What Is The Difference Between THCA & THC?
The difference between THC and THCA is pretty simple. When marijuana is smoked, THC is converted into the psychoactive chemical known as CB1 receptors in the brain.
When people ingest THC orally, it bypasses the digestive system and goes straight into the bloodstream. This allows the body to process the drug more quickly, and the resulting effect is faster onset and quicker peak.
THCA, on the other hand, is metabolized differently. After ingestion, the liver breaks down THCA into THCA-acid, which is then taken up by the cells where it is converted into 11-hydroxy-THC-acid. These compounds are called cannabidiolic acids because they contain both CBD and THC.
11-Hydroxy-THC-acids are present in the trichomes, or resin glands, of the female flowers. They do not activate the same neural pathways as THC, but they still provide a mild buzz.
This is why many smokers prefer to consume dried buds over smoking leaves. Dried bud contains far less THCA than the fresh plant, and therefore produces a slower, longer-lasting high.
Are There Any Benefits to THCA?
THC is one of the most well known cannabinoids out there, but it isn’t the only one. There are actually dozens of different types of cannabinoids found in cannabis plants. One of those is tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV), otherwise known as THCA. This particular cannabinoid is just as useful as THC, but it’s less psychoactive. In fact, it’s considered to be non-psychoactive because it doesn’t produce the same euphoric high you might experience after smoking weed.
But what exactly does THCA do? And how effective is it compared to THC? Let’s take a look at some of the benefits of THCA:
- Anti-Inflammatory Properties
- Helps with Neurodegenerative Diseases
- Antioxidant Properties
- Treat Fatty Liver Disease
- THCA May Have Antioxidant Properties
- THCA Can Improve Your Mood
- THCA Can Reduce Muscle Spasms
- THCA Can Be Used To Treat Insomnia
- THCA Can Help You Sleep Better
And more.
How to Consume THCA?
If you want to try THCA for yourself, you can find it in various forms online. It comes in oil form, capsules, tinctures, and even sublingual drops. If you’re looking to get started with THCA, you should start slow. Start off with 5mg doses every day, and work your way up from there.
There is an endless list of the ways you can eat and consume raw cannabis. This includes Juicing Raw Cannabis with other fruits and vegetables. You can also consider using pills and capsules which might be provided to you for medical treatment.
If you are looking to eat raw cannabis as apart your diet be creative and think out of the box.
THCA V's THC Conclusion
So what is the verdict? Is THCA better than THC? Well, that depends on who you ask. Some people say THCA is superior to THC, while others claim that they don’t see any differences between them.
The truth is, no one knows for sure if THCA is better than THC. But we do know that THCA has its own set of benefits. Deciding on your use for the substance will determine on which is best for you.
Have you had any experience using THCA? Let us know in the comment section below.