What is the Entourage Effect?
The “Entourage Effect” is a term used to describe the combined effects of cannabis compounds (cannabinoids and terpenes).
Scientifically speaking, the Entourage Effect is a theory that describes how “Cannabinoids and terpenes blend in the human body to modify one another’s effects and, in essence, create an overall different, or "greater," efficacy…”
Terpenes are aromatic plant compounds found in many types of plants, including cannabis. They have long been believed to posses therapeutic effects, and can be combined with each other and other plant compounds for maximum effects.
Every cannabis strain has its own unique blend of terpenes and cannabinoids, and because of this, produces its own unique effect. There are dozens of cannabinoids and terpenes that all combine with THC in unique ways to enhance and magnify its effects.
This posse of cannabis compounds can be referred to as an “entourage,” thus the nickname.
Any and all blends of cannabis compounds are processed by our body’s Endocannabinoid System (or ECS). This system reacts and engages with cannabinoids and terpenes, resulting in a range of effects that are felt differently by everyone, due to many different factors (how your body processes cannabinoids, and how your body reacts to terpenes, among other things).
The Entourage Effect also means that one’s experience with a cannabis strain doesn’t only rely on the amount of THC present. Because everybody’s bodies react differently to different cannabinoids and terpenes, percentages don’t really mean much.
For example: someone whose body processes THC quickly might not feel uplifted or energized by a strain that only contains high amounts of THC and low amounts of terpenes, but may feel extremely energized and uplifted by a strain that contains THC, THCV, and the terpene limonene.
Have you experienced the magic of the Entourage Effect yet?
Russo, Ethan B. Mrcu, Jahan. Cannabis Pharmacology: The Usual Suspects and a Few Promising Leads. Epub 2017 Jun 5. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28826544/