Skip to content
CBD and THC are the two most familiar cannabinoids, each interacting with the endocannabinoids system (ECS) in unique ways. THC is well-known for the “high” it produces, what about CBD? What’s the difference between CBD and THC?
One Atom Apart
THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol) and CBD (Cannabidiol) have the exact chemical makeup: 30 hydrogen atoms, two oxygen atoms, and 21 carbon atoms. They look identical, except for the arrangement of ONE atom.
Each cannabinoid acts differently upon the cannabinoid receptors and thus offers potentially different types of support. THC has intoxicating, psychoactive properties and gives its consumers a high, whereas CBD is not intoxicating and does not create a high. High-CBD oil from industrial hemp with 0-0.2% THC is non-addictive and will not impair your daily functions in any way.
CBD does not have the array of negative side effects commonly associated with THC, such as low mood and poor memory retention. In contrast, CBD is unlikely to affect memory, which may be due to the potential ability of CBD to alleviate temporary symptoms of anxiety.
Cannabinoids and Receptors
Cannabinoids are the name of a group of chemical compounds found within humans and animals (called endocannabinoids), within plants (phytocannabinoids) and created in a lab (synthetic cannabinoids). This compound interacts with the cannabinoid receptors within one of the body’s major regulatory systems, called the endocannabinoid system (ECS), which is where the body produces its own endocannabinoids.
Two important cannabinoid receptors are called, simply, CB1 and CB2. Understanding how these receptors work is an essential part of understanding how the endocannabinoid system influences different areas of the body.
CB1 receptors exist most abundantly in the brain but are also found elsewhere in the body. These CB1 receptors are most abundant in the areas of the brain responsible for memory, high cognition, motor coordination, and emotion. CB2 receptors are dispersed throughout the body and nervous system but exist in highest numbers in immune tissues such as the thymus gland, tonsils, and spleen. CB2 receptors are also in the colon, brain, and bones.
It is the interaction between these two receptors with phytocannabinoids such as THC and CBD that has the potential for a vast amount of nutritive benefits such as alleviating temporary symptoms of exercise-induced inflammation, anxiety, sleeplessness, and mood swings.
THC binds directly to and activates CB1 receptors in the body, which are responsible for the “high” or euphoric sensation. CB1 receptors are a part of the body’s “reward system”.
CBD interferes with the activity of the CB1 receptor, especially when in the presence of THC. CBD binds with, or activates, CB2 receptors (and others), rather than CB1. CB2 receptors influence the body’s inflammatory response. When an ECS in homeostasis activates CB2 receptors, it reduces inflammation, which can alleviate many temporary issues.
Full-Spectrum Hemp CBD is Intoxication-Free
CBD oil derived from organic industrial hemp plants with less than 0.2% THC is intoxication-free and non-addictive. This is particularly important to consumers who want to experience CBD’s nourishment without the high.
Full spectrum CBD includes all the phytonutrients, cannabinoids, antioxidants, terpenes, and flavonoids present in hemp, and supports the body’s ECS by bringing it into homeostasis. And a balanced body means you can feel like yourself, faster.
