Delta-8-THC and the Entourage Effect
As you may know, Delta 8 is a byproduct of THC that is chemically similar to the more well-known Delta 9. But what you might not know about this relatively new compound is that it can be used for a wide range of medical benefits, including managing pain and nausea in cancer patients. Additionally, some sources claim that Delta 8 can help with seizures caused by epilepsy. Now that we got the basics out of the way, this article is about the entourage effect. The entourage effect refers to how cannabinoids and terpenes combine to offer you a complete experience when using delta 8 THC products.
The Entourage Effect
While the term "entourage effect" is relatively new, the concept of terpenes and cannabinoids working together to create specific effects is not. In fact, this relationship may have been in use since before we began cultivating cannabis tens of thousands of years ago. The entourage effect seems to be a natural part of cannabis, so it's essential to understand how it works, especially with the push to understand Delta 8.
What is the Entourage Effect and how does it work?
The idea of the entourage effect is that all the cannabinoids produced by the plant work together to produce a more excellent therapeutic value than any single cannabinoid could deliver on its own. In other words, cannabinoids have a different effect on the body when they are combined than when they are used alone. The theory is that they create a synergy in the body when used in combination with one another, enhancing their therapeutic value. To put it more simply, the more terpenes (which we talked about previously) and other cannabinoids that join forces create a more therapeutic and beneficial experience. There are different types of entourage effects for different cannabinoids and terpenes. For example, one can induce relaxation or even sleepiness while another might provide an energetic boost (and yet another could do both).
As mentioned above, the entourage effect is a synergistic relationship between phytochemicals (aka chemicals produced by plants) and the human body. It's believed that phytochemicals such as terpenes, flavonoids, and cannabinoids work in synergy to produce their effect. One example of this phenomenon is alpha-pinene. This terpene is contained in conifer trees and many cannabis varieties, including Sativa strains like Jack Herer and Durban Poison. Alpha-pinene has been proven to be anti-inflammatory, pain-relieving, anti-anxiety, and bronchodilating (it improves airflow into your lungs). When alpha-pinene interacts with your brain's dopamine system — which is responsible for how you feel pleasure — it produces a synergistic mood boost that can help combat symptoms of depression like low energy levels, low self-esteem, suicidal thoughts, and cognitive impairment (brain fog), and social anxiety. This improvement in mood also increases your motivation to be active when you're depressed as well as helps fight fatigue that comes with depression or anxiety. The idea is that combining this terpene with another terpene would enhance the effects further than just using it by itself.
The future of the Entourage Effect?
Though ongoing research is providing a better understanding of the endocannabinoid system, much remains unknown about how cannabinoids interact with each other and with other compounds found in cannabis oil, such as terpenes. These flavonoids have been shown to enhance the therapeutic properties of cannabis through aromatherapy and are used in products like Delta 8 THC Distillate.
While there isn't enough scientific evidence to draw any conclusions about the entourage effect, it's reasonable to assume that ingesting a full spectrum product will be more effective than isolating one cannabinoid and using that alone. This is because individual compounds can have very different impacts on our bodies based on their interactions with each other—and also because we don't know what all these compounds do yet! A good rule of thumb is that if something has no known adverse side effects (like coconut oil), it probably does more good than harm overall. In that way, we will continue to grow our knowledge of Delta 8 so that we can have more appropriate and beneficial uses for it.
St8 Delta8 carts and delta-8 disposables are full spectrum oils providing you with the FULL Entourage effect. We keep the Terpenes and Flavanoids that make the plant what it is and keep its original effect in place. Sativa or Indica you choose, experience what you want!
