fbpx

Mental & Physical Health Benefits of THCV – What does THCV Help with Medically?

Cannabis or “medical marijuana” has become increasingly popular thanks to changes in legislation, accessibility, and research around the many benefits it offers. The use of this plant has allowed people to manage chronic pain, symptoms of cancer and the side effects of chemotherapy, deal with psychiatric disorders like anxiety, and many other benefits. 

Most people are familiar with the cannabinoid THC, and even the lesser-known CBD, but there are countless cannabinoids out there that come with their own therapeutic benefits. 

Cue THCV. 

Introducing THCV

When you ingest cannabinoids, they bind to special receptors you have in your body to help influence states of body and mind.

These receptors can be found in the immune system, nervous system, brain, and stomach. 

THCV, a cannabinoid, is known as a “neutral antagonist”. In layman’s terms, THCV works on the same receptors that THC does, but works by blocking them instead of activating them. When isolated, this neutral antagonist effect has shown promising benefits. 

If you want to get into the nitty-gritty science of it, the difference between THC and THCV comes down to a slightly different molecular structure. THC has five side-chain carbon atoms, while THCV has three.

Although both beneficial in their own ways, THC and THCV do have some distinct differences. While THC is known as an appetite enhancer, causing “the munchies”, THCV may help to suppress appetite instead. 

Another distinct difference is that while THC can induce psychoactive effects or the sensation of feeling “high”, THCV tends to create more feelings of alertness and clarity. While it’s not found in every strain of the cannabis plant, THCV can be organically synthesized from other plants than cannabis, like citrus peel extracts. Users of non-cannabis THCV products can reap the benefits, without the risk of psychoactive effects. 

Medical Benefits of THCV

Why might someone want to consume THCV products? 

Researchers are just starting to understand THCV health benefits, but the cannabinoid is already showing promising results that differentiate it from THC. Already the National Institute of Health is supporting the cannabinoid encouraging “A broad portfolio of research on cannabinoids and the endocannabinoid system.”  

Let’s take a closer look at just what those medical benefits are. 

THCV Mental Health Benefits:

Many people have turned to the cannabis plant for generations as a means of supporting their mental health. While many people use THC for helping them manage anxiety, for some it has the opposite effect and can induce feelings of paranoia. 

It seems that THCV may offer similar mental health benefits, without the risk of paranoia, or other uncomfortable psychoactive effects. 

Here are some of the ways THCV might help support your mental health:

Promotes Sleep

Sleep problems can greatly impact someone’s quality of life on a day-to-day basis. 

Much like THC, THCV can help promote sleep, which is encouraging for those that deal with insomnia and sleep disorders. 

Anxiety Control

Post-traumatic stress disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and other anxiety disorders may be supported through the use of THCV. 

New studies support the cannabinoid’s ability to help reduce panic attacks or even block them altogether, without suppressing emotions. 

Antipsychotic Effects

Research has found the THCV may help reduce symptoms of certain psychiatric disorders, like schizophrenia. 

Its antipsychotic effects may help normalize hyper locomotor activity, social behavior, and improve cognitive performance. 

THCV Physical Health Benefits:

The benefits of THCV don’t stop at mental health, it also offers many benefits in terms of physical health.

Here are some of the ways THCV may support your physical health:

Reduce Inflammation

Chronic inflammation can cause all sorts of discomfort and dysregulation in the human body. THCV has been shown to decrease oxidative stress while offering anti-inflammatory benefits.

This is especially promising for people who have experienced injuries and other disorders that are associated with chronic inflammation like diabetes and Crohn’s Disease. 

THCV is Neuroprotective

While most of the research on the neuroprotective benefits of THCV has been done on mice thus far, it’s still showing promising results. 

This neuroprotection is especially beneficial to those with epilepsy and Alzheimer’s. The cannabinoid may help reduce seizures, tremors, and brain lesions while helping support muscular control. 

Reducing Nausea

Symptoms like nausea and vomiting are common in certain gastrointestinal disorders and other ailments. 

THCV has been shown to help reduce symptoms of nausea and decrease vomiting in rats.

Support Bone Health

Move out of the way calcium, THCV is the new player in town when it comes to bone health. 

THCV has the capacity to bind to the bone marrow receptors in your body. This means it may help to stimulate bone marrow growth and tissue turnover, helping to slow and prevent bone degeneration.

Managing Blood Sugar and Insulin Levels

Much like intermittent fasting, THCV can help people manage their blood sugar and insulin levels. This is promising news for people with type two diabetes.

Managing Obesity

Although THC is known for inducing appetite, aka “the munchies”, THCV actually helps to suppress appetite. 

The cannabinoid can help people to manage obesity by decreasing appetite, increasing satiety, and up-regulating energy metabolism. 

THCV: Try it For Yourself

Cannabinoid use continues to grow as more and more research comes out around the mental and physical health benefits they have to offer.

You can experience the benefits of THCV yourself, with Citravarin. This appetite suppressing THCV mint is 100% cannabis free meaning no psychoactive effects. Intended to help support intermittent fasting, Citravarin allows you to experience THCV, without the “high.”


Sources:

  1. Cannabis-based medicines for chronic neuropathic pain in adults
  2. Cannabinoids in cancer treatment: Therapeutic potential and legislation
  3. Cannabidiol (CBD) use in psychiatric disorders: A systematic review
  4. NIH Research on Marijuana and Cannabinoids
  5. A novel phytocannabinoid isolated from Cannabis sativa L. with an in vivo cannabimimetic activity higher than Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol: Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabiphorol
  6. Plasma and brain pharmacokinetic profile of cannabidiol (CBD), cannabidivarine (CBDV), Δ⁹-tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV) and cannabigerol (CBG) in rats and mice following oral and intraperitoneal administration and CBD action on obsessive-compulsive behaviour
  7. The phytocannabinoid, Δ⁹-tetrahydrocannabivarin, can act through 5-HT₁A receptors to produce antipsychotic effects
  8. Δ8-Tetrahydrocannabivarin prevents hepatic ischaemia/reperfusion injury by decreasing oxidative stress and inflammatory responses through cannabinoid CB2 receptors
  9. Δ⁹-Tetrahydrocannabivarin suppresses in vitro epileptiform and in vivo seizure activity in adult rats
  10. Evaluation of the potential of the phytocannabinoids, cannabidivarin (CBDV) and Δ(9) -tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV), to produce CB1 receptor inverse agonism symptoms of nausea in rats
  11. Role of cannabinoids in the regulation of bone remodeling
  12. Efficacy and Safety of Cannabidiol and Tetrahydrocannabivarin on Glycemic and Lipid Parameters in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Parallel Group Pilot Study
  13. Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV): a commentary on potential therapeutic benefit for the management of obesity and diabetes