Sometimes, things are just meant to go together. It’s hard to decide which part of a cannabis plant is better. Is one part better than another part, or is one part better than the whole? While two things apart can be good, two things together can be even greater. Both CBD and THC offer plenty of their own benefits, but combining CBD with THC offers benefits that neither is able to offer alone.
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What is the Difference Between THC and CBD?
Both CBD and THC are natural compounds found in the plant Cannabis Sativa. The two compounds are the most well-known cannabinoids found in this type of plant. While they possess the same chemical makeup, their arrangement is different, and the human body receives each of them differently. Both compounds affect the neurotransmitters in your brain, but each in another way and with a different response.
Psychoactive Aspect
The psychoactive aspect is where the two compounds really differ. The THC compound is known for the ‘high’ effect felt when it binds to your neurotransmitters. With CBD, you don’t experience that ‘high,’ and it is considered a non-psychoactive compound. CBD is instead known to have health benefits without experiencing that feeling of euphoria.
Benefits Associated With CBD
CBD comes in many forms. It’s available in oil, capsule, cream, or as edibles. CBD binds with your body’s receptors and helps alleviate mild and complex issues with the body. Some of these health benefits include the following:
- Helps restore memory
- Aids with general pain
- Helps with sleep issues
- Relieves anxiety
- Lessens the impact of Crohn’s disease
- Reduces the effects of multiple sclerosis
- Reduces some of the side effects of cancer
- Minimizes side effects from diabetes
- Relieves arthritis pain
- Relieves pain associated with cancer
- Minimizes depression
- Minimizes the impact of head trauma
- Aids in controlling addiction
- Slows down the neurodegenerative disease
Research is also being conducted showing that CBD may help in the antipsychotic properties of schizophrenia and reduce seizures for those with epilepsy. It’s also profoundly impacting pediatric medicine since it doesn’t produce any psychoactive side effects. CBD rarely results in any side effects regardless of the size dose taken.
Benefits Associated With THC
Everyone is much more familiar with the benefits of THC as it has become a controversial subject from state to state. More than 50% of the states have legalized medical marijuana, which alleviates symptoms associated with nausea and chronic pain. A Louisiana cannabis card for example allows cardholders to purchase cannabis for medicinal purposes to help manage their ailments. However, along with the benefits come some side effects.
THC is well known for the following side effects:
- Coordination issues
- Increased heart rate
- Red eyes
- Dry mouth
- Memory loss
- Impaired reaction time
Benefits of Mixing THC With CBD
While each compound has its own benefits, the result reaps even more benefits when you mix the two. Each compound is powerful on its own, but combining the two produces different effects. In some cases, one compound may work better than the combination, but the opposite is also true.
While they work hand-in-hand, they also can counteract each other. For instance, combining CBD and THC reduces the psychoactive effects of THC, while CBD lessens the appetite and sedative side effects of the THC. CBD can also reduce paranoia and anxiety caused by THC. THC also acts as a sedative and muscle relaxer. There have also been some successful results when it comes to combining the two in specific scenarios of cancer research, especially in the management of cancer symptoms.
Not only are they effective as a pair, but one actually prolongs the life of the other. As the benefits of CBD wear off, you can add a little THC to extend the CBD benefits. This is just another perfect example of why the two should be combined.
While THC and CBD come from the same cannabis plant, they each have distinct differences. THC is associated with the psychoactive aspect or ‘high’ feeling, while CBD is known more for its health benefits. They each have their own value as a stand-alone but also offer more sophisticated results together. More research is needed to better identify when the two should be used separately or when they should be used together and when used together, the perfect balance between the two.
