THCV, ever heard of it?
Tetrahydrocannabivarin aka THCV is another one of the latest cannabinoids gaining popularity in the industry and on the cannabis market.
THCV is being nicknamed as “diet weed” and/or “weederall” because of it’s appetite-burning and energy-boosting properties.
Are THCV and THC the same?
Simply put, no the two are not the same. THCV does not have the same psychoactive effects linked to THC, even though it does have the same letters in the name.
THCV can be more associated and linked to compounds like CBD and CBN. Therefore, all the benefits of cannabis minus the euphoric high.
THCV decreases appetite, inreases satiety, and upregulates energy metabolism, making it clinically benefical and useful for weight loss, managing obesity and type 2 diabetes.
“Anecdotally, people report that, when THCV is used in combination with THC, THCV can mitigate [the intoxicating] effects of THC,” says Jonathan Vaught, PhD, the CEO of Front Range Biosciences, an agricultural biotechnology company that specializes in hemp genetics. As for THCV on its own, “it’s a little less clear,” Vaught says. THCV is mainly found in cannabis products alongside THC. If the cannabinoid is isolated, purified, and “put into things,” it’s not even clear whether it’s intoxicating at all, he adds” (Healthline).
Is it Safe?
There is still so much more to learn about THCV, although, yes, it is considered to be safe.
Currently in the US, it is not listed as a Schedule 1 drug. The 2018 United States Farm Bill legalized the production and sale of THCV as long as it’s derived from hemp compliant with the Farm Bill.
No major side effects of using THCV have been reported in current human studies. Although, it is important to always start slow until you know how your body will respond.
Unfortunately, the availability of THCV is limited. The supply chain is not strong and the price is expensive due to it being a rare cannabinoid. If you are lucky to come across it, recommended strains are Dayslayer, Durban Poison and Pink Boost Goddess.
What are the effects?
THCV is linked to a few potential effects such as reduced appetite.
This is kinda funny considering that cannabis is usually linked to increasing appetite with the “munchies”. “The theory behind this is that THCV can block the CB1 receptor. [The CB1 receptor] is well known to stimulate appetite, so blocking this receptor could [reduce appetite],” O’Sullivan says. This idea is backed by a few animal studies. For example, a 2009 study suggested that THCV may reduce food intake and weight gain (Healthline).
Furthermore, preclinical animal research suggests there could be a role for THCV in Parkinson’s Disease, psychosis, bacterial inflammation, acne, fatty liver disease, pain and epilepsy.
Of course, human research surrounding THCV is much more limited, but a small trial from 2015 among cannabis explored the potential to reduce some negative effects of THC. The authors suggested that just 10 mg of THCV may reduce increased heart rate, subjective feeling of intoxication, and verbal recall issues caused by THC.
We look forward to learning more about THCV as time goes on.
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