With the use of Cannabidiol (CBD) Oil becoming ever more popular with people in the West, as a way to assist the many vital functions in the body, the paradigm of cannabis derived products is being seen as a more widely accepted, mainstream subject. Along with this increased interest in CBD Oil come many questions relating to its efficacy, its production and what it contains.

At Nature’s Blends, we have tackled many of these commonly asked questions in our blogs before and today we look at Terpenes and the role they play in making CBD Oil one of the most powerful, but gentle ways to promote wellness and general good health. Conduct any kind of research and you’ll come across the term frequently, so it’s quite important that their role and importance is explained, so that you understand what your research is telling you.

So, exactly what ARE Terpenes?

Terpenes are organic compounds present in all plants and their importance to the health promoting effects of CBD Oil can’t be underestimated, as not only do they offer their own assistance to body function, but they also support the work done by the main, active elements in CBD Oil – phyto-cannabinoids.

Terpenes are by no means unique to the hemp plant, as they exist in all plant life, including flowers and even trees. In hemp however, there are 200 individual varieties of terpenes, which are responsible for giving the raw plant its unmistakable aroma and colouring. Terpene profile is a term often used to describe the exact physical terpene types and quantities that exist in any given plant genus, as each has its own unique blend. It is terpenes that give each plant its own specific appearance, colour and smell.

This physical terpene makeup of any given plant specifiesis often referred to as being its unique terpene ‘fingerprint’.

The Terpene Fingerprint

The easiest way to completely understand the concept of the Terpene Fingerprint, is to think of it as a plant’s unique composition or it’s DNA, if you will. The higher the concentrations of specific types of terpene present in any given type of CBD product will offer different kinds of assistance to the body’s innate endo-cannabinoid system.

Some types are thought to have anti-inflammatory properties, whilst others will better help relaxation. So, terpenes are quite important, as they will affect how CBD works at a molecular level.

It’s important however, to mention at this point, that there is no official medical evidence to back up any claims made as to the efficacy of CBD in the treatment of any kinds of illnesses or ailments. As supplement suppliers, we are bound by UK law to make this statement clearly.



Terpene Varieties

As we mentioned earlier, there are many unique terpenes found in the hemp plant, but there are 4 that make up the majority found.

They are:

Limonene (also found in rosemary and a range of citrus fruits e.g. Oranges, lemons & limes)

Linalool (also present in lavender, rosewood, birch, cinnamon & ylang ylang)

B-myrcene (found in some strains of hemp, but not all, also lemongrass, mango & hops )

B-caryophyllene (also exists in hops, black pepper and cloves)

Each of these terpenes not only offer their own unique properties to assist body function in their own way (in the same way as natural supplements do), but it’s the fact that they work synergistically with the all important CBD phyto-cannabinoids to magnify the support they provide, that makes them something of a silent hero in the process. All of this is possible, thanks to something called the Entourage Effect.

The Entourage Effect

In a nutshell, the entourage effect refers to the fact that when all the cannabinoids and organic compounds work together, they become more than the sum of each individual part - meaning that the overall benefit to health is amplified by the fact that both the terpenes and the cannabinoids are in effect at the same time

The term can also be used in relation to the use of multiple CBD derived products at the same time, with each exhibiting its own benefit to the endocannabinoid system, whilst simultaneously assisting each other to be more effective and more powerful than it otherwise would be separately.

In Conclusion

Whilst terpenes might seem like a very small part of the production of CBD products at first glance, their effect on overall potency can be marked, making them one of the most important factors in the production of high quality CBD Oil and other CBD derived products.

At Nature’s Blends our CBD products contain the perfect blend of cannabinoids, terpenes and a complex range of natural materials, which places them amongst the most beneficial on the market in terms of supporting the endo-cannabinoid system and promoting general health and wellness. All forms of CBD that we sell go through rigorous independent laboratory testing to ensure that it is reaches the required purity standards needed to be given our seal of approval.