Tetrahydrocannabinolic acid, more commonly known as THCa, is getting more and more popular. It might be the fact that it provides potent benefits without psychoactive effects or it might be that it has a federal level legal status.
Who even knows? Since it’s more and more popular in the cannabis product industry, people should know just what it is they are using.
Is THCa safe? Well, like literally everything out there, it depends. Probably not the answer you wanted to read, but it’s simply the reality.
Let’s dig deeper into that answer. Keep reading for a more intuitive guide that breaks down safety as well as risks so you can be fully informed.
quick overview of THCa
We probably should start at the beginning for the newbies out there. If you already know what THCa is, you don’t have to read this section. Just scroll down a little farther. For everyone else, THCa is the precursor to THC. What does that mean? It means that this part of the plant comes before THC and that it typically has very little psychoactive effects because of that. It is a nonpsychoactive cannabinoid
Of course, that is in its raw form. It should also be known that with decarboxylation and removing the carbon atoms from the substance, it converts to THC. Even vaping can cause decarboxylation to occur, but it’s typically not as strong as the blatant decarboxylation process. However, you should know that if you vape THCa, it may impact the elements and experiences.
potential health benefits of THCa
With THCa, the user can experience a wide range of therapeutic benefits. The top references for medicinal uses are:
Neuroprotective
Anti-nausea
Anti-inflammatory
It can help with chronic pain, anxiety and depression, nausea elements, and more. When using THCa this can typically be accomplished without psychoactive side effects, or at least only mild psychoactive properties. Again, this is because it’s the precursor to THC, which means it simply doesn’t have the psychoactive compounds.
Above are the top 3 categorizations of benefits, but we’re going to dive in just a little more on popular benefits.
anti-inflammatory
Inflammation can cause incredible discomfort in many ways. A lot of people out there have chronic diseases that cause inflammation, such as glaucoma. But there is far more than just glaucoma too. There are numerous studies on the effects of THCa and how it might impact people.
In those studies, it has been found that THCa reduces inflammation. It really doesn’t matter what causes that inflammation, but it reduces it. At the same time, it might also help reduce side effects or pain that a person experiences because of inflammation.
Typically, inflammation occurs because the body is responding in a defensive manner to something. The body’s immune system senses harm and responds, but it isn’t always helpful and can also cause a lot of issues.
Conditions like arthritis, glaucoma, and other inflammatory responses can all benefit from THCa.
neuroprotective properties
Neurological symptoms and diseases can be devastating. In a world where neurodegenerative ailments like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s run rampant, it can sometimes feel hopeless.
Many of these disorders have no cure. Of course, there are treatments that can often help reduce symptoms, treat the disorder, or prolong life as well. THCa is one of those possible treatments.
THCa is considered to be a neuroprotection medicine. This is closely related to the anti-inflammatory elements because these disorders are triggered when neurons are damaged by inflammation or when oxidative stress provokes a reaction from the body.
Nerve cell damage leads to neurodegenerative diseases that can be crippling and life-altering. THCa works to protect the brain from the damage of these cells and may also help promote the growth of new neurons as well.
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anti-nausea
You may have heard of people with nausea side effects of using medical hemp plants. The reason? Because it can help reduce or prevent nausea. A great example is someone who is undergoing chemotherapy for cancer.
Chemotherapy is intense. It’s basically a combination of powerful chemicals. The whole point is for those chemicals to kill specific cells in your body.
The unfortunate reality is that the side effects of those chemicals pumped into your body often leave you with unwanted side effects. One of those is nausea. Of course, this is just one example. There are a lot of other things that can cause regular nausea.
One of the stated benefits of THCa is the ability to alleviate and reduce nausea and vomiting issues. It shouldn’t be taken for morning sickness since the effects of THCa on a pregnant woman or her baby are still very uncertain. Other than that, THCa just might be the solution to your nausea predicament.
