Terpenes are the naturally-occurring essential oils in plants that help cannabis products, including full-spectrum CBD oils, lean towards specific benefits. Myrcene in CBD oil is one of the most common terpenes produced by cannabis.
What Are The Benefits of Myrcene?
Most commonly found in “Indica” strains of cannabis, it’s believed that Myrcene levels over 0.5% cause increased sedation. It helps Indica’s “couchlock” effect to earn its name.
This sedating effect can be useful for the treatment of insomnia, anxiety, and even pain. By lowering the resistance of the blood-brain barrier and saturating the CB1 receptors, Myrcene can also increase the effects of THC.
Where Else is Myrcene Found?
Cannabis isn’t the only plant that contains Myrcene. Terpenes are found in almost all plants. Myrcene is also found in hops, bay leaves, and eucalyptus, just to name a few. Perhaps you’ve heard about people eating mangos to enhance their cannabis experience. That’s due to the significant amount of Myrcene in mangos.
In addition to its physical benefits, Myrcene also impacts the flavor and smell of cannabis and other plants. It’s musky and earthy smells are most prevalent. In fact, some “hoppy” beers have a tendency to smell like cannabis thanks to the presence of myrcene.
Myrcene in Hemp-Derived CBD Products
Unfortunately, most hemp-derived CBD oil products have a tendency to lean towards sativa strains. This typically means that they have lower levels of Myrcene. This is due to how hemp is bred and harvested.
Many hemp strains are harvested early to keep the THC content down. This is to prevent any chances of the hemp testing over the legal classification limit of 0.3% THC. But doing this can also stunt the growth of terpenes.
Which CBD Oil Products Have Higher Levels of Myrcene?
The “Terpene Profile” section of third-party lab reports will tell you how much of each terpene, including Myrcene, is in a particular CBD oil product. For example, here is the Terpene Profile for the source hemp flower used by 4 Corners Cannabis to make their full spectrum CBD oil products.
As you can see, Myrcene is the second most prevalent terpene in their specially bred strain.
Being aware of the specific benefits of particular terpenes and then looking for products that contain them can be an effective way to find products that may work best for you.
Terpenes can also be purchased online in pure or blended forms from companies like True Terpenes. Many users purchase terpenes separately and then add them to their existing CBD oil tincture. By doing so, you can customize CBD products to your specific needs.
If you decide to experiment with terpenes, be aware that they are highly concentrated and can be hazardous on their own. You’ll need to properly dilute them for safe use. Be sure to do your research and follow company instructions whenever handling terpene isolates and blends.
