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Will CBD Make You High?
Sorry Spicola, CBD will not get you high. This is important, so I didn’t want to bury the lead. In fact I’ll say it again with more emphasis, “CBD WILL NOT GET YOU HIGH!!!” Did I say,“CBD WILL NOT GET YOU HIGH!!!”The way most animal’s systems react to cannabidiol (CBD), one of the dominant molecules found in hemp, is completely different compared to how it responds to tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive compound in marijuana. I’ll come back to discuss THC, but I just want to let you know that all NXTGEN Nutrition’s CBD products are THC free as in zero, zilch and nada.
Let’s discuss why CBD doesn’t get you high and how to get all the benefits of CBD without consuming THC.
To fully understand why CBD doesn’t create psychoactive effects, let’s first discuss its relationship to THC. Both of these compounds aretypes of phytocannabinoids. Phytocannabinoids are plant-based molecules that are found in plants in the cannabis family.
In the plant world, cannabis plants have the most cannabinoids. It’s true that black truffles contain one of our body’s natural endocannabinoids, anandamide, and that echinacea has cannabinoid-like molecules, but the cannabis plant dominants in the category of most cannabinoids.
There are over 100 phytocannabinoids found in cannabis plants. Thousands of different molecules make up a single cannabis plant. For instance, hemp has aromatic molecules (known as terpenes) including linalool and humulene. Hemp also contains all21 amino acids and various other nutrients. There are benefits to the combination of these properties in CBD, it is called the “Entourage Effect.” That is why here at NXTGEN Nutrition we reintroduce the CBG, CBN, terpenes and other nutrients back into our products after stripping out of the THC. Most of our broad spectrum competitors do not take this extra step.
Each of these molecules plays an important role in the hemp plant's benefits to animals. Now “you filthy animal” (random “Home Alone” reference), let’s take a closer look at the differences.
Hopefully, you are in a creative state of mind. Let’s consider a piece of garlic bread hot out of the oven, imagine taking your first bite into this warm, delicious pleasure. Work with me here, I’m not trying to make you hungry; this exercise is supposed to help draw some parallels.
Garlic has a strong smell but is very delicious and it is good for the heart. The butter on the bread can be beneficial in moderation (nod toBulletproof coffee!), while too much butter can cause our cholesterol to go through the roof. There’s also gluten in the bread. Gluten is one of the top dietary allergens in the world and the over abundance of carbohydrates is a major cause for inflammation within the body. If you add in some cheese to melt on top, you’re putting another dietary allergen in your body...lactose.
Digging into the pluses and minuses of garlic bread is one wild ride! Each ingredient has a unique interaction with our body. Add or subtract certain ingredients, the flavor and how our body responds will both change radically. Hopefully, this analogy will make it easier to recognize the distinctions on how CBD and THC can create different reactions.
In the past few years CBD has gained a lot of attention. This notoriety is well deserved due to the way that CBD product’s phytocannabinoids interact with our endocannabinoid system.Our endocannabinoid system works as our internal checks-and-balances system. This valuable system is guided by internal communicators called cannabinoid receptors.
There are more cannabinoid receptors than one could ever count throughout our body. They act as alarm systems that attach to our cells. Once the balance is off in the area they are watching, the receptors will contact the system.
The warning message is sent through neurotransmitters in theperipheralnervous system until it reaches the central nervous system. Here, the brain interprets the data. The response oftentimes can be the discomfort or agitation that many people have in our busy and stressful lives..
Once we have this reaction, our body works to fix the situation. Our initial response is to produceour own natural endocannabinoids. These endocannabinoids stimulate and bind to the distressed receptors. This is an attempt to balance the endocannabinoid system.
We are often thrown challenges in our daily life, these obstacles run the gamut from viruses towork-related stress to underlying health issues. Our body’s natural endocannabinoids try to keep up with the demands of our modern life but the pressure can be intense.
Luckily, our body can enjoy many of the same benefits from plant-based cannabinoids. Like our garlic bread analogy, where the ingredients interact with us uniquely, so do the phytocannabinoids in CBD.
THC is the cannabinoid found in cannabis that is responsible for psychoactive effects. It’s the active ingredient that causes a “high” in marijuana users. Remember, CBD does not get you high! These mind-altering effects are due to the molecular structure of this phytocannabinoid and how these chemical properties interact with our cannabinoid receptors.
CBD and THC are very similar on a molecular level. They each contain:
What makes them completely different comes down to the position ofone hydrogen atom. This small difference allowsTHC to bind to our cannabinoid receptors, whereas CBD only stimulates them. This might sound like a small difference, but this one atom makes a big, big difference.
Polarity is very important to our endocannabinoid system. Our endocannabinoid system craves balance! To ensure this, our bodies have two sets of cannabinoid receptors. Each set of receptors are in charge of particular areas.
Our cannabinoid receptors are:
The difference in molecular structure allows THC to bind to CB1 receptors, while CBD stimulates them. THC’s influence on the CB1 receptors have a strong impact on the central nervous system, which is how THC causes the “high” associated with smoking marijuana.
CBD has a weak affinity to receptors. It can, however, stimulate CB1 or CB2 receptors to influence a change. When this happens, CBD may alter the way receptors interact with other cannabinoids.
Also, CBD helps protect our natural endocannabinoids. Endocannabinoids getburned off by enzymes in our system, namely the fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) and monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL). CBD slows this destructive process of these enzymes breaking down these pivotal regulators. Thus allowing CB1 and CB2 to offer the support our body needs to keep balanced.
Let’s first discuss why THC makes you high. After entering the body THC seeks out CB1 receptors in the brain. The THC triggers the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) pathway.
The ERK pathway is situated in our hippocampus. This is the memory and cognition area of the brain. When THC binds to CB1 receptors, the ERK pathway becomes overstimulated. In turn, it creates the distorted reality that we perceive as the “high.”
Again, CBD stimulates the CB1 receptors it does not bind to them. Thus, the overstimulation of the ERK pathway doesn’t occur. Since there is no overstimulation of the ERK pathway so there is no perceptual distortion, no “High.”.
Remember, here at NXTGEN Nutrition all of our products are THC free. For a full understanding of the CBD/THC subject, let’s continue.
Before 2018,hemp wasn’t federally legal. Once we discovered the chemical variations of THC and CBD, the government acknowledged that there aredifferences between hemp and marijuana. Under federal law, the government mandated that all agricultural hemp may contain 0.3% THC or less. This is because scientists have found that this small amount of THC is far below the amount of THC that would produce that euphoric “high.” Although, states that have legal recreational and medical cannabis programs might use marijuana to create their CBD or breed hemp to have high levels of THC. This variety of products may indeed cause a high due to the presence of THC. Consumers should read the labels of any CBD products and demand that the CBD product that they consume are 3rd party tested.
Here at NXTGEN Nutrition we exist to“Help people through the power of hemp.” We understand that many people want to avoid THC , whether this because of drug testing concerns or personal beliefs. We are committed to deliver only high quality, 3rd party tested and THC free CBD products to the market.
We go to great lengths to preserve the integrity of the valuable phytocannabinoids found in the whole hemp plant. After we isolate the cannabinoids (and denote them in our lab reports), we remove any traces of THC.
Hemp already has only 0.3% THC or less, so your body won’t miss out on the potential benefits of this phytocannabinoid. In fact, you have many other phytocannabinoids (CBN, CBG, terpenes among others) present to make up for the lack of THC, so you still experience the entourage effect. Our cutting-edge technology and proprietary hemp plants make NXTGEN Nutrition one of the premier broad spectrum hemp extracts on the market.
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