THCV in Cannabis: Cannabinoid Profile, Usage, Effects, Benefits —Explained

Well, it is sure that you all will know about the global cannabis hype that is now going on all over the world. Some so many people are using cannabis plants or products as well as materials related to them. But the question arises sometimes in our minds that is how much we know about it.

Of course, there are several numerous kinds of studies and research that knowledgeable people have done on this broad topic. Also, some researchers are still digging deep to know everything about it. The deeper we are going to study cannabis and its related things, the more knowledge we will get. 

It is a fact that the recreational, as well as medicinal benefits of such a versatile plant, continue to impress us. As you engage more and know more about cannabis properties, it will seem like the list of benefits is far away from being complete.

There are so many questions that you will want to get answers to when we are talking about cannabis. Some people want to know about what is the current trend of using cannabis. While others want to get an answer to the question of how cannabis originated and for how long people have been using it.

The most common question among enthusiasts is what other kinds of benefits can people get from using cannabis besides the unique marijuana High feeling that people describe. 

There are so many things that you may know about related to cannabis and yet there are so many things that you may want to know about. So here, we are going to inform you about everything related to cannabis properties and all about THCV or THC.

If you do not have any clue about cannabis or its properties or its related characteristics. Then you do not have to worry about anything at all. It is because we are going to provide you with every essential piece of information that will help to get you a more clear idea.

As you will go through this article, you will get to know about things that you may have never heard of before. But it is always beneficial to get to know new things. Also, if it is about things you love such as cannabis, then it will be even more beneficial. 

About Cannabis

Cannabis, as you all may know is a weed plant with a considerable height and a stiff upright stem with separated leaves. It is one of the most popular plants that most people are using for several things including the process to get high.

THCV in Cannabis: Cannabinoid Profile, Usage, Effects, Benefits —Explained 1

There are so many things that people can refer to as cannabis or marijuana. Some may call it marijuana while others may refer to it as a weed. So there are so many different terms by which people know about cannabis. It is sure that different people will have different ideas to use cannabis differently.

For some people, cannabis is a blessing while for others, it is a tradition that follows through generations. Cannabis is a broad term that you can not define in a single sentence. Some so many researchers have been researching this single versatile term for several decades.

There are antiquity roots when we are talking about the history of cannabis. From the archaeological findings during the excavation of ancient civilizations, there was confirmation that people know about the beneficial properties of cannabis for more than six thousand years ago.

If we turn the earlier pages of the history of marijuana, it tells us many interesting facts along with the origin of hemp. For example, the crypts of noble people of Ancient Egypt which were dated back to the 3rd millennium BC make sure to provide strong evidence of people using cannabis in that period.

It is also believable that the origin of cannabis comes from Central Asia. The history of cannabis surely confirms that it did penetrate India as well as China serving its several beneficial properties. Meanwhile, cannabis did introduce itself from Europe to the American mainland through Spanish mariners. 

Well, some of the ancient findings also confirm that cannabis or hemp was also popular in several other regions of the world. In Siberia, the symbolic image of cannabis leaves was found in the most ancient mummified and older mummified burials of the nobility.

If we talk about the medicinal and health benefits of cannabis, then the civilization of Ancient China was the one to introduce everyone to a lot of historical documentation. Cannabis was proven to be a great remedy for pain, cough, as well as diarrhea according to the textbook of Emperor Shen Nun (2737 BC).

Some other sources in China also confirm that cannabis is useful to treat patients who are suffering from neurological disorders. Surely, cannabis has been providing health and other benefits to its users for several thousands of years ago. Also, most countries around the world have been using it impartially.

If we are talking about one of the most well-known and cultural countries, India. Then the history of hemp or cannabis will seem amazing as well as interesting. Since ancient times, the cannabis plant has been providing quality benefits along with some sacred properties.

According to Rigveda (1500 BC), one of the most popular among the four Vedas and the first written monument of Indian culture, there are many hymns present that dedicate to the hemp or cannabis drink which was popular at that time.

The term that was used for cannabis or hemp drink was called to be Indracarana which did mean “Food Of The Gods”. Therefore it was widely in use for religious rituals in several parts of the country for several hundreds of years as a way of communicating and offering to higher powers. Cannabis or hemp is indeed an interesting thing to know about for every human. 

Ancient physicians know how beneficial cannabis plants can be in terms of health and medicine. They also know about the healing effects of cannabis. You must know that surgeons use hemp or cannabis to anesthetize patients before the operation.

To obtain a strong anesthetic effect, large doses of cannabis plants will be useful. The famous historian Herodotus did not forget to describe how Scythians did use hemp for their benefit.