Some people may choose to use THCa to combat a stomach bug that is causing nausea and vomiting. However, it’s typically used for more chronic or severe issues that don’t remedy themselves.
pain relief
When people need pain relief, they often turn to potent THC because of the way it affects their minds, which also then helps to relieve pain. However, THCa has also been shown to provide pain relief, especially with chronic pain.
THCa does have some analgesic properties. Pain relief might not be its highest medical quality, but it absolutely can contribute to and support the need for pain relief solutions.
Consider someone who faces pain daily from an old injury, aging body, or another ailment. Using THCa would provide them with pain support that might be what they need to tolerate the issue.
Why use THCa over Delta-9 THC for pain relief? The choice typically boils down to the fact that THCa will provide relief without the psychoactive side effects of doing so.
antiproliferative
Finally, THCa is also an antiproliferative. This particular trait goes back to cancer protection. Antiproliferative means that THCa might help to suppress certain cell growth, especially malignant cells.
The benefit of that is that it might just inhibit certain cancer cells from growing, which could prevent them completely or at least reduce or eliminate them from spreading.
There is always more to know, but it’s a substantial benefit. More studies are needed to continue to learn about it.
is THCa safe, though?
Alright, down to business now. As you can see, THCa has some really great potential benefits. Of course, there are also inherent risks. Let’s be real, we would be lying if we said it is risk-free.
But in terms of that reality, let’s also talk about the fact that everything has risks. Driving your car has risks. Eating pizza or ice cream has risks. Crossing the street has risks. You get the idea, right?
Now, what does that mean for safety? It means that learning proper use, being aware of potential hazards, and responsibility will go a long way to mitigate those risks and protect you if you choose to use THCa.
But, let’s look closer at the risks.
what about overdoses?
Probably one of the biggest concerns of using THCa is overdose potential. Since it is a marijuana product, it’s definitely important to be aware and familiar. THCa is considered nontoxic. When consumed correctly and in reasonable amounts, it’s unlikely to cause toxicity or an overdose.
That being said, it’s still important to be smart about dosing and usage. Too much of anything can become a bad thing. THCa is not THC, although, with high heat, it can produce some similar effects.
THC causes psychoactive effects and also causes strong side effects. However, when THCa is used in its raw cannabis plant form and isn’t decarboxylated, it isn’t going to do that. It is considered generally safe when used properly.
psychoactive effects
Let’s be very clear here. Nobody is saying you have absolutely zero psychoactive effects, especially if you choose to smoke, dab, or vape THCa. The heat of those methods might produce some THC tendencies.
However, let’s also be very clear on the fact that THCa is the precursor to THC, which means when it has not been through decarboxylation or is not exposed to high heat, then it doesn’t have the compound responsible for those CB1 receptors. A user taking THCa in natural form is not going to get high like they would with a THC product.
Someone taking THCa and being mindful of use is going to experience the therapeutic benefits without the psychoactive effects.
are there side effects?
Are there potential side effects? Sure, there can be. Even WebMD will tell you some possible side effects. Of course, there are potential side effects to drinking soda or taking Tylenol as well. Be aware, be familiar, and know when a side effect appears to be severe or too much for you.
These are the most common side effects:
Itching Rashes Dry mouth Minor feelings of euphoria with heat Digestive issues Allergic reactions
Aside from allergic reactions, these side effects happen most often with high doses or heavy use. Remember that heat can cause psychoactive effects as well. It’s also important to know individual sensitivity.
contaminant potential
By the time you purchase the THCa product, it’s been through some processing. You should know that not every manufacturer will care about quality.
That means that you could get a product with a lot of chemicals or contaminants if you are not aware and cautious. This includes pesticides, heavy metals, and more.
Protect yourself from these elements by looking for lab testing and checking out the details of that testing for both purity and potency.
conclusion
Is THCa safe? It can be when used properly. It’s still very important to be aware of potential risks and take steps to protect yourself. Use it properly, follow dosing recommendations, and pay attention to see how it might affect you. If you experience negative effects, stop using it!
