Most of you have probably heard of or maybe even used CBD oil before. It’s a popular supplement that can help people who struggle with insomnia, tiredness, or mood swings, amongst others. Many reach for hemp products to mitigate some unpleasant symptoms that have an impact on their everyday life.
But you might not know what CBDA is. Today, we will learn about CBDA and how it compares to CBD oil.
What is CBDa?
You might be asking yourself what in the world CBDA is? CBDA is a cannabinoid just like the one we can find in a CBD oil. What sets the two apart is rather simple. CBDA is the acidic precursor to CBD and is considered inactive. Only when CBDA is heated up using methods such as cooking, vaping, or smoking does it turn active.
Cannabinoids in hemp plants come from cannabigerolic acid (CBGa). The hemp plant enzymes decompose this acid, and as a result, we get three major cannabinoid precursor compounds: tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCA), cannabichromenic acid (CBCA), and cannabidiolic acid (CBDA).
As we said above, cannabidiolic acid is a chemical precursor to CBD, which means it is, in fact, a raw form of CBD. And it can be used as such, for example, in topical creams, raw hemp juice, tinctures, or raw CBDA oil. CBDA can be found in live or raw hemp plants, and most of the time, we will consume it or apply it in its developed form as a CBD oil.
Most conversations regarding cannabinoids and their potential benefits focus on two very well-known compounds: THC and CBD. But there are still many people who have no clue what CBDA is and how it compares to CBD products. What are the main differences between CBDA vs CBD? Is one better than the other?
Is CBDa as Effective as CBD Oil?
If you are familiar with CBD oil, you already know that it is a powerful oil that can do a lot of good. It is used for treating many different types of conditions, and it has become very popular over recent years.
But what about CBDA? Is it as effective as CBD oil, and can it help those suffering from chronic pain and other serious issues?
Similarities Between CBDa and CBD
Although CBDA and CBD are not the same, they are closely related to each other. Therefore it is safe to assume they share some similarities in how they can affect our bodies. An excellent example of it would be the fact that cannabidiolic acid, just like CBD, is a non-psychoactive compound (in contrast to THC, which has this effect). This means it can be used without the fear that it’ll leave us feeling “high.”
Another thing that these cannabinoids potentially share is how they affect the human body. It is thought that both CBD and CBDA activate the 5-HTA1 serotonin receptors. Serotonin is responsible for regulating a number of important processes that occur in the brain and can impact our mood, stress levels, and sleep.
What Can it Treat?
CBDA, as we have already learned, is an inactive compound. However, when heated, it becomes active and releases its potential. Some studies show promising data about how CBDA can be effectively used to treat inflammation, which is the cause of many diseases that we know today.
This anti-inflammatory property can be used to treat a wide range of conditions, in some cases making it just as effective as CBD oil. CBDA has a lot of potential, and some believe it could be the next wonder drug for those suffering from rare forms of epilepsy.
Research about antidepressant effects on rats was conducted, and it was discovered that far less of the CBDA compound was needed (up to 100 times less) to have the same effect on rats when compared to CBD oil. This can suggest that therapy with the inclusions of CBDA products would make it more cost-effective for patients.
Another research showed similar results, showcasing how CBDA can be more effective at treating nausea than CBD. In addition to treating rare forms of epilepsy, CBDA has been used to treat chronic pain and nausea, which are common ailments that many suffer from.
And it is important to point out that we have some amazing results from the study about CBDA and its potential in Covid-19 prevention! This research proved that cannabigerolic acid and cannabidiolic acid were effective in stopping the infection of human cells by the coronavirus spike protein. This is an incredible finding that only highlights how big of a potential CBD, CBDA, and other cannabinoids have.
More CBDa Research
While there has been a ton of research on CBD oil and its effects on humans, less research has been done on potential CBDA benefits and effects on the human body. However, there have been some positive results from the few studies that have been conducted.
On the other hand, cannabidiolic acid was also found to be less effective when studied alongside CBD for cancer treatment. We must also take into account that most CBDA research has been done in pre-clinical trials and has never been thoroughly tested on humans.
This is not to say CBDA does not have benefits, but its potential is yet to be fully discovered. More studies using CBDA are needed, and hopefully, they will come soon.
Which is Better? CBDa or CBD?
We don’t have a definitive answer to that just yet, but the results from research are promising. CBD is well-known for its many health benefits, and from where we’re standing today, there’s no reason to think that CBDA is less effective or has fewer health benefits than CBD.
Studies point out that raw CBD oil has a lot of potential to be very effective in addressing such conditions as inflammation, nausea, or depression. In fact, it can be even more effective in dealing with them than CBD.