As per his informative notes, there was a mention of how Scythians threw hemp in the fire burning at the center of the tent to inhale the vapors or smoke for the joyful or what we call High feeling.

US physicians began to actively develop research on the effects of cannabis on human beings. According to statistics, 50% of young people residing in the US did try to smoke cannabis at least once in life. 

Nowadays, the use of cannabis can lead to quite a strong debate about whether it is healthy for humans or not. The debatable issue is growing exponentially all over the globe as much as the studies and trials about cannabis.

However, the results of the research and experiments have been surprising and impressing the world of science. It has been triggering new waves of studies while opening a broad field to research.

Cannabis keeps on providing us with new perspectives along with more potential, health, and recreational benefits. Let us move ahead to know more about cannabis and its characteristics.

Two Most Popular Cannabinoids

It is surprising to know that marijuana or cannabis plant contains more than five hundred different organic compounds. Every compound will be responsible for the potential health benefit for the well-being of the user.

THCV in Cannabis: Cannabinoid Profile, Usage, Effects, Benefits —Explained 2

When we are talking about cannabis, the chemical compounds of cannabis plants are known as cannabinoids. There are two most popular and well-known cannabinoids that you will find in a cannabis plant. They are as follows:

THC:

THC or tetrahydrocannabinol is one of the most prevalent cannabinoids found in the cannabis plant. It is well-known for its psychoactive properties as it will bind with the CB1 type of receptors which can be found in our brain.

Due to such a connection with the brain, consumption of this kind of cannabinoids can be able to create a high or euphoric feeling. Not only will it help the user to get a high feeling but also there are so many health and medicinal benefits that it provides.

Nevertheless, THC is also considerable for its increasing therapeutic capabilities. There are several therapeutic benefits that THC provides and so most people are using it to treat such conditions.

  • Pain
  • Glaucoma
  • Anxiety
  • Depression 
  • Low appetite
  • Insomnia
  • Nausea
  • Muscle spasticity
  • Stress 

CBD:

CBD or cannabidiol is somewhat different from THC as it will either bind with the CB1 receptors very weakly or it will not bind at all. Unlike THC, CBD or cannabidiol does not have any psychoactive properties or capabilities.

So it may not be able to produce a high or euphoric feeling. Usage of CBD may even lead to the dampening of psychoactive effects caused by THC. Some of the medicinal benefits of THC and CBD are almost the same but some benefits are different from THC.

As you know that CBD does not cause any euphoric or high feelings, and some people will prefer to use CBD to treat their conditions. Most people are using CBD for its medicinal benefits to heal such conditions such as the following conditions. 

  • Pain
  • Inflammation
  • Nausea
  • Migraines
  • Seizures
  • Psychosis
  • Mental disorders
  • Inflammatory bowel disease
  • Depression 
  • Anxiety
  • Stress 
  • Tension

Well, the above-mentioned cannabinoids are the only two representatives of more than a hundred different cannabinoids that are found in marijuana plants. You will not have to think twice before knowing everything about cannabinoids.

Because no matter how severe conditions you are suffering through, it is possible that with the use of THC or CBD, you can be able to get great relief. As more researchers are continuing their research on it, the number of potential benefits along with health and medicinal benefits that people can get from cannabinoids is also increasing.

It was not much longer than today that the list of discovered cannabinoids that people can use worldwide for medical purposes was updated with the new one namely THCV. 

What Is THCV?

THCV or tetrahydrocannabivarin which you can also refer to as the Sports Car Of Cannabinoids. It is a relatively abundant yet little-known cannabinoid but it is surely a Big Six moniker. It is a weed compound with the help of which most people will be able to get an array of benefits and amazing effects.

It was around 1973 when THCV was discovered and researchers have been studying it since then. Surely, THCV is not quite popular as other cannabinoids such as THC or CBD. But THCV is an extremely enormous subject to study on cannabinoids. 

The chemical formula of THCV is C19H26O2 and it is a molecule containing 19 carbon atoms, 26 hydrogen atoms, and 2 atoms of oxygen. Following a phytocannabinoid behavior that may seem typical, THCV is insoluble in water.

However, THCV is very much soluble in almost all the solvents that are based on lipids. If we talk about the structure of THCV then it is more similar to the famed psychoactive cannabinoid THC.

But there are surely a few differences between these two popular cannabinoids. We did try to outline the difference between them which you will find as you will read the article further.

THCV is unusual so far due to its characteristic of only being psychoactive in high doses. It is a bit like CBN if you may have heard the name of it. One of the most known cannabinoids is synthesized from cannabigerol or CBG.

