The cannabis plant has a number of products and byproducts which tend to be very useful for humans. The plant can be processed in different ways to create different things and is indeed a very important plant, particularly for stoners! People who consume marijuana do it for largely two reasons – it is either to (i) get high or to (ii) make use of the medical properties of the marijuana plant.
This has been done for thousands of years and ancient texts from the Indian and Chinese civilizations prove that weed has been smoked and consumed in different forms by humans for these two purposes. When you talk about getting high, you are basically talking about the THC present in the marijuana plant when you talk about medical benefits, you are talking about the CBD. In this article, we shall be taking a closer and detailed look at the latter – and also answer the popular question: Does CBD cause weight gain?
There are many questions and myths about CBD that people tend to have – and we shall be answering each of them in detail in this article, including the difference between THC and CBD, as well as other aspects of the marijuana plant. We shall also be looking in detail at the medicinal benefits of CBD and much more. Let us now begin:
THC vs CBD: Understanding the Difference
If you’re a stoner – or even someone who is casually interested in the “weed culture”, there is quite the chance that you have heard of these acronyms. But what do they really mean? THC stands for tetrahydrocannabinol while CBD stands for cannabidiol. Wondering what these two actually are? To simply put it, these are two naturally occurring compounds found in the cannabis plant. Let us look at each of them one by one.
THC: The secret to how you get high when you smoke weed lies hidden inside this compound. The higher the THC% of the buds that you are smoking, the stronger the ‘hit’ that it is going to give you. It is a psychoactive compound which has mind-altering properties. It is due to these properties that people who smoke weed rich in THC tend to feel more ‘creative’ when they smoke weed. It is also because of this that the perception of reality around you changes and you cannot correctly gauge time and distance. When you smoke weed, the THC that enters your body then combines with the receptors in the brain and other parts of the body which give you the feeling of being ‘high’.
CBD: In comparison to THC, CBD is the calmer of the two and has more soothing and relaxing properties than the exciting properties of the former. CBD is known for helping provide relief to those suffering from mental ailments and helps people relax better. CBD can be extracted from traditional marijuana plants or even from hemp plants. These hemp plants are basically marijuana plants with less than 0.03% of THC content. CBD is a non-psychoactive compound and does not get you high. However, when you look at the chemical composition of both tese compounds, you’ll be surprised as they are basically the same in terms of the number of molecules. In both these compounds there are 21 hydrogen molecules, 30 carbon molecules and 2 oxygen molecules – however, the difference is on the way they are arranged and hence the THC compound binds with your neuro receptors in a much better manner and gives you quite the high. CBD in itself does not get you high, especially if it is a CBD-isolate. Let us now look at the burning question we have at hand that has been bothering a large number of people:
Does CBD Cause Weight Gain? A Scientific Analysis
One of the most common questions that we are asked from people over emails and comments is that – does the consumption of CBD cause weight gain? People really want to know if CBD can make them fat before they start consuming it. Hence, we have come out with this detailed explanation which will help you understand this in a very simple and clear manner.
The biggest misconception that people have is that they assume that since smoking weed makes them hungrier and increases their appetite, consuming CBD is also going to do the same. This is a legitimate fear and confusion among many people. However, you need to know that the increase in appetite happens due to THC and not due to CBD. In many regards, THC is like that evil twin of CBD which does all the nuisance while CBD is framed for it!
Interestingly, if you look at the marijuana plant, there are easily over a hundred identified cannabinoid compounds that are produced by the plant. However, CBD and THC happen to be the most popular two names. There’s still research going on in this front, but largely what has been found out is that if you are consuming CBD-isolates (which do not contain any traces of THC), or if you are consuming CBD which comes from hemp plants (which contain less than 0.03% of THC content), then that should not cause any increase in your hunger or appetite and it will not lead to any gain in weight.
Research that has been carried out over the years proves that when you smoke weed that is rich in CBD and not THC, (CBD isolates) there is indeed a metabolic reaction that happens in your body. Metabolism is different for everyone – but by and large it has been observed that smoking CBD helps break down the fats stored in the body, thereby helping you burn calories and feel fresher and healthier and there hasn’t really been a clear link between consuming CBD and getting fatter or gaining weight. However, there have been some researchers who claim that CBD actually breaks down proteins and produces fats but the information on this is still pretty limited and more research is needed before it can be said concretely.
One last concluding note about this question is to not treat this article as a medical advice or a scientific study. Always make sure that you are consulting your doctors and physicians before you consume CBD for medicinal (or for any) purposes.
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What are the Medicinal Benefits of CBD?
