Tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCA) is a non-psychoactive cannabinoid from the cannabis plant. It’s the precursor to THC and exists in unheated and raw forms of cannabis. Smoking and vaping often turn THCA into THC. In contrast, consuming cannabis in its natural form sees it remaining as THCA. We’ve learned a great deal about THCA in recent months. However, we’ve included some of the most exciting recent discoveries below.
Inflammation
Many people have been relying on CBD to ease inflammation related to inflammatory bowel diseases, ulcerative colitis, and Crohn’s disease. They might have experienced some relief, but studies have found that having a selection of THCA flower on hand might be more worthwhile. According to research exploring THCA in colon models, THCA should be used as a non-psychoactive treatment for IBD over CBD for its anti-inflammatory activity on colon cells.
Neuroprotection
Studies exploring THCA are still in their infancy, but that doesn’t mean scientists haven’t made some remarkable discoveries. One study found that THCA shows potent neuroprotective activity.
This means that it might be helpful for treating diseases like Huntington’s, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and even traumatic brain injury. THCA and other cannabinoid acids were also shown to outperform neutral cannabinoids. At higher concentrations, THCA was more effective than CBD.
Nausea and Vomiting Treatment
Nausea and vomiting can be challenging to manage. This can be especially true when it relates to cancer treatments. Many people experience little relief from traditional anti-nausea medications. They also aren’t sure what alternative options exist.
In the future, healthcare professionals might recommend high quality thca products from budpop. In animal studies, THCA potentially reduced nausea-induced conditioning and vomiting. The available data suggested that THCA might be a more potent alternative to THC for treating nausea and vomiting.
Possible Seizure Benefits
There are a number of anticonvulsant drugs on the market. Many of them aren’t suitable for people living with epilepsy and seizures. Studies confirming the possible benefits of THCA as an anticonvulsant are still a long way off.
However, the research is looking promising. Current research suggests that THCA and THC alone aren’t overly effective. However, that changes when the two cannabinoids are combined. There is at least novel evidence to suggest seizure reduction when the two cannabinoids react.
Obesity-Related Benefits
Cannabis and its connection with appetite have already been studied at great length. Most research has focused on increasing the appetites of people with health conditions like cancer and HIV/AIDS. Recently, THCA has been explored for reducing fatty tissue and preventing metabolic diseases linked to diet-related obesity.
New 2020 studies suggest that THCA has the potential to reduce fat mass and body weight gain. It also showed promise in improving glucose intolerance and insulin resistance. Data even indicated that THCA might improve obesity-related metabolic syndrome symptoms and inflammation.
Most cannabis-related research programs are only new. This means we don’t yet know whether cannabinoids like THCA are entirely helpful for health conditions. However, the current research into THCA is looking promising. It might only be a matter of time before health professionals start recommending this cannabinoid to their patients.