It is a compound that you can find in almost all forms of weed. As CBG will go through its process of metabolic, Cannabinoids such as CBD, THC, and other cannabinoids will be created from the like of it.

But THCV will be formed after the joining of divarinolic acid and geranyl phosphate. THCV acid, as a result, will go through the process of decarboxylation to create THCV. 

If you are using low doses of THCV, then it will surely act as an antagonist of CB1 receptors. That will mean that the user who will consume low doses of THCV will not experience any feeling of high or euphoria. But when you are all set to increase the doses of THCV, then something will happen that will seem strange.

THCV will change its behavior and will act as a CB agonist just like THC. That means consuming high doses of THCV will make you high and you will get stoned. When the user will smoke a large dose of the high strain of THCV, you will indeed experience a clear-headed and stimulating high feeling.

But that high feeling will not last long. It will be possible for you to expect THCV to work faster than THC but it is a fact that it lacks the longevity effect. 

It will seem a little surprising to know that THCV or tetrahydrocannabivarin is only present in some strains of a marijuana plant. The main and major difference between THCV and its sibling THC is only the chemical level.

Also, you will not have to be a master of science to understand this simple difference. The one thing that you must have to know to understand the properties and characteristics of THCV and THC is that the presence of the carbon group is higher in the molecular structure of THC than THCV.

However, you must have to know that such a small difference in the molecular structure can surely lead to a significant difference between them. It is considered that these small differences can have a huge impact on our health when consumed. 

As you may now know that small to moderate doses of THCV will not have any psychological effects on the user. Similar to CBD, THCV can also be able to mitigate some of the high effects that are delivered by THCV cannabinoids.

But THCV cannabinoids can be able to manifest their unique psychoactive effects when you are choosing to use high doses of THCV while smoking it. THCV is basically, a cannabis compound that people are using to get several benefits including health, medicinal, and personal pleasure benefits.

Recently, the interest of people in knowing about THCV is increasing as more scientific trials and research work is carried out. Let us move ahead to dive deeper into what effects can THCV cause on people. 

What Are The Effects of THCV?

As the name suggests, THCV has a molecular structure more similar to THC and so similar psychoactive properties. THCV and THC are more like siblings or cousins with the same nature. But, surely, THCV will provide a wide variety of pronounced and altogether different effects.

To provide some important notes to vaporizer enthusiasts, THCV has a boiling point of 428 degrees Fahrenheit. So you will surely need to heat THCV more than you will heat THC to get the most out of the herbs. Here are some effects that THCV will cause after you will consume it. 

Appetite Suppressant: Unlike THC, the cannabinoid namely THCV may dull the appetite after its consumption. It is sure that you may not feel hungry for several hours after consuming THCV.

It will prove to be effective for people who are mainly focussing on losing some pounds. THCV will help the user in weight loss. You must make sure to not let any patient or people treating appetite loss or anorexia. So that there will not be any damage or risk to your treatment. 

Helps Diabetic Patients: Some so many researchers prove that THCV will be helpful to patients who are suffering from one of the most common diseases namely Diabetes. The researchers claim that THCV can control blood sugar levels. So it will be possible to reduce insulin resistance for diabetic patients. 

Panic Attacks: THCV may also help to reduce panic attacks and it can help a lot of people who are suffering from such conditions. It appears to curb anxiety attacks in PTSD patients and that too without suppressing the emotions. Most physicians also prefer using or consuming a specific amount of THCV for patients who want to reduce panic attacks. 

Treats Alzheimer’s Disease: There are surely many benefits of consuming THCV including the improvement in Alzheimer’s disease. THCV can be able to help patients by improving tremors, motor control, and brain lesions that are associated with Alzheimer’s disease. But the research to prove that it is indeed showing effective results for such conditions is still in progress. 

Bone Growth: The intake of the proper amount of THCV cannabinoids can help to promote the new bone cells in the body. It can make sure to stimulate bone growth and that too effectively. Many physicians, as well as doctors, are suggesting going for THCV to treat osteoporosis and other bone-related conditions. So it will be possible to use or consume THCV cannabinoids to improve the overall condition and growth of the bones. 

Side Effects Of THCV

Well, it is sure that there are so many kinds of effects that you will have to consider when you are using high doses of THCV. But it will be beneficial enough for you to consider the side effects as well.

You must have to know about the side effects of using THCV due to you will have a more clear idea about the properties of THCV. It seems like the side effects of THCV and THC are much alike as their molecular structure does not differ much. Here, we did enlist some of the side effects that you may encounter using THCV. 