While THC is known for helping you get high, CBD is the compound that is associated with medicinal benefits and has been traditionally seen as something which has many soothing and relaxing properties. Consuming CBD has traditionally been seen as one of the best treatments for many physical as well as mental ailments – here’s a closer look at everything that you need to know about this:
- Consuming CBD has a good effect on those people who have restlessness, trouble calming down or are generally anxious. Anxiety-relief is one of the biggest and the most well-known medicinal benefits that you can get from consuming CBD which is why it is used in CBD gummies and in other forms to help people cope with their anxieties. Along with anxiety, people who suffer from non-clinical depression and bouts of mood swings have also felt an upliftment in their mood and an overall sense of calmness when they consume CBD.
- People who tend to suffer from seizures have also reported quite a significant improvement in their condition on regular consumption of CBD. Apart from that there’s another huge problem that many people around the world face – IBD or IBS (Irritable Bowel Disease/Syndrome) and consuming CBD has helped these people relax as well. It also provides relief from nausea in general.
- Apart from Anxiety and Depression, people who suffer from severe mental conditions such as psychosis, dementia and other similar ailments have also been observed to feel better upon consumption of CBD but there are studies which are still going on about this.
- Lastly, one huge medicinal benefit that CBD offers is that people who either consume CBD or apply CBD infused lotions or creams on swellings and inflammations of the body feel better and it provides a good relief from pain. People with chronic aches and pains have found that using these CBD creams have helped them with the problems.
These are just some benefits of CBD – in some cases such as anxiety gummies you will have CBD as well as other compounds such as melatonin and omega acids etc which have different benefits of their own which help you sleep better, improve your skin and nail health, etc.
What are CBD Gummies and CBD Cream?
Two products that we mentioned above were CBD gummies and CBD creams – these are critical for people who want to consume CBD for medicinal purposes. These aren’t ‘medicines’ in the traditional sense but can be considered as supplements which will help you improve upon the problems that you are facing. It is strictly stated that you must consume them or use them only after consulting your doctor or any licensed medical practitioner.
CBD gummies are basically gummy bears infused with CBD isolates. Popping them gives you relief from anxiety and depression – and if they are infused with melatonin they also help you sleep better. Some people who suffer from problems such as ADHD have also felt better upon consumption of these gummies but research is still a work in progress when it comes to ADHD patients. They come in variants ranging from mild to strong depending on the CBD content in them and you should consume them based on your need.
Similarly, another popularly used product is that of CBD creams – which are useful for those people who are facing pain and inflammations, as they could simply rub it over the affected part of the body and feel instant relief from the pain. These are both very useful products but we would once again like to highlight the importance of consulting a doctor before you start consuming them.
Are CBD and THC Legal?
Over the past hundred years we’ve seen a lot of changes when it comes to people’s attitude towards weed. A hundred years ago almost all ‘drugs’ were legal including cocaine which was sold as a medicine. However, over the years there have been changes to the way drugs were perceived and eventually in the 60s and the 70s marijuana too began getting clubbed along with these ‘hard drugs’ and was seen as a social taboo. The past few decades, however, have been rather liberal with a strong demand from the public about legalizing marijuana.
Governments all over the world have been listening and have been relaxing their laws around weed. Canada, for instance, has removed most restrictions. Marijuana is also legal in some South American nations, as well as to a large extent in Netherlands and Spain as well, where ‘Cannabis Tourism’ is a major part of their economy. Even the US views it a lot more liberally than it did over the past generation and most states in America have now legalized the consumption and possession of marijuana, at least for medicinal purposes. Some states even allow recreational consumption of weed. When we talk about the medicinal benefits of marijuana, we are essentially talking about CBD.
In states and regions where marijuana is legal for medicinal purposes, you need a prescription from your doctor and then you can possess CBD-rich marijuana or other CBD products such as CBD gummies for anxiety or CBD vaping cartridges, etc. In states where marijuana is legal for medicinal as well as recreational purposes, you can consume as well as possess CBD-rich weed without any legal obstructions.
Frequently Asked Questions About CBD
Here are the answers to some of the most common questions associated with CBD that people tend to ask us. Do go through them as you too might be having similar doubts:
1. How long can CBD be detected in your body?
The answer to this honestly depends upon how much CBD you have consumed. Usually it would disappear completely between two to five days.
2. Can CBD get you high?
No, technically CBD cannot get you high. Especially the ones used in gummies and creams – as it is an ‘isolate’ which means it has been separated from the rest of the contents of the plant and contains no THC in it.
3. Can I consume CBD without my doctor’s prescription?
It is always best to take a medical advice before you consume CBD – this will keep you safe from any unwanted reactions that might take place. While it is not illegal to consume CBD without prescription in some areas, if you are trying to consume it as a medicine to treat a pain or an ailment, we strongly recommend consulting a doctor.
Conclusion
We hope that this article helped you gain a much better perspective on understanding CBD and how it is beneficial for you. We have attempted to give our readers a complete understanding of CBD along with the answer to the question – ‘Does CBD cause weight gain’. If there are any more similar questions you can drop us an email or let us know in the comments below and we’ll get back to you soon!
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