The CBD industry is rapidly growing in popularity throughout the world. Now a major industry in the UK and the US, bodies of research are rapidly massing around the subject; with the term ‘entourage effect’ increasingly bandied about. But what does this actually mean for CBD users and curious vapers?
What is the entourage effect?
The entourage effect attempts to explain what happens when cannabinoids (the range of substances found in CBD) are consumed and react with your body. Some believe that in order to get the most from a course of herbal treatment, it should be applied in its whole form or as close to it as possible. However, there are various schools of thought suggesting that some ways of taking CBD are better than others.
In plain English, cannabis is made up of a number of distinct elements, and the two of the most interest to users are THC and CBD. If either of these elements is taken with the terpenes - the essential oils of a plant - they act as a powerful force-multiplier that can make the pathways and receptors in our body react more strongly than if you were taking one substance alone. Put simply, by taking THC or CBD with terpenes, a greater benefit can potentially be drawn.
In order to get the entourage effect, users should try to recreate the ‘natural state’ of a potential remedy and encourage the different elements to work together. This is a process known as ‘synergy’ and it is a tried-and-tested cornerstone of modern medicine. It’s the reason why your doctor or pharmacist will tell you not to take certain treatments on top of each other as they may interact in strong or potentially unpredictable ways. With CBD, this makes your body more sensitive to the elements in the plant and produces a stronger reaction from the cannabinoids.
An easy way to think about the entourage effect is to compare it to a football team. While you may win by using a team full of strikers to race to victory or fend off a loss by stuffing the field with defenders, you will not be getting the best out of your players. Fielding a balanced and varied team makes you more powerful on the pitch and much, much more effective than the sum of its parts.
How can you benefit from the entourage effect?
When it comes to vaping, you will want your CBD products and oils be as natural as possible if you want to try and experience the entourage effect. If this is something you’re interested in trying, you’ll want to choose a full spectrum e-liquid that contains raw CBD and holds all of the essential range of terpenes, flavonoids, and cannabinoids present in a natural plant. While THC is also in the mix, it’s at a concentration of 0.1% which won’t run the risk of affecting you and is within the safe legal limits set by out the Home Office.
If you want to add to this, you can also take CBD E-Liquid with added terpenes. These products, including CBD oil itself, are available in a range of sizes and strengths to suit your needs.
Finding a balance can take time, but using reliable, safe CBD products can help you efficiently and responsibly settle on a routine that works for you and draw the maximum benefit from your vaping experience. If you want to learn more about the range of extras that you can use to supplement your CBD use, you can check out our selection of accessories and products online or get in touch with our team directly and let us know what you need in order to get the most from your CBD use.