A large percentage of the world’s population has become obsessed with dieting for quite a while, but not many dieting alternatives existed for cannabis lovers until the sudden surge in popularity of Tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV), also known as diet weed.
Many cannabis lovers with daytime jobs swear by how motivated and alert they feel after taking a dose of their favorite THCV brand and would encourage their friends or anyone willing to listen to try it out.
So, what exactly is THCV? Is there any real science behind the rumored effects that THCV might offer? Can you get high from consuming THCV? These questions and more are what we aim to answer in this article.
Unwrap one of your favorite cannabis-infused edibles and enjoy the rest of the article!
What Is THCV?
THCV is the abbreviation of one of the cannabinoids found in the cannabis plant known as tetrahydrocannabivarin. THCV offers several unique properties that set it apart from other cannabis derivatives, such as THC (Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol) and CBD (cannabidiol). The most important property of THCV is that it does not have the psychoactive effects that THC does.
THCV is found as a naturally occurring cannabinoid in several cannabis plants, especially the Sativa strains of cannabis. THCV is mostly used to help with appetite suppression, blood sugar regulation in diabetes patients, energy boosts, and lots more. There is very little research on the effects of THCV and how it might help with weight loss.
However, several research papers and experiments on THCV confirm that it has a strong potential to be useful as a weight loss agent and sugar-level control mechanism in people with type-2 diabetes. Therefore, it is not recommended for use by patients who have anorexia.
According to research on the potential therapeutic benefit of THCV for the management of obesity and diabetes, the main advantage of THCV over THC (Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol) is the lack of psychoactive effects. This means THCV has the potential to decrease appetite, increase satiety, and regulate energy metabolism without causing any psychedelic effects.
The various properties of THCV make it a clinically useful remedy for weight loss and management of obesity and potentially type-2 diabetic patients.
Exploring the Science of THCV
While THCV shares similar molecular and psychoactive properties with THC, it provides very pronounced and varying effects than THC does. The molecular structure of THCV differs from THC by a propyl (3-carbon) chain instead of a pentyl (5-carbon) chain. It is this seemingly small variation in molecular structure that provides THCV with its unique properties.
Also, since the boiling point of THCV stands at around 220 degrees Celsius (428 degrees Fahrenheit), it requires a slightly higher temperature than THC, a compound with a boiling point of 160 degrees Celsius, to evaporate.
Research shows that THCV is a selective antagonist of the CB1 receptor and acts in similar ways to rimonabants but without the adverse effects of rimonabants. THCV may also act as an agonist or antagonist of the CB2 receptor, depending on its dosage.
THC, on the other hand, is known to excite the CB1 and CB2 receptors, which is how it provides its psychoactive effects and also helps to treat conditions like depression and loss of appetite.
Does THCV Make You High?
THCV does not provide the psychoactive effect that THC does due to the slight variation in the molecular properties of THCV. THCV is more similar to CBD (cannabidiol) in its therapeutic effects, even though its molecular structure is more similar to that of THC.
Therefore, the short answer to the question, “Does THCV make you high?” is NO, it doesn’t.
The Potential Benefits of THCV
The three major potential benefits of THCV, according to several research studies and experiments, are:
Appetite Suppressant
Unlike THC, which is known to stimulate appetite, even when it is consumed as a THC-infused product such as vape, THCV is touted with the potential to act as an appetite suppressant. This property makes THCV a potential aid in weight management (especially weight loss).
Diabetes Management
Some of the research available on the effects of THCV mentions that it is a potential treatment for those with type-2 diabetes due to its effect on dyslipidemia and glycemic control, which has been shown to reduce fasting plasma glucose concentration when compared to a placebo group.
The blood-sugar-level regulating properties of THCV make it a potential candidate for diabetes management.
While the results of the studies of THCV in animals have shown lots of promise, further research in humans is still needed to fully understand the impact of THCV on type-2 diabetes.
Neuroprotective Properties
The interaction of THCV molecules with CB2 receptors in the brain and central nervous system suggests that it may provide some neuroprotective effects in people with neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s.
Research shows that THCV, like many cannabinoids, offers a huge therapeutic potential in degenerative diseases of the central nervous system and blood system and obesity. It was also found that THCV offered strong anti-inflammatory properties in cells during adipogenesis, which may be a crucial aspect of treating obesity.
Note: While several researches have demonstrated the potential benefits of THCV in varying medical scenarios, we highly recommend that you do not start any new therapeutic or holistic medication such as THCV or THC without consulting your doctor. This is especially important if you have any underlying health conditions.
The Best Strains for High-Quality THCV
Now that you understand some of the benefits that THCV might offer to your overall well-being and cannabis-consuming experience, you might be wondering why you don’t find THCV-infused products in every store.
The scarcity of THCV-infused products is due to the significantly low levels of THCV found in most cannabis strains.
Thankfully, three specific cannabis strains are known to have higher THCV content than others. They include:
- Durban Poison
- Jack the Ripper
- Doug’s Varin
How to Introduce THCV Into Your Cannabis Experience
If you are interested in exploring the potential benefits of THCV, then you should look out for strains that have been particularly bred to contain higher levels of THCV. We recommend that after getting the green light from your doctor or physician to try out THCV for its medicinal effects, start with small doses to monitor the individual reactions.
Remember that the effects of cannabinoids can vary from person to person. If you experience any adverse effects from taking products containing THVC, stop taking it immediately and call your doctor or an emergency service.
Potency Is Your One-Stop Shop for Everything Cannabis
At Potency, we believe in providing our customers with the highest quality of THC and CBD products, ranging from Edibles to flowers, concentrates, pre-rolls, and vapes. We even go as far as providing you with the latest Potency apparel to help advocate your passion for cannabis!
While we don’t currently stock any THCV products in our online stores, we are working tirelessly behind the scenes to bring you the highest quality of THCV products the cannabis universe has to offer.
If you are ready to explore all that cannabis and its many derivatives have to offer, check out our website today!
References
Amos A. et al. Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV): a commentary on potential therapeutic benefit for the management of obesity and diabetes. Retrieved from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7819335/
Anna K. et al. Tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV) Protects Adipose-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells (ASC) against Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress Development and Reduces Inflammation during Adipogenesis. Retrieved from: https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/24/8/7120
