Best THCV for weight loss

Not many young people today would agree with Sprite’s 1996 tagline “Image is Nothing. Thirst is Everything.” Summer might still be a long way off, but the pressure it puts on Gen Zers and millennials (mostly) is unmistakable. 

A recent online survey showed that 65% of millennial women and 75% of Gen Z women “feel pressured to have a “beach body” during the summer.” Overall, 42% of Americans desire a “beach body” when summer approaches. So, image is everything after all. Sorry, Sprite!

But having a ‘killer body’ is not the only reason people try to lose weight. The benefits of having a healthy body weight are well-established in science. The American Heart Association affirms that a healthy body weight enhances blood flow, makes you more energetic, boosts your fluid levels, and reduces risks of developing heart disease, diabetes, osteoarthritis, and even certain cancers. To cap it all, it makes you feel so much better about yourself – talk about self-esteem!

So, it is not surprising that Americans spend $33 billion every year on weight loss products! Mostly, it is a gamble that leaves many hearts (and wallets) broken. Worst case, some weight loss supplements may have harmful side effects.

But don’t despair – there could be a more natural way to lose weight without breaking the bank and jeopardizing your health. A recently-discovered hemp-derived cannabinoid called Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV) is purported to have some serious weight loss effects.

So, what is THCV, and how can it help you lose weight? Here’s how.

Key takeaways 

• THCV is a lesser-known cannabinoid with unique qualities, chiefly its ability to enhance or suppress activity at the same cannabinoid receptor.
• Though widely regarded as non-psychoactive, THCV can produce psychoactivity in higher doses.
• Even then, its ‘high’ is associated with mental clarity and an energetic sense of euphoria.
• THCV’s most noted properties are appetite suppression and increased energy expenditure. 
• As a result, it is touted as having potential therapeutic benefits in managing obesity and diabetes.

What is THCV?

THCV is one of the minor cannabinoids of cannabis. It is not as famous as CBD or THC, so you may not be well acquainted with it. However, it packs some unique qualities that easily sets it apart from other cannabinoids.

Despite sounding like the high-inducing THC, THCV is non-psychoactive in average doses. Unlike THC, it is an inverse agonist (neutral antagonist) at CB1 receptors but can also act as an antagonist or agonist at CB2 receptors depending on the dosage. 

In other words, THCV can enhance (agonist) or suppress (antagonist) activity at the various receptors it interacts with. For this reason, some studies suggest that THCV can minimize some effects of THC at particular doses. 

Although THC and THCV originate from the same precursor, i.e., cannabigerolic acid (CBGA), they have different structural formulas. THC has a 5-carbon side chain, while THCV’s side chain has three carbon atoms. This might be the reason behind their differing effects on cannabinoid receptors. 

So, while THC activates CB1 receptors and stimulates glucose and lipid intake, THCV antagonizes the same receptors, producing opposite effects. The increased demand for glucose and lipids after the CB1 receptor is activated causes “the munchies.” Cannabis users are quite familiar with this experience. 

But with THCV, its antagonistic effect on the CB1 receptor means you get the opposite – appetite suppression. This makes THCV a potential alternative for people seeking to shed some weight naturally. Little wonder its other name is “diet weed.”

But as is often the case with natural supplements, they work best when combined with other interventions. Exercising regularly helps you burn more calories. Oddly enough, 42% of people trying to lose weight exercise for less than three hours each week. 

What does THCV feel like?

The thing with cannabinoids is that they have different effects on people. So, how you feel after taking THCV depends on your tolerance, the quantity taken and its potency.

That said, most users claim it has a mildly stimulating energetic ‘high’ accompanied with mental clarity. It is also widely associated with a feeling of satiety, with most users claiming they don’t feel hungry for hours after consuming THCV. 

It sounds like the ideal cannabinoid for enhancing cognitive function. However, because these claims are anecdotal, we discourage you from driving or operating machinery if you have taken THCV or other potentially mind-altering substances.  

The beauty of it is that THCV, like THC, acts on the endocannabinoid system. So, it offers much value for people interested in its pharmacological effects besides its psychoactive properties.

If you want to feel first-hand what THCV feels like, Dragon Hemp’s gummies are a great starting point. Whether you opt for the Energy gummies made with THCV and CBD or Focus gummies that contain THCV and Lion’s Mane, these delicious edibles ensure you do whatever you want to do better.

Combining THCV with medicinal herbs ensures you get much more than a focused, energetic sense of euphoria.

What are THCV effects? 

