If you're just getting started with terpenes, odds are you're wondering how each isolate can be used. Terpene isolates can be used in hemp, CBD, and cannabis products as well as concentrates, vapes, foods, beverages, and aromatherapy infusions. In fact, adding terpenes to health and beauty products, cosmetics, vaporizer cartridges and e-juice, foods and beverages, and aromatherapy infusions is a great way to add an extra boost of body-nourishing benefits to your products and make THC/CBD products more effective. This week, we're diving deeper into the fresh and earthy terpene isolate known as Farnesene.
Farnesene Isolate
Farnesene refers to a group of 6 different sesquiterpenes, though alpha-Farnesene and beta-Farnesene are the two main isomers found naturally in many plants and insects. It can be found in apple skins and is responsible for the browning of the skin when the apple begins to rot due to a-Farnesene becoming oxidized. It can also be found in other plants like potatoes that release pheromones to repel insects. Aphids and other small insects also release Farnesene terpenes when they die to warn others of their species of danger.
Farnesene has a unique flavor and odor that has been used commercially in many industries, including food and beverage, vape, cosmetics, and fragrances. Many describe its aroma as woody with notes of fresh green veggies or woody with floral and citrus notes. It's flavor is considered fresh with many notes of green veggies and herbs, though it's also used in tropical fruit flavored products. In aromatherapy, Farnesene is considered quite calming and relaxing, offering sedative properties and possible anti-stress and anxiety effects.
Farnesene isn't a common sesquiterpene found in cannabis strains but it can often be found alongside other earthy terpenes like Myrcene and b-Caryophyllene in certain strains in small concentrations. It is more commonly found in hops, ginger, turmeric, and German chamomile. It has been studied relatively extensively in the lab and is considered to be a potent anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, and antibacterial agent with calming and sedative properties.
Below, we've covered everything you need to know about the uses and effects of Farnesene terpenes as well as where you can find them in nature. Just remember that science doesn't fully understand all of the effects and uses of Farnesene terpenes yet. While we have a basic understanding, further study on humans is still necessary to support and solidify all of the findings. Always talk to your doctor before beginning a new dietary supplement, even one with naturally-occurring terpenes like Farnesene.
Benefits of Farnesene Terpenes
Farnesene has been studied extensively, but most of the studies were related to essential oils containing concentrated amounts of Farnesene terpenes. Essential oils are therapeutically viable because they contain concentrated amounts of many different terpenes which all work together and boost each other's effects in a phenomenon known as the entourage effect. With that said, most of Farnesene's uses have been found through studying essential oils and other terpenes.
Farnesene, when taken internally, was found to be potently anti-inflammatory and helped against the damaging effects of oxidative stress on living cells. A different study found it to be helpful against spasms in the bowel that cause cramps and flatulence. Its antibacterial nature was found to be quite pertinent in the digestive tract where it helped the body return to homeostasis. In the process, it eas able to eliminate many harmful bacteria and help regulate levels of healthy bacteria. It's ability to rebalance the digestive tract shows promise against digestion-related issues.
In the same vein, one study found Farnesene-rich gum tree leaves were found to kill the bacteria that cause tooth decay. Farnesene contributed anti-cariogenic properties which was able to kill carcinogenic bacteria, such as Lactobacillus acidophilus. Its ability to destroy these bacteria gives Farnesene a leg up against tooth decay.
When introduced to the air, Farnesene terpenes were found to kill many airborne fungal spores and microbes. They were also able to ward off many insects, acting as a natural insect repellant. In aromatherapy situations, Farnesene, like most sesquiterpenes, was found to calm and soothe the mind. It promotes sedative properties that may help improve sleep, reduce anxiety, and lower feelings of stress.
Natural Sources of Farnesene Terpenes
Farnesene terpenes can be found naturally in a variety of different plants and several insects. a-Farnesene terpenes are most commonly associated with woody, earthy, and spicy plants like pepper, mace, nutmeg, ginger, and ginseng. b-Farnesene on the other hand is more commonly found in tropical fruit, citrus, and flowers like chamomile, chrysanthemum, grapefruit, and hops. Farnesene isn't commonly found in cannabis, though trace amounts can be detected in strains with higher Myrcene, b-Caryophyllene, and Linalool content.
TLDR; Farnesene Terpenes
- Anti-inflammatory
- Antioxidant
- Antibacterial
- Antimicrobial
- Antifungal
- May aid in digestion
- May help prevent tooth decay
- May alleviate stress and anxiety
- Sedative
- Repels insects
Common Uses of Farnesene Terpenes
Whether through your favorite fruits and spices or through an aromatherapy diffuser, Farnesne isolate smells and tastes great and does some pretty cool stuff both externally and within your body.
Farnesene terpenes can be safely added to all sorts of products to reduce inflammation, kill bacteria, repel insects, and help you get to sleep. It can safely be eaten, drank, infused, and inhaled with a little bit of mixing. It can also be used to improve cannabis products like vapes and concentrates that may have lost cannabinoid potency or terpene content during extraction.
Add Farnesene terpenes to foods and beverages to enjoy the anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and anticancer properties within the whole body. A dash of water-soluble Farnesene terpenes in your favorite foods or beverages add a refreshingly herbal and floral yet earthy flavor that can help to make you feel more relaxed and restful by reducing stress and anxiety.
Add Farnesene terpenes to essential oil diffusers and aromatherapy infusions to kill airborne bacteria and microbes to help you breathe easier. The earthy, piney aroma is also great for promoting a relaxing, stress-free atmosphere to your daily routine or a great way to unwind at night.
Add Farnesene terpenes to cannabis concentrates and hemp oils made from strains with higher floral or earth terpene content, such as Myrcene, Linalool, and b-Caryophyllene since Farnesene is often found alongside these terpenes and offers similar flavors and effects. Farnesene terpenes can make them smell and taste better and boost the potency of THC/CBD or other cannabinoid effects in a documented phenomenon known as the Entourage Effect.
Just keep in mind that not all terpenes are created equal. Different terpenes will always have different effects, but they're not all made the same. We know you have a choice when it comes to terpene providers, but no other choice comes close to our level of quality.
At Peak Supply Co, our Farnesene terpene isolates are extracted from all-natural food-grade fruit, flower, and nut oils in our state-of-the-art facility. With our proprietary extraction and refinement method, we remove plant materials and any leftover impurities, leaving behind the purest terpene isolates on the market. Best of all, we even offer sample packs so you can try them all.