Cannabis hemp leaf floats in water at laboratory being studied for THC and THCV content.

THCV vs THC: What’s The Difference?

Rare Cannabinoid Company offers the largest selection of naturally occurring hemp cannabinoids, two of which are THC and THCV. But, what is the difference between THC and THCV? Despite how similar the two compounds sound, they are extremely different and offer almost opposite effects. Many people turn to THC for relaxation, whereas others seek out THCV weight loss products. Are those characterizations true? Read on to learn all of the unique differences between THC vs THCV below.

THCV vs THC: Similarities

THCV (tetrahydrocannabivarin) and THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) are both natural cannabinoids, active compounds found in cannabis and hemp plants. All cannabinoids interact with the human endocannabinoid system (ECS) to produce various effects. The ECS is responsible for maintaining homeostasis in the body, or balance. CBD, THC, THCV and other cannabinoids can help support the ECS to bring the body back into balance. They work by binding to cannabinoid receptors found throughout the brain and body.

THCV vs THC: Differences

The main differences between THC and THCV are their primary effects:

THC effects include:

Relaxation / sleepiness
Temporary relief from discomfort
Relief from occasional nausea and vomiting
Appetite stimulant / increase in hunger
May disrupt thinking and balance

THCV effects include:

Increased energy
Appetite control / decrease in hunger
Increased focus, alertness
Decrease in cravings
Does not disrupt thinking and balance

Related Blog: THCV For Weight Loss

Hemp / Cannabis Varins

Another unique difference is that THCV is a varin. This is a sub-family of the 113+ cannabinoids known to exist in hemp and cannabis. Varins have shorter, 3-carbon tails. Whereas, THC, CBD and most other cannabinoids have 5-carbon tails. Another varin that is garnering interest these days is CBDV (cannabidivarin). CBDV has similar benefits to CBD but is also being studied for aiding sociability and memory while reducing irritability.

Differences in breeding & extraction

Delta-9-THC is the primary active compound found in cannabis. It is found in abundance and is easily extracted to make THC-rich cannabis products. Delta-9-THC can also be extracted from hemp plants, although it occurs in much smaller quantities compared to CBD. Delta-9-THC can be sold outside dispensaries as long as it is naturally derived from hemp and there is less than 0.3% THC by dry weight in the finished product.

THCV, on the other hand, is a much rarer cannabinoid. It is found in very small amounts, primarily in African landrace cannabis sativa plants, and in recent hemp production, and is more difficult to extract. This makes THCV products much more expensive and harder to find than THC products.

How to take THC and THCV

Now that you know the difference between THCV vs THC, you may be wondering how to take each one. Both cannabinoids can be consumed in a variety of ways, including smoking or vaping, consuming edibles, tinctures and topicals. However, there are many more THC products on the market than THCV.

Rare Cannabinoid Company was the first to offer a pure THCV oil tincture as well as a 1:1 blend of THCV oil with full spectrum Hawaiian CBD, THCV edibles (extra strength THCV gummies), and THC + THCV gummies (containing hemp-derived Delta-9-THC and pure THCV oil.)

If you are tying to lose weight and are interested in taking THCV for appetite control, it is better to take THCV alone or with CBD. If you combine THCV with THC, the THC will still increase hunger to some extent.

Of course, if you want to take THC anyway, combining it with THCV will help curb the munchies – just not to the same extent as taking THCV alone.

Our new THC + THCV Uplift Gummies contain 2.5mg THC with 12.5mg THCV and 10mg CBD. This blend was chosen so that one can feel the sparkly euphoria of THC without it overwhelming the energetic, hunger decreasing properties of THCV. The CBD will amplify all of the effects too.

Mood Gummies

We also offer THC + CBC Mood Gummies. Each gummy contains 5 mg Delta-9-THC as well as high levels of CBC (cannabichromene) and CBD (cannabidiol). This unique hemp extract was chosen because Delta-9-THC and CBC have been found to improve mood and have the most happiness promoting effects of all cannabinoids, followed by CBD.

You can purchase THC Mood Gummies Packets of 10 gummies or THC Mood Gummies bottles of 30 gummies.

Given the uplifting qualities of THCV and the relaxing effects of THC, many people enjoy having THCV in the morning or daytime and THC in the evening.

For nighttime use, we also have new THC + CBN Sleep Gummies. They contain 30mg CBN (cannabinol) to promote restful sleep, 5mg Delta-9-THC for dreaminess, and 10mg CBD for the entourage effect.

In addition, we have THC + CBG Relief Gummies to relieve discomfort, recover after exercise, and support healthy joints. They contain 30mg CBG for soreness, amplified with 2.5mg Delta-9-THC and 10mg CBD.

Combining THCV and THC

You can either take our THC + THCV Uplift Gummies, or also use our full spectrum THC Mood Gummies as a base oil and enhance it with THCV or other cannabinoids. In fact, we always recommend taking pure cannabinoids with a full or broad spectrum CBD or THC oil for the entourage effect. This is the phenomena by which cannabinoids work together to produce a greater effect than they would if they were taken alone.

Taking THCV with THC will produce an energetic, elevated feel that some people describe as being akin to a cannabis sativa. The THCV will also help you feel less hungry than if you take THC on its own.

We hope you learned more about THCV vs THC. To learn more about THCV and other cannabinoids, check out our blog or shop our products!