Increased Heart Rate: It is possible that due to the consumption of THCV, your heart rate will increase as the THCV cannabinoids will blend in your blood cells. Sometimes you may even hear the sound of your heartbeat without even touching your heart.

Mostly, the increase in the heartbeat will increase body temperature. It is because the heart pumps more blood in the veins. So the user will feel warm enough even though the outside atmosphere is cool. 

Coordination Problems: There are so many times that you may observe that people who are high due to taking large doses of THCV will have coordination problems. It may even happen that you will not be able to form proper sentences.

The words you are speaking will be more like you are mumbling them to yourself. Other people may not be able to figure out what you are trying to say or communicate when you are high on THCV.

Dry Mouth: After consuming THCV, your mouth will feel dry as if you did not drink water for several hours. You will feel the need to drink water even though you are not feeling thirsty.

No matter how much water you will drink, the mouth of the user will be dry until the effect of THCV vanishes away. There is nothing to worry about if you are feeling a dry mouth as it is a common side effect to be seen in THCV consumers. 

Red Eyes: Sometimes, the eyes of the user who did consume or smoked high strains of THCV will get red eyes. It is because the heart rate of the user will increase which will again increase the blood pumping in the veins.

So the eyes of the user will look reddish than normal which is not a thing you should worry about. Some people also claim to get itchiness in the eyes due to smoking a high strain of THCV weed. 

Slower Reaction Time: The reaction time of the stoner will seem slower. It is sure that if you will throw a ball at a normal pace at a person who used THCV to smoke. Then that person will not be able to react quickly and catch the ball. The THCV cannabinoid will surely slow down the reaction time of the user. 

Memory Loss: Several types of research are showing that the increased use of THCV every day for a long period may lead the user to memory loss. The user may not be able to remember the names of their friends or remember where they put their car keys even when they don’t drive a car. 

Appetite Loss: It is indeed a fact that when you are using THCV then you will no longer feel the need to eat some food. Unlike THC, the THCV cannabinoid will reduce the urge to feel hungry.

The user will be able to not eat for half a day after consuming enough doses of THCV. But you will have to make sure to not consume or smoke THCV while you are treating appetite loss. 

Anxiety: Some users may have to suffer from anxiety due to using high doses of THCV. The user will not be able to figure out what is going on when their brain is going through a lot of things at a time.

Also, the user consuming THCV may not only have to suffer from anxiety but also sometimes sleeplessness. So it is beneficial for every smoker to use the proper amount of THCV while smoking high strains. 

Dizziness: In addition to all the side effects, dizziness is one of the most common ones that THCV may lead the user to. The user may feel the tendency to be dizzy and will not be able to actively use the mind for any physical or mental activity.

It may happen that even though you did sleep the entire night, you will feel the urge to sleep more in the daytime after the consumption of THCV. 

What Is The Difference Between THCV and THC?

As we did mention earlier in this article, THCV is more or less similar to another popular cannabinoid of cannabis plants and that is THC. THCV can somewhat mimic the psychoactive properties of THC when it is consumed in large doses as their molecular structure is almost the same.

The major difference between THCV and THC is the chemical formula of the molecular structure. THC tends to have more carbon atoms if we compare it to the carbon compounds of THCV. Their molecular structure as well as their atoms have an almost identical arrangement that can lead you to confusion between these two cannabinoids. 

The fact that differentiates the two cannabinoids, THCV and THC from each other is that the side chain of THC comprises a pentyl group. While the side chain of THCV comprises a propyl group. All the best well-known cannabinoids have a structure that is made from a pentyl group. But some kinds of cannabinoids will follow the propyl group just like the THCV.

The cannabinoids that are made from a propyl group will also include CBD and CBV apart from THCV. There can be many similarities between the two cannabinoids but there is surely some unique difference that separates them from each other. 

One of the most fascinating and major differences between the cannabinoids, THC, and THCV is that THCV will promote appetite loss while THC will make the user feel the craving to eat something.

Even though you finished your lunch an hour ago, the consumption of THC cannabinoids will make you feel hungry again. While consuming THCV will not let you feel hunger and lead to appetite loss. It will be more beneficial for people who want to lose some weight.

Also, some studies show that THCV can limit the effects caused by THC. That is why THCV is a cannabinoid choice that you can choose to get high while maintaining your attractive body figure.

Benefits Of THCV

THCV has a lot of medicinal legitimate benefits to offer to every user who consumes it in large doses. There are so many benefits that you will be able to get while smoking a high strain of THCV. Surely, using the THCV will provide you faster and more intense high feeling than you can get with using the THC cannabinoid.

