchy title “Multicenter, Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Parallel-Group Study of the Efficacy, Safety, and Tolerability of THC:CBD Extract and THC Extract in Patients with Intractable Cancer-Related Pain”. Which says it all really.
This thorough study, conducted in 2010, showed that cancer patients who medicated with a pure THC extract received less in the way of pain relief than they did when medicating with the THC-CBD combination.
It’s also worth noting that this was a roughly 50:50 combination of THC and CBD. This has been shown by the extensive research of K.I.N.D. and others to potentially be less effective than the 10:1 ratio mentioned above.
4) The entourage effect and terpenes – how does it work?
As previously mentioned, terpenes are aromatic compounds responsible for giving the cannabis plant as well as many other plant and insect species their unique aromas.
For example, limonene is a terpene found in both cannabis and in the rind of citrus fruits. That’s why some marijuana has a pleasant citrus-like aroma.
Similarly, beta-pinene is a terpene found in pine needles as well as some cannabis strains. That’s why some strains smell fresh and a little earthy – just like the floor of a forest covered in fallen pine needles.
In addition to their hugely beneficial effect when it comes to the aroma and flavor of the marijuana you buy, the terpenes inside it will also contribute to the entourage effect – empowering the potency of the CBD, THC and other beneficial cannabinoids found inside.
That’s why cannabis concentrates like live resin – which is designed to protect terpenes which might normally be destroyed by the extraction process – are considered the highest quality products available.
The takeaway
The important thing to remember is that the entourage effect means that all of the different organic components of cannabis, while they work well on their own, will be noticeably more potent if you take them at the same time.
Of course, one of the most important factors to consider is the quality of the medical marijuana or cannabis concentrate that you are purchasing. Always be sure to check for things like where and how your cannabis was grown – using organic, natural means will always be better.
Whether you choose CBD, THC or both, we believe that medical marijuana patients in Arizona will find exactly what they are looking for wherever K.I.N.D. Concentrates are sold.
Check out our menu for a full list of K.I.N.D. products: https://kindconcentrates.com/our-products/