The effects of THCV depend on how much of it you take. As pointed out earlier, THCV can either enhance or suppress activity at the CB1 and CB2 receptors depending on its concentration. 

At higher doses, it enhances CB1 receptor activity and behaves more like THC. This means it can make you ‘high’ besides inducing other effects typically associated with THC. At lower doses, a mice study showed that THCV (and its synthetic analogs) reduce activity at the cannabinoid receptors, reversing some THC effects like hypothermia and antinociception.

At higher doses, THCV exhibits agonistic tendencies at the cannabinoid receptors, inducing hyperthermia (over 3mg/kg) and antinociception (over 10mg/kg). 

The CB1 receptors are strongly implicated in metabolic and feeding functions, so they provide a potential therapeutic target in the treatment of type 2 diabetes. 

THCV is a fairly recent discovery, so its full range of effects is not well known. Be that as it may, its strongest effects appear to be regulating glucose and insulin levels. The fact that it targets cannabinoid receptors is the basis for its potential use in weight control.

Potential Benefits of THCV for weight control

If you are among millions of Americans looking for a natural way to maintain a healthy body weight, THCV is worth a try.

Because it has the ability to switch on and off the endocannabinoid receptors involved in energy production and hunger, it could be a safer and viable option for keeping a healthy weight.

Weight control is all about burning excess calories, which otherwise pile up in the body and convert into fats. Engaging in calorie-burning activities such as exercising is essential for this to happen. 

From what we know, THCV is able to upregulate glucose levels in the body by stimulating glycolysis. The exact science behind this process remains unclear, but the results are apparent. People who have consumed THCV claim it makes them more energetic and focused.

Indeed, a 2013 study showed that THCV treatment “produced an early increase in energy expenditure” in obese mice. 

What more would you want besides sufficient energy and focus to stick to your training regimen and burn calories? Supplementing exercises with THCV seems logical for anyone genuinely interested in keeping fit and healthy.

Potential Benefits of THCV for weight loss

For people seeking to lose weight, the principle is the same – burn more calories than you consume. You put on weight when you take in more calories than you burn. Of course, other dynamics are usually in play, but this is the basic principle.

So, how can THCV help? For starters, it can suppress appetite. This way, you don’t feel hungry easily and avoid unnecessary calorie intake. A 2009 study showed that pure THCV reduced the amount of food obese rats ate. Deeper investigations revealed that it stimulated the production of leptin – an appetite-regulating hormone.

A 2013 study on obese mice found that THCV improved glucose tolerance, reduced glucose intolerance, and increased insulin sensitivity. How does this finding fit within the larger context of weight loss?

Impaired glucose tolerance (glucose intolerance) leads to above-normal blood sugar levels, reflecting the body’s inability to process glucose effectively. It is often accompanied by high insulin concentrations, which leads to weight gain. 

People with high insulin levels are likely to develop diabetes mellitus, which is also linked to neuropathy, retinopathy, nephropathy, and heart disease.

Remember we said leptin helps you maintain a healthy body weight? And that THCV stimulates the production of this hormone? It also turns out that having too much body fat reduces leptin sensitivity – a condition called leptin resistance.

When this happens, your brain stops responding as it normally should to leptin. As a result, you don’t get the feeling of being full even after eating. So, you eat more and more. But because your brain no longer communicates with leptin, it activates ‘starvation mode’ to save energy. So, it reduces your energy levels (decreases metabolism) and the calories you burn at rest. Consequently, you pile up more and more fats and continue gaining weight!

This is why THCV alone may not help you much in your weight loss journey. However, supplementing with exercises is a sure way to jumpstart your journey back to a healthy body weight.

Where to buy THCV online? 

If you are looking for the best THCV to help you lose weight, think Dragon Hemp. This wellness brand specializes in hemp CBD, medicinal herbs, and manufacturing custom-tailored products to address specific health needs.

So, if your weight is holding you back, we have products that might help. Our products are designed to:

• Aid the body’s natural recovery processes
• Enhance mental and physical stamina
• Help relax the mind and body

Weight gain essentially happens when some natural processes in the body stop working as they should, causing conditions such as leptin resistance, glucose intolerance, and insulin sensitivity. Our products may be able to help reverse some of these processes and get them back on track. 

They are not only made with premium quality hemp-derived THCV but also Chinese herbs and healing botanicals. More importantly, our products are third-party tested to ensure they are potent and safe. So, each of our products has a certificate of analysis offering unbiased analyses of its quality.