But the fact is that the high feeling that you will get will not be able to last much longer, unlike THC. Apart from getting intensely high, there are so many kinds of benefits that the user can get with THCV.

It will indeed bind to the receptor sites present in the immune system, major organs, and brain along with other cannabinoids. Some of the benefits that you can look forward to when using THCV cannabinoids are as follows:

Weight Loss

As per the stats of 2016 from the World Health Organisation (WHO), there was an estimated 1.9 billion of the world’s population are either overweight or suffering from obesity. This means that 39% of the world’s adult population is having weight issues. One of the main benefits of THCV is that it can be much more effective to suppress the CB1 receptors.

The ideal dose for weight loss purposes is around 3 mg per kg of body weight according to the research. Some studies also show that the high strains of THCV and CBD will be able to work together better than those with high strains of THCV and THC.

But this anti-obesity drug can cause severe depression along with other side effects. That is why it is not approved as an obesity treatment method that people can follow healthily for the treatment. 

Regulation Of The Blood Sugar Levels

The regulation of blood sugar levels is one of the most important benefits that you will get with the use of high strains of THCV. also, none of the existing cannabinoids can be able to boast such effects. According to the result of the studies and researchers, this kind of cannabinoid will be useful to control the regulation of blood sugar levels.

It can improve glucose tolerance and help regulate insulin levels. It will be great news for people who are suffering from Type 2 diabetes if the study results will get official approval.

It is possible that THCV can represent a new therapeutic agent in glycemic control for people suffering from such conditions. According to the results of the study at Harvard Medical School, it is certain that patients who reportedly used marijuana in the last few weeks have high HDL-C and low insulin.

Control Of Panic Attacks

Surely, using THCV will be able to help people to reduce anxiety. More recent studies also show that the consumption of such cannabinoids will be able to reduce as well as block panic attacks. Therefore you will not have to worry if you are going through panic attacks more often than other people.

It is highly effective in the management of not only PTSD but also other mental anxiety diseases. You will get great relief from many severe panic attacks due to the consumption of THCV. Numerous studies also demonstrate that THCV will not be capable enough to suppress emotions as it only can block or reduce panic attacks. 

Diabetes

Well, the THCV cannabinoid will be able to help control your appetite as it will lead any user to have appetite loss. Not only you will be able to use THCV as a great weight loss tool but also it can become a lifesaver for people who are suffering from diabetes.

THCV surely has the potential to become an approved treatment method for diabetes who are suffering from conditions such as obesity-related glucose interference. There are so many kinds of diabetic patients that can be able to get relief from diabetes. 

Bone Growth 

Due to the ability to bind with receptors that are present in the skeletal endocannabinoid system, THCV can be able to provide the user benefits with its ability to slow down or prevent particular forms of bone degradation. It may promote the growth process of the bone which will be helpful for the growth of new bone cells.

The current research on this THCV ability is focussing on its potential use for osteoporosis along with other degenerative bone-related conditions treatment. Some so many people are suffering from bone growth issues. So those people who are suffering from such conditions will indeed get help from using high strands of THCV. 

Anti-Inflammatory

Due to several research studies, it was found that THCV can be useful to reduce pain and swelling in mice. These are the two main symptoms of inflammation after its exposure to inflammatory chemicals.

During an experiment, the mice were given THCV after their inflammatory exposure of them every day for four consecutive days. The THCV was proven to be effective in reducing inflammation and the scientists found that the mice did not build up a tolerance to the compound. 

Alzheimer’s Disease Treatment 

Some people consider to call it muscle control or neuroprotection rather than the THCV benefit. It has the unique ability to bind with both CB1 and CB2 receptors of ECS with the help of which THCV can reduce muscle tremors.

It will mean that this cannabinoid compound THCV will be highly advantageous in dealing with such severe diseases as Alzheimer’s disease, ALS, and Parkinson’s disease. Also, the research suggests that THCV will be helpful for brain lesions that can happen in the last stages of Alzheimer’s disease.

THCV may also be able to reduce the frequency of seizures along with their severity. Some studies are currently going on about marijuana strains that will contain a minimum amount of THC and medium compounds of THCV. 

Anxiety Reducing

Many researchers are showing that THCV can be able to reduce or even eliminate panic attacks in some cases. That means THCV can be useful as an amazing treatment for treating individuals suffering from PTSD or anxiety disorders. Most scientists are determining that THCV can control or suppress the panic attacks which may occur due to the fight-to-fight response to any threat.  

Takeaway

THCV has its benefits, side effects, and characteristics which is why you must have all the essential information before using it.