What is the Entourage Effect?

The more you educate yourself about hemp  and hemp derived products on behalf of your sweet furry friend, it is inevitable that you will run across this term. The simplest way to describe the concept of the "entourage effect" is that the effect of the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. There are lots of beneficial chemicals in the hemp plant. Instead of pulling them all out and isolating them, keeping them in their natural balance together in one serum makes them all much more effective.

The term was coined in research papers of the 90’s on Cannabis Sativa, relating its apparent effects on the human body. It was evident that the various compounds in the Cannabis Sativa plant, (cannabinoids, flavonoids, and terpenes) seemed to be far more effective when left together than the effects of each individual compound.

All these compounds interact with the body’s own endocannabinoid system or ECS (to be discussed later in its own blog post). You and your pets have this ECS and that's why hemp and marijuana have a beneficial effect. This system was discovered as a result of the cannabis plant research and furthermore, all vertebrates and most other creatures have one. 

Industrial hemp and Marijuana both come from the same family of plant, Cannabis Sativa L, but are distinguished by how much CBD or THC they have. Industrial hemp is the version of Cannabis Sativa that was made legal in all 50 states by the passing of the Farm Bill in 2018. It naturally has higher levels of CBD and lower levels of THC than typical marijuana. The legalese of the Farm Bill specifies that no more than .3% of THC can be present in products made from the hemp plant.

Cannabidiol (or CBD) is one of the best known and studied cannabinoids that is extracted from hemp and has no psychoactive effects. There are many more cannabinoids found in the hemp plant, but all in much smaller amounts. Understanding how all these compounds work together is a rabbit hole for sure. 

Imagine the benefits of hemp's effect on the body with CBD and other compounds is like tasting the flavors of a delicious hot meal. A fine Italian dish is an entourage of flavors! You may individually like the taste of tomatoes and the various herbs that make a fine sauce, but only when they are prepared with that special Italian grandma’s recipe and cooked together do you get the flavors that make that pasta dish so delicious.

CBD and the other compounds can have profound effects individually, but with a full spectrum extract formulation like ours, your pet will experience a far greater benefit. 

With the concept of the entourage effect as a premise, we think that our full spectrum hemp extracted Companion’s Best Day formula could be a cornerstone of your pet's good health.