THC vs CBD: Learn the Difference
THC vs. CBD Everyone talks about CBD and THC. These are two of the important chemicals in marijuana. As the legalization of marijuana becomes widespread around the world, the question arises:
What is the difference between CBD and THC?
There is a biological mechanism inside you called the endocannabinoid system that helps regulate your mood, appetite, memory, or even pain perception. The THC and the CBD are taking control of this system.
This is the chemical structure of THC. Also known as Tetrahydrocannabinol if you want it professionally. And this is the chemical structure of CBD, also known as Cannabidiol.
You may have noticed that their chemical structure looks almost identical. They have the same molecular formula, which is C21H30O2. And they both have the same molar density of 314.45 g / mol.
But there is one extremely important structural difference.
Where THC contains a cyclic ring, CBD contains a hydroxyl group. And this difference in biochemistry controls whether you feel drugged or not. To fully understand why you must first learn about the CB-1 receptor. In your “unsmoked” sober body, the CB-1 receptor is stimulated by a neurotransmitter called anandamide. It controls the emergence of pleasure, motivation, and eating patterns.
THC vs CBD: Learn the Difference
Anandamide is released in your sober body after exercise. And it causes a condition known as runner’s high. The structure of THC is so similar to anandamide that it fits exactly into the CB-1 receptor, making you feel tested. CBD, on the other hand, has a different shape due to the hydroxyl group and therefore does not fit into the CB-1 receptor, and therefore you are not drugged from it (testing).
But CBD binds to other receptors in your endocannabinoid system and affects you in other ways.
Great excitement about the CBD raged around a 2011 study in which dozens of people with social phobias were asked to speak and speak to a large audience. Some received CBD, and some received a placebo. Those who received CBD reported a much lower degree of anxiety. There are also a large number of animal studies that demonstrate the anti-anxiety and anti-inflammatory properties of CBD, which explains why many people claim that CBD helps them fight anxiety and chronic pain.
THC vs CBD. Research also shows that THC can make a person’s mental health problem worse. While CBD, on the other hand, is proving to be helpful in alleviating mental health problems. So what happens when you eat them both at once? One study found that due to the biochemical form of CBD, it can essentially bind to the CB-1 receptor and turn it off. This process is known in biochemistry as allosteric inhibition.
That is, CBD essentially prevents THC from binding so well to the CB-1 receptor. And thus, it reduces the feeling of ” intoxication ”. If you vaporize marijuana with 25% THC and 0.1% CBD, you will feel intoxicated because THC binds to the CB-1 receptor with only minimal CBD depressant effect.
If you take marijuana with 25% THC and 12% CBD, this amount of CBD will already reduce the effect of THC on the CB-1 receptor. This will reduce the effect of THC and make you less intoxicated. In countries where marijuana is legally sold, they are likely to state what percentage of THC and CBD the product contains. This will help you understand the effect that the product will have on your body. In conclusion, THC is a chemical compound contained in marijuana that puts you in a ‘high’ state.
CBD is a different chemical found in marijuana that does not put you in a state of intoxication but can affect your body and mind in ways that are less conscious. There is still much to understand about both compounds.
As more and more U.S. states and countries around the world legalize marijuana, we can hope to increase the number of professional papers that reveal more details about how these chemicals affect us.
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