CBD is one of the most popular alternative options when it comes to pain relief. CBDA is one of the several compounds that can be found in marijuana plants. It stands for cannabidiolic acid and can be transformed into the CBD we all know and love. This is done when the plant is exposed to high temperatures. Cannabinoids, better known as CBD or THC, are extracted compounds from the cannabis plant.
While THC is often consumed for the recreational benefits it has, CBD is usually taken for the medicinal benefits it brings to consumers. There are many more cannabinoids in the cannabis plant but THC and CBD are by far the most well-known. Both of these cannabinoids come from the main part of the marijuana plant: the cannabigerolic acid cannabinoid, CBGA for short.
Types of Cannabinoids
There are a variety of different enzymes within a cannabis plant. Depending on which one is activated when the plant is synthesising, you may get one of three cannabinoid compounds:
- THCA also known as tetrahydrocannabinolic acid
- CBCA also known as cannabichromenic acid
- CBDA also known as cannabidiolic acid
After a marijuana plant is fully grown and ready to use for medical or recreational purposes, there is a process called decarboxylation. This is when you apply heat to the plant using one of many methods available. When heat is applied to the flower, the cannabidiolic acid, CBDA, becomes CBD. The easiest way to understand what this is and how it works is to look at CBDA as the fresh and raw version of CBD.
We all know how popular CBD is but are there benefits to taking CBDA before the decarboxylation process? CBDA is most commonly found in oils, capsules, and salves. You can even drink it to get benefits quickly. What are the benefits of CBDA? Let’s take a look.
Possible Medicinal Benefits of Using CBDA
There are different receptors that the majority of cannabinoids bind to, the main two being CB1 and CB2. Unlike CBD, CBDA doesn’t bind to these receptors. The human brain has what’s called the endocannabinoid system. This system helps the body maintain homeostasis. When this isn’t maintained, the body can experience physical and mental issues. CBDA pairs up with the endocannabinoid system. It attaches to the COX-2 enzymes in your brain. These enzymes are related to inflammation, aches, and pain.
CBDA can even affect the amount of serotonin your brain releases. Serotonin is what the brain uses to help with happiness, sleep, cognitive functions, and even digestion. When your serotonin levels are low you can feel depressed, have trouble sleeping, or even struggle to drive your car. Serotonin levels can also be too high, resulting in Serotonin Syndrome.
There are things you can do to trigger serotonin to be released, but many of them come with a plethora of side effects. Some cancer patients experience this if they’re going through chemo or radiation. 20% of cancer patients that are using these treatments will stop due to the side effects.
Though there is more research that needs to be conducted, CBDA can release that same serotonin in the brain of cancer patients, without the nasty side effects. It can even be paired with the treatments to help reduce things like nausea or vomiting.
What Do We Know About CBDA Right Now?
Even though marijuana has been around and used for several decades, scientists have been looking into CBDA for around 10 years. The research was first conducted in 2008 to look at how CBDA can help with anti-inflammatory enzymes in the brain. Scientists at the time compared CBDA with a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug to see the molecular structures of each one.
For starters, the chemical makeup was very similar. This means that CBDA is more than capable of bringing anti-inflammatory relief to people the same way a prescription or over the counter drug would.
Another amazing thing about CBDA is that it can possibly help those struggling with seizures.
Because it’s CBD in the rawest form, CBDA can affect the brain and the body much faster than CBD can, 100 times faster in fact. If you’re having a seizure or you struggle with something like epilepsy, time is of the essence.
With all this being said, there are still plenty of trials that need to take place to understand CBDA more. Slowly but surely, this is happening all over the world. There’s even a prescription CBD oil in the U.K. that’s packed with CBDA!