Additionally, CBDA shows promise in having other beneficial properties. It might have antibacterial, antioxidant, and cancer-preventing potential, which sets it apart from CBD and gives us more reasons to conduct further research.
For now, it’s hard to say that CBDA is necessarily better than CBD, but it definitely deserves to be a strong contender to compete with CBD in our eyes. Of course, there is still a lot we don’t know about the effects of CBDA vs CBD on our bodies, so for now, it’s best to wait with the verdict.
Is CBDa Legal?
There’s a lot of discussion about the potential benefits of CBD and CBDA, and there’s a big chance you know someone (or maybe you are that someone) who has tried CBD products and can say something about their effects from first-hand experience.
It’s no secret that you can buy CBD products or other specifics made from hemp plants (for example, medicinal marijuana) either in a pharmacy, shops, or online. But is it legal?
The matter is complicated because this is where federal law and states laws may differ. The legality of CBD products will depend on what they are made of and where they are used.
Marijuana Plants and Hemp Plants
Although marijuana and industrial hemp plant are both in the same hemp family, the law regulations that they fall under are different. Under federal law, a CBD oil that is made out of industrial hemp, (which is defined as a hemp plant that contains less than 0,3% THC by weight), is legal. A CBD oil that comes from marijuana (that is defined as a hemp plant that contains more than 0,3% THC by weight) is illegal.
When it comes to state laws, it will depend on where you live. This is why it is crucial to always check which CBD or CBD-related products you can consume before making the purchase.
Are Hemp Derived Products FDA Approved?
The list of CBD specifics that are FDA approved is very short for the time being. The only drug on that list would be Epidiolex, which is used by patients who suffer from seizures.
Unfortunately, there is still not enough research on how CBD affects our health, which means we won’t find almost any CBD drugs in pharmacies at this moment.
This is a real issue for hemp product users, especially those who are choosing CBD or CBDA products. Because these specifics are not FDA approved, you can’t be sure if the information on the packaging matches the amount of CBD or CBDA that is in the product.
The good solution is to always check the credibility of the producer of your CBDA products to make sure you’re choosing the safest and most effective option.
Isolating CBDa
We already know that CBDA is a raw form of CBD. But it is still not clear why there are so many CBD products on the market, but we hear so little about the CBDA?
Partially we can blame it on the lack of research. But why is that? The answer lies in the issues that come with isolating and stabilizing CBDA.
Decarboxylation, the process in which CBDA converts to CBD, occurs even at room temperature, making the process of isolating and storing CBDA much more difficult and expensive. Scientists have to use special equipment to keep CBDA stable until it is time to use it.
We won’t have the same problem with CBD, a very stable compound. It is very easy to extract, and there is a lot of it in the hemp plants, so it’s the perfect choice for various hemp products.
How to Use CBDa and CBD Products
There is an extensive variety of CBD products that you can buy in the form of:
- oils
- edibles
- topicals that can be applied directly to the skin
- hemp flowers that can be smoked or vaped.
You can also consume or apply CBDA products. They are available in the form of:
- hemp flowers that you can eat,
- oils
- creams
- juice
- pills
What is Water Extraction of CBDa?
There are two main ways to extract CBDA, CBD, or hemp oil from the hemp plant. It can be done with solvent or water. The benefit of water extraction is that it does not require the usage of any chemical substance. It can be a good solution to extract oil from plants that are naturally rich in oils and easy to extract.
CBDA water extraction requires water extraction technology. It can be done by soaking the hemp plant material in boiling water. This causes the oils to separate from the plant material, while water protects the oil from burning.
After the boiling is done, the water cools down, and the oil gets separated from it. The last step is to collect the CBDA oil.
Consult Your Physician
Supplementation with CBD and CBDA products is a popular method of taking care of your body and mental state. Many anecdotal pieces of evidence and research point out the health benefits of these products. With that in mind, when having doubts, it is best to consult your doctor about including one of these specifics in your routine.
Although the side effects connected to taking hemp products are few and relatively rare, the risks will depend on your situation. For example, CBD products can interact with some drugs, like oral contraceptives, which is why it would be a good idea to inform your doctor about supplementing with CBDA and CBD specific.
Not everyone can take hemp products, but in many cases, they can help mitigate some symptoms and conditions that people experience with illnesses like cancer, seizures, migraines, and chronic pain.
Conclusion
In closing, it is important to note that CBDA and CBD oil has many of the same properties. This is because CBDA is a precursor to CBD, so naturally, it would have some of the same benefits.
More research is the key to unlocking the potential power of CBDA, and in the near future, we just might find out how amazing it can be. So, if you are on the fence about using CBDA to treat your own ailments, you just might want to give it a second look.
† FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION (FDA) DISCLOSURE
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
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