If you’re unsure about the long word, cannabinoids are the chemicals in cannabis that make the plant distinctly unique. Some of them we produce on naturally in our own endocannabinoid system, others exist just in the plant.
The two most famous ones are THC and CBD, the latter of which is taking the country by storm in a recent health and wellness boom. The former is the one you were always warned about in D.A.R.E., but actually has a myriad of amazing health benefits.
Needless to say, cannabinoids are responsible for many of the effects you feel when consuming cannabis.
They can provide relief to an assortment of symptoms such as pain, nausea, anxiety, and inflammation. While CBD and THC are the most famous, there are a ton of lesser-known members of the family that can have just as much of an effect on your cannabis experience.
CBN (Cannabinol)
The often misunderstood CBN gets a bad reputation because it is thought to be produced only when THC degrades. But, in fact, CBN is a mild to non-psychoactive compound that offers its own wide variety of medical benefits.
Potential Benefits:
- Aids sleep
- Reduces seizures and spasms
- Kills bacteria
CBC (Cannabichromene)
Like CBD, CBC provides a range of medical relief without the typical “high” of THC. While CBC can provide an array of non-psychoactive benefits on its own, particular powers (such as reducing inflammation) are amplified when combined with THC for the famous entourage effect.
Potential Benefits:
- Combats depression
- Reduces inflammation
- Kills bacteria
CBG (Cannabigerol)
CBG is the “chemical parent” of CBD and THC, offering its own medical benefits. A lesser known cannabinoid, CBG is a non-psychoactive compound that helps neurological and mood disorders.
Potential Benefits:
- Reduces inflammation
- Inhibits cancer cell growth
- Protects neurons
THCv (tetrahydrocannabivarin)
THCv is an energizing compound even more psychoactive than THC. THCv is known to relieve neurological stress without suppressing emotion. The smart people at Steep Hill labs called THCv “the sports car of cannabis.”
Potential Benefits:
- Suppresses appetite
- Calms anxiety and PTSD
- Regulates motor control
THCa (Tetrahydrocannabinolic acid)
THCa offers therapeutic properties entirely distinct from THC. THCa is a non psychoactive compound that when heated, turns into THC. Its medicinal benefits provide a compelling argument for consuming raw cannabis.
Potential Benefits:
- Reduces nausea
- Inhibits cancer cell growth
- Protects neurons
As you can see, the number of cannabinoids available to you and your own, special endocannabinoid system are nearly boundless. The ones listed above are just a small percentage of the hundreds found in the plant.
One of the best ways to figure out how they interact with your body and what your relationship is to cannabis is to go low and slow and steadily scale up.
By researching and practicing microdosing, you’ll be able to engage in a safe and comfortable way to enjoy these cannabinoids and all their benefits have to offer.
