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. This week, we're diving deeper into the bitter citrus-flavored terpene known as Valencene, named after valencia oranges.
Valencene Isolate
Valencene terpene isolate is commonly found in citrus fruits and earns its namesake from its high concentrations in Valencia oranges. Not much research has been conducted on the specifics of this terpene, though it offers a variety of physical and mental effects.
It offers bright, citrusy aromas and flavors similar to the tartness of many citrus fruits including grapefruit and tangerines. However, it also tends to have slightly bitter flavor as this terpene is most commonly found in citrus peels. You can also find Valencene in many different herbs, vegetables, cannabis strains, and tree barks.
While we don’t know much about Valencene, we do know that it has the power to repel ticks and mosquitos, improve breathing, reduce airborne bacteria, and encourage cognitive function and alertness. While further study is needed, some evidence also suggests that Valencene terpenes can also help protect sun-damaged skin and help with allergies.
Below, you’ll find an itemized breakdown of the science behind Valencene terpenes and their health benefits.
Benefits of Valencene
Valencene is a sesquiterpene, which means that it has 3 isoprene units which help carry oxygen and other compounds through the blood. This cyclic ring may make it possible for terpenes and similar compounds to play a part in the transfer and reprogramming of DNA, which may help recode cancer cells.
Like most terpenes, valencene terpenes are anti-inflammatory in nature and may reduce pain within body systems. A study conducted on mice in 2011 showed that Valencene’s anti-inflammatory property increased survival rates in septic mice suffering from high concentrations of oxidants and inflammation.
Valencene and many other terpenes found in citrus (like limonene, linalool, and octanal) may also be antibacterial, antimicrobial, and antifungal. This makes Valencene terpenes a popular addition to many cleaning supplies, aromatics, and skin products. Most interestingly, however, is Valencene’s insect-repelling properties. This area of study is well documented and shows that Valencene kills mosquitos and repels ticks at a more effective rate than DEET. It’s also used as an insecticide known as nootkatone which is an approved insecticide used in food.
Valencene terpenes have slightly anti-cancer properties, as we mentioned before when we talked about the terpene’s structure. In a lab study, Valencene showed its ability to improve chemotherapy drugs like doxorubicin by boosting their efficiency in sensitive and partly treatment-resistant cancer cells.
Valencene terpenes come with a variety of mental benefits, too. In a study conducted on memory, valencene terpenes showed to moderate inhibitory activity against acetyl- and butyryl-cholinesterase enzymes. That just means that Valencene moderated and optimized the rate that the chemical messengers in the brain were transmitted. This evidence suggests that Valencene may improve cognitive function and ease the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease. It may eventually act as an Anticholinesterase drug. Anecdotal evidence also suggests that Valencene can improve your energy levels, alertness, and memory.
Valencene also displays better anti-allergy effects than many other sesquiterpenes. In another study conducted in 2011, Valencene was found to exert anti-allergic activity better than monoterpenes and other sesquiterpenes in things like grass and ragweed.
Last but not least, Valencene was used in a study that tested the effects of terpenes on the skin after UV radiation, like a sunburn. UV radiation from the sun causes inflammation (which valencene naturally reduces) and pigment changes that trigger immune responses. The results of the study showed that Valencene reduced inflammation and decreased the melanin content in skin cells after being in the sun. This means that valencene may improve the way skin looks and feels by preventing body responses (like inflammation and immune responses) that age the skin prematurely. This is just another reason Valencene is a common ingredient in skincare products.
Natural Sources of Valencene Isolate
Valencene terpenes are found in a variety of plants and fruits including oranges, tangerines, grapefruits, herbs, and tree bark. They are also found in healthy concentrations in cannabis strains like Tangie and Agent Orange.
TLDR; Valencene terpene benefits
Anti-inflammatory
Antibacterial
Antimicrobial
Antifungal
Antihistamine
Insecticide
Bronchodilator
Anticholinesterase (improves cognitive function and memory)
Protects skin
Improves alertness
Common uses for Valencene terpene isolate
Whether through your favorite fruits and herbs or through a diffuser, Valencene isolate smells and tastes great and works wonders within your body.
Valencene terpenes can be safely added to all sorts of products to encourage focus, energy, and an upbeat mental state. 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 Velancene terpenes to foods and beverages to enjoy the anti-inflammatory and energizing properties within the whole body. A few drops in your morning juice tastes herbal and citrusy and can help you get up and get moving with a boost of benefits that nourish the entire body and uplift the mind.
Add Valencene terpenes to essential oil diffusers and aromatherapy infusions to enjoy a zesty citrus scent that promotes long-lasting energy, repels insects, and kills airborne bacteria and fungal spores.
Add Valencene terpenes to concentrates and hemp oils made from strains with higher Valencene content like Sour Diesel, Clementine, Tropicana Cookies, and Super Lemon Haze. Valencene terpenes can make them smell and taste better and boost the potency of THC/CBD effects.
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 Valencene 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.
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