Terpenes play a bigger role in the effects of cannabis than you might think. As public understanding of cannabis expands beyond just THC and CBD, doctors like Dr. Abraham Benavides who’ve dedicated their careers to cannabis as medicine are delving into the impact these aromatic molecules have on their patients.
But with limited scientific evidence and sometimes limited understanding, how can we possibly get the most out of terpenes when we choose cannabis or cannabinoid products?
We caught up with Dr. Abe to get you the advice you need to maximize the benefit of the terpenes in your weed.
Cannabinoids Are Still More Important Than Terpenes
While the terpene profile of your cannabis has an important role to play, Dr. Abe stressed that cannabinoids should still take priority, “The primary concern for any medical patient is choosing the right pairing of cannabinoids first. I say pair because I never really work with a single cannabinoid alone, and neither should you. The choice of cannabinoids and routes better guides our product selection.”
He explained that when he gets a new patient, his first priority is finding out their history and goals, as well as their level of experience with cannabis.
He helps patients judge which types of cannabinoids they would benefit from first, basically splitting impairing (THC-like) cannabinoids from “C-letter” cannabinoids (e.g. CBD, CBG, CBN, and others).
Only then does he start to think about terpenes, “I explain how we can also more precisely target certain symptoms or accentuate effects by customizing their terpene blends. Through my research writing and cannabis database experience at CannaKeys, I first gained knowledge of terpene effects that I can pair with a patient’s conditions or symptoms. Since cannabinoids have more clinical research behind them, they still remain our top priority.”
Based on his experience, Dr. Abe recommends an ideal terpene profile, which patients can use alongside the product’s Certificate of Analysis (COA) to get the right strain for their needs. If you don’t have a provider to help you out, Dr. Abe made a great suggestion:
“Keeping a journal of strain names along with their top cannabinoids, top four terpenes, and how you felt, can help you keep track of figuring out what cultivars and terpene profiles you like. Other details like dose, route, and frequency help, too, especially if you have medical needs. This way, you can travel or go to other dispensaries with more scientific knowledge rather than relying on cultivar or strain name.”
How to Choose Your Strain Based on Terpenes
A crucial point Dr. Abe made to us is that most of the time it’s better to just focus on the most abundant terpenes, “According to recent data, the dominant terpene alone will be about 35% of the total terpene content, and the top four will make up about 72% of the total. All the others will make up smaller fractions, which we shouldn’t be focused on unless there is a known rare one you’re looking for (i.e. nerolidol).”
With this in mind, the best advice is to focus on the top four, according to Dr. Abe, “You should try to note which top four terpenes you’re looking for, and ask your dispensary staff to help you find suitable cultivars or products they have in stock. Some terpenes are rarer than others, so not all may be available in the exact combination you want, nor are necessarily dominant terpenes in general.”
Entering your dispensary with a list of terpenes you’re looking for is more useful than just noting the names of the strains you like, according to Dr. Abe, “Even the same strain grown in identical conditions can give you different terpene expressions and feelings, so it’s best to become familiar with how to read COAs and get to know yourself and your preferences first.”
How to Consume to Get the Most Out of Terpenes
Once you have your cannabis with your ideal terpene blend, does it make a difference how you consume it? Will smoking ruin the effects?
Dr. Abe told us that “inhalational routes offer the most bioavailability and fastest-acting effects for cannabinoids and terpenes. During inhalation, we bypass the liver and maximize how much medicine we can deliver to the body. It offers the most direct and near-instant route.”
He explained that terpenes vaporize at lower temperatures than cannabinoids, and that monoterpenes like pinene, myrcene and limonene evaporate before THC is decarboxylated. Adding, “Even the more complex terpenes like β-caryophyllene are also evaporated before you get the activated THC.”
This basically leaves vapes as the only option, “Most commercial vapes operate at temperatures between 160°C–220°C, typically 180°C. Meanwhile, smoking and dabbing temperatures incinerate terpenes and most whole-plant compounds instantly with temperatures exceeding 900°C, generating harmful byproducts.”
He pointed out that this makes it “difficult if not impossible” to set the right temperature for terpenes, explaining “So if you really want maximum terpenes, you can try to gently use your vape before it finishes heating up to normal operating temperature and then turn it off.”
For edibles, the situation isn’t much better, “If we eat cannabis edibles instead, all of these delicate, whole-plant compounds are exposed to a harsh digestive process that breaks up and loses most of them. If you want to maximize absorption this way, take your edibles with a meal or on a full stomach to allow the compounds to essentially hitch a ride on your food.”
Learn and Experiment With Different Terpenes
With the uncertain scientific picture surrounding terpenes, the best advice for users is to learn and experiment.
Dr. Abe said, “The first thing you should do is inform yourself as much as you can. That means finding the right, evidence-based resources like the ones I’ve written here on CBD Oracle, CannaKeys, or HashDash. These are a great start to empower yourself, or just get a basic idea for asking more questions to a cannabis research expert later.”
And if you can, there are always cannabis coaches like Dr. Abe ready to guide you on your journey.