Scientific research has discovered a radical new way to understand the powerful benefits of CBD observed in clinical study.

Researchers now know that a natural phenomenon called "the entourage effect" is the reason why CBD appears to work better in some studies than it does in others. This new understanding can lead to innovative product developments and uses that will improve quality of life for people across a variety of common health conditions.

In many studies, scientists use CBD isolate preparations instead of full spectrum CBD or broad spectrum CBD. Why does this make such a profound difference in the outcome? Researchers found that it was principally because isolate CBD simply does not contain other compounds that are naturally occurring in whole plant cannabis extracts. The entourage effect is harnessed when CBD extracts contain multiple phytochemicals known as cannabinoids. As its name implies, CBD isolate is pure CBD and nothing else. Full spectrum and broad spectrum CBD, on the other hand, contain more of the good stuff from the cannabis plant so they provide a more successful outcome in clinical trials.

You can buy products containing a specific cannabinoid, like CBD isolate for example, for the specific effects it produces. However, recent research shows that CBD is far more effective when its cannabinoid partners CBN (Cannabinol), CBG (Cannabigerol), CBC (Cannabichromene), as well as phytochemicals called Terpenes ­– which we will discuss later – are present in the mix. The whole is greater than its parts, in other words.

How Cannabis Works 101

Everyone uses cannabis for different reasons, from the relief of pain or anxiety to improvements in sleep and appetite. All these effects are attributed to the chemical compounds contained in the cannabis plant.

The most common of these, both in terms of its concentration in the plant and the public’s awareness of the plant’s mechanisms, is the cannabinoid THC, or tetrahydrocannabinal. It is not the only cannabinoid in the cannabis plant, however.

There are over 100 known cannabinoids alone in the cannabis plant, contained in various combinations and proportions in different plant strains.

The second most common, again both in concentration and popularity, is CBD, or cannabidiol. CBD provides many of the same benefits as THC without the psychoactive, euphoric effects. Products made with CBD and little-to-no THC have become increasingly popular and widespread among people who want to experience the benefits of cannabis without the associated high. Other pharmacologically active cannabinoids found in smaller concentrations in the cannabis plant include CBN, or Cannabinol, and CBG, or Cannabigerol.

CBD

Cannabidiol, or CBD, has become increasingly popular in the now-widespread legal cannabis marketplace. People who have never taken a cannabis tincture or eaten a cannabis edible in their lives are discovering the benefits of the cannabis plant.

Benefits of CBD

CBD benefits include the abilities to alleviate:

• Chronic pain
• Inflammation
• Migraines
• Autoimmune diseases
• Depression
• Anxiety

CBD research is finding strong evidence that it also may be effective in treating:

• Certain epilepsy syndromes with seizures, like Dravet syndrome, Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and Tuberous sclerosis complex
• Parkinson's disease
• Diabetes
• Schizophrenia
• Multiple Sclerosis
• Cancer
• Insomnia
• Addiction

There’s a big difference between the effectiveness of CBD products made with organic CBD oil extract, however, and synthetic CBD products. And it has to do with the entourage effect.

The Entourage Effect

The entourage effect, in the context of cannabis, is a scientifically proven phenomenon wherein the combination of active constituents in the plant produces measurably greater effects on the body when present together in their organic form than when they’re delivered individually. As the two Israeli scientists who coined the term in 1998 described it: collectively they possess a synergy similar to the body’s own systems.

These synergies break down into the following four abilities:

1. To affect the functioning and performance of multiple bodily targets
2. To improve how well the body absorbs active ingredients in the plant
3. To conquer bacterial defense mechanisms
4. To minimize potential adverse side effects

This means that a product containing all the other active cannabis compounds along with its CBD content (known as full spectrum or broad spectrum CBD oil–more on this in a moment) is more effective than a CBD product of the same CBD dosage containing CBD alone without those other constituents (mentioned above as CBD isolate.)

Moreover, it means organic CBD oil products are more effective than synthetic CBD products, as the latter, by nature, are made with CBD isolate and, therefore, do not contain those other compounds necessary to produce the entourage effect.

Many studies have confirmed the existence of this effect in cannabis, including a 2018 Frontiers of Science study finding the entourage effect of organic cannabis extracts seem to be more effective than cannabis isolates.

Examinations of specific applications of this insight include a review of research published in Current Neuropharmacology, which found that the effect seems to contribute positively to the effects of cannabis to reduce anxiety and depression.

Full Spectrum vs. Broad Spectrum CBD Oil

The difference between full spectrum CBD oil and broad spectrum CBD oil is simple: full spectrum CBD oil contains THC and broad spectrum does not.

Other Active Cannabis Compounds

CBN (Cannabinol)

Benefits of CBN include to:

• Improve sleep
• Relieve pain
• Stimulate appetite
• Combat cancer and other antibiotic and anti-inflammatory properties
• Delay of onset of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and other neuroprotective properties
• Reduce seizures and other anti-convulsant properties
• Heal bones and stimulate bone growth
• Help treat glaucoma

Part of the reason CBN isn’t as popular or widespread as CBD has nothing to do with its effects or effectiveness, but with the comparatively little amount of clinical research conducted on it.

Mild strength dosage ranges of cannabinol, such as are found in Zero High CBN oil, start at 3 mg with a maximum strength cannabinol dose of 83 mg of pure cannabidiol per milliliter.

CBG (Cannabigerol)

The benefits of CBG include to:

• Enhance pleasure
• Increase motivation
• Regulate appetite
• Improve sleep
• Alleviate pain

Terpenes

Terpenes are another active chemical compound in the cannabis plant, providing its aromatic and flavor components. These too are contained in different proportions in different strains, which creates the different smells and tastes of different kinds of cannabis. According to research from the University of Arizona Health Sciences, terpenes are a factor in producing the entourage effect.

This is yet another reason why organic CBD oil is more effective than the equivalent dosage of synthetic CBD oil–because it retains the natural terpenes in the cannabis plant from which the extraction was made.