HTFSE: High Terpene Full Spectrum Extract

If you are using cannabis for medical purposes, it is worth it to find HTSFE.

As cannabis concentrates become more popular, it’s increasingly important for consumers to understand exactly what’s in their medicine. Claims of a concentrate’s THC-rich content lure in unwitting consumers. But what it really comes down to is understanding the complex synergies between all compounds.  High Terpene Full Spectrum Extracts (HTFSE) give the full spectrum of beneficial properties from the cannabis plant. Here’s why HTFSE is the superior choice.

HTFSE: More to Cannabis Than THC

Many look to the THC content of extracts. Others look for the TLC that was applied during the extraction process. The latter population understand that cannabis is so much more than THC potency. With some tender loving care, you can preserve much more of the goodness during extraction.

It is believed that the therapeutic benefits of cannabis are the result of the ‘entourage effect.’ These include cannabinoids, terpenes, or flavonoids.

In total, there are 120+ known cannabinoids that exhibit varying effects within the cannabis plant. When they interact with some of the 125 known terpenes, and the 20 varieties of flavonoids, it becomes clear that there is a lot more to cannabis than THC levels alone.

We still don’t understand everything, but we’re slowly getting there. The mind boggles at the sheer quantity of compounds and the infinite number of configurations that mother nature combines to work her magic via the cannabis plant.

Not all extracts are created equally. Some are full-spectrum, while most contain much less. And that can hinder the full benefits. 

The Problems with Cannabis Extracts

Full spectrum extracts are difficult and expensive to produce. The high temperatures for extraction quickly destroy many of the delicate, volatile beneficial compounds. As a result, most extracts on the market are not full spectrum. 

Often times, the loss of such compounds during distillation significantly alters a particular strain’s effects. Therapeutic potential is lost when only a fraction of the original compounds remain.

Extraction procedures easily destroy terpenes because these have a much lower boiling point than cannabinoids.  HTFSE preserves these important medicinal compounds.

Why Terpenes Hold the Key to Therapeutic Benefits

Most people are familiar with terpenes for the complex odor and flavor they create. There is, however, a lot more to them than the citrus aftertaste they produce.

Terpenes are responsible for less than 10% of the chemical makeup of the plant. But what they lack in volume, they make up for in medicinal properties.

From pain relief to anti-cancer and sedation to antimicrobial effects, they are truly remarkable natural compounds. Several scientific studies have demonstrated their health benefits. Studies have specifically examined their ability to positively affect neuronal health and fight tumours. Many other plants contain terpenes. Even the FDA recognizes terpenes’ benefits and safety profile. In fact, food manufacturers commonly add terpenes to their products to enhance flavor or to augment therapeutic effects.

Terpenes are immensely beneficial on their own. Full-spectrum concentrates simply accentuate terpenes’ beneficial effects. In fact, studies have shown that they can enhance the psychotropic influence of THC when consumed in tandem.

The Benefits of HTFSE

As we gain a fuller understanding of the complex synergies, the demand for High Terpene Full Spectrum Extract has increased. As HTFSE preserves the aforementioned compounds during the extraction process, it ensures the plant’s effects can be fully modulated by a process commonly known as the entourage effect.

A high-quality HTFSE contains the full spectrum of beneficial properties minus those compounds which offer no therapeutic or flavor benefits – that’s the cellulose, chlorophyll, waxes, lipids, and fats.

When made correctly, a HTFSE extract provides a clean, flavorful, therapeutic experience for the end user. However full-spectrum extracts are very difficult to make correctly. 

Extraction Techniques

The cannabis industry uses a variety of extraction techniques. Solvent-based techniques use chemical solvents to strip the flowers of that potent resin, while non-solvent extractions involve the use of water, pressure, or heat to extract the beneficial properties from the plant.

Manufacturers use solvent-based extraction techniques and high-quality, terpene-rich bud to produce HTFSE. This process involves a series of extractions performed in multiple steps under tightly controlled conditions. The process is long and slow and often takes weeks. Few companies have mastered the technique, and of those that have, they prefer to maintain their competitive advantage by refusing to divulge their process’s details.

Know Thy Medicine: Is it Truly HTFSE?

As the cannabis industry finds its feet in this constantly evolving movement, the informed consumer has many hurdles to overcome. It can be difficult to ascertain what’s in a particular extract and what’s not. And as the extraction processes are often a secret, it can be tough to know whether alcohol-based solvents were used.

The only way to know for sure is to ask for lab tested results that provide the complete profile of the extract. Companies currently involved in producing HTFSE extracts incur a huge expense in the process and are quite agreeable to providing such results if it means they can make a sale. For you, these results provide reassurance that you’re obtaining the benefits of those complex synergies within the plant. And that is something we all want.