The Benefits of Terpenes in CBD Oil

Have you ever wondered about the smell of CBD oil? That very distinct fresh, earthy smell? Well, it comes from things called terpenes.

Terpenes are fragrant compounds that give plants their smell. This includes things like hemp, flowers, herbs, and fruits.

But these aromatic compounds don’t just smell good. There are many benefits of terpenes, specially when it comes to CBD oil.

That said, you have to have the right CBD oil… but we’ll get to that.

The Benefits of Terpenes

In a plant, terpenes serve a variety of protective function, such as warding off insect predators and protecting them from environmental stresses.

But the benefits of terpenes go beyond plant protection. They also offer some pretty awesome health benefits to the human body as well.

Here are some of the terpenes present in the hemp plant, and their various benefits:

• Linalool – commonly found in lavender. Linked with anxiety relief, calm, pain relief, as well as anticonvulsant and sedative properties. Research also shows that it can inhibit the growth of fungus.
• Myrcene – commonly found in mango, lemongrass, thyme. Known to have a strong sedative effect, and may also be an effective anti-inflammatory. In fact, recent research shows that it may be helpful in slowing the degradation of cartilage, which could be useful for osteoarthritis.
• Limonene – commonly found in citrus fruits and peppermint. It has been shown to have anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties, as well as anti-inflammatory and anti-carcinogen properties. In fact, one study found that limonene reduced free radicals in leukemia cells, which helped decrease inflammation!
• Carene – commonly found in rosemary, lemons, and pine and cedar trees. It’s probably what contributes most to the smell of CBD. Medicinally, carene may improve bone health and be used as an anti-inflammatory.
• Humulene – commonly found in hope, basil, and clove. It has antibacterial and anti-fungal properties, and research shows it may also help with inflammation.
• Pinene – commonly found in dill, parsley, rosemary. It has been shown to calming and anti-inflammatory properties.

Alone, these terpenes are pretty impressive, and bring a lot to the individual plants which contain them. When they work together, such as when in a CBD oil, you get all of these benefits in one.

Are Terpenes in All CBD Oils?

Are terpenes in all CBD oils? No, you won’t find them in all bottles.

You need a specific type to get the benefits of terpenes.

For example, you can get straight CBD oil (also known as isolate), that’s literally just CBD. This means that everything but the CBD has been removed, and you’re just getting CBD. So, no terpenes.

You can also get broad spectrum CBD, which is CBD with the THC removed, but the other compounds in place. This will usually contain terpenes, just no THC. And that is important (one second, we’ll tell you why).

Then there’s the Full Monty: full spectrum CBD. This is made with an extract that contains all or nearly all of the compounds naturally present in the cannabis plant. This includes lots of terpenes! It also has minuscule amounts of THC (look for max 0.3%). While this amount won’t give you that high feeling, it is important to be able to get the full entourage effect.

Sorry, the what effect?

The Entourage Effect: The Benefits of Terpenes in CBD Oil

The entourage effect is a term that describes the way all the beneficial elements of a plant work together in your body. It’s when they work in synergy to create an effect that’s more powerful than what they can do on their own.

As we mentioned, the terpenes in CBD, on their own, are great.

But when you combine them with the various cannabinoids in the hemp plant, then you’re really cooking with gas! That’s the entourage effect.

When it comes to the benefits of terpenes, we know that they cooperate with and support those other cannabis molecules in producing their desired effects.

So, even in trace amounts, those terpenes are working alongside the CBD to give you the most benefits you can get. The get the most from that bottle, and everything the hemp plant has to offer, go for full spectrum to get all the benefits of terpenes.