With the cannabinoid landscape changing seemingly every day, more and more compounds are emerging that were previously unknown or ignored. One of those compounds discovered decades ago, but neglected for decades is CBDV. Cannabidivarin has just recently gained popularity among cannabis users after originally being discovered in the 1970s.
But why is it getting so popular? What are CBDV's effects and potential benefits, and how does it compare to other, more popular cannabinoids like delta 8, delta 9, delta 10, and CBD?
What is CBDV?
Cannabidivarin, or CBDV, is a chemical compound contained in cannabis plants. According to research, CBDV is mostly found in strains that are naturally low in THC, including cannabis indica strains from Asia, Africa and South America. The general rule of thumb is that strains with higher CBD contents tend to have higher CBDV levels. Although CBDV has actually been known for over 50 years, researchers are only just beginning to pay attention to it now, and for good reason.
As with CBD, CBDV is non-psychoactive, so users will not get high from it. Early research suggests that CBDV may decrease the activity of certain nerve cells involved in inflammation, seizures, pain, and other conditions. These specific nerve cells are involved in inflammation, seizures, pain, and other conditions. Inhibiting these bodily functions may improve conditions associated with CBDV.
There is some interest in the medical community in using cannabidivarin for nausea, long-term inflammation in the digestive tract, epilepsy, and other conditions, but there is no solid scientific evidence to support these claims. We do, however, have the following knowledge:
- There has been a lot of interest in CBDV because of its ability to treat seizures. GW Pharmaceuticals, who developed the first FDA-approved CBD-based drug Epidiolex, is currently developing GPW42006, a CBDV-based drug designed to reduce or prevent epilepsy and other forms of seizures. Research by the company shows that CBDV affects the neurochemical pathways responsible for several types of epilepsy onset and progression.
- In a 2018 rodent study, researchers found that CBDV helps with neurobehavioral issues associated with Rett syndrome, a disorder caused by an X chromosome mutation that causes girls to experience seizures, speech issues, and muscle spasticity. According to researchers, CBDV can treat diseases like this and others whether they are genetically determined and chemically induced.
- An animal study published in the British Journal of Pharmacology in 2019 found CBDV to be potentially helpful for patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), a disease characterized by chronic inflammation and irreversible damage to skeletal muscles. Additionally, CBDV has been shown to improve locomotion, reduce inflammation, restore and even enhance muscle function.
- There is currently research being conducted on CBDV's potential to treat some significant autism spectrum disorders (ASD) issues, such as repetitive behavior problems, cognitive challenges, and communication and social difficulties.
- In preliminary studies on rodents, CBDV also appears to have anti-nausea properties, acting as an agonist to CB1 receptors and blocking nausea responses.
Does CBDV Show Up on A Drug Test?
In the body, CBDV acts similar to CBD, which does not show up on drug tests on its own. However, we are unable to guarantee that CBDV will not cause you to fail a drug test. Since the compound is still in its infancy, its drug test status is not definitive.
As CBDV is often paired with other cannabinoids in blended products, it also depends on what other compounds are present. Even these minute amounts of hemp-derived cannabinoids may trigger a drug test, since they can contain up to 0.3% THC legally. If you're concerned about drug test status, consider CBD isolate products, which contain only CBD and do not contain any other cannabinoids or compounds.
How Long Does CBDV Stay in Your System?
It is not possible to determine how long CBDV stays in your system accurately because research on the compound is still being conducted and has only recently begun.
How is CBDV Made?
In contrast to other cannabinoids like THC and CBD, CBDDV isn't found in all cannabis plants. In its majority, it comes from landrace indica strains with high levels of CBD. The term “landrace” means that that specific cannabis strain was developed in its natural habitat without being crossedbred with other plants of the same species.
Since landrace strains are isolated from other plants to prevent cross-interaction, they are uncommon. Although CBDV is derived from marijuana plants, it is federally illegal to do so in the United States and only legal in states with medical or recreational cannabis programs. The compound can also be derived from hemp, but finding a retailer who can produce it is difficult.
At CBD Mall, we increase the CBDV levels in our hemp plants by using a process known as "cellular agriculture". Since CBDV is only present in trace amounts in select strains, scientists must do some extra work in the lab to ensure a larger yield. This process isn't just used in cannabis, but in food production as well!
Is CBDV Safe?
A dose of up to 1600mg of CBD daily for two months is considered safe. However, there is not enough reliable research to know if CBDV is safe when taken for more than eight weeks in larger doses. Diarrhea, dizziness, headaches, sleepiness, nausea, and sleepiness can occur in the short term as well.
A safe source of CBDV is one that is trustworthy, transparent, and reliable. Manufacturers and retailers fail to take the necessary safety precautions to ensure a pure, contaminant-free product that is safe to consume because the FDA does not closely monitor the production and distribution of hemp-derived cannabinoids.
A key safety concern when using CBDV—or any other hemp-derived cannabinoid, for that matter—is their source. Make sure you do your research on the manufacturing processes of your cannabinoid retailer before choosing one. CBD Mall uses organic, non-GMO hemp grown with no pesticides or herbicides to extract its compounds. You can also find a transparent and detailed ingredient list on each of our products as well as third-party lab tests on our website.
Is CBDV Legal?
At the federal level, CBDV derived from marijuana is illegal and classified as a schedule 1 controlled substance. CBDV derived from hemp, however, is considered legal at the same level.
This is all because of the Farm Bill of 2018. Also known as the Agriculture Improvement Act, the Farm Bill legalized hemp and hemp derivatives, but kept marijuana illegal on a federal level. Cannabis plants that contain more than 0.3% THC are considered marijuana, while cannabis plants with up to 0.3% THC are considered hemp.
Farm bill may be big win for hemp-based product manufacturers
CBDV Compared to Different Popular Cannabinoids
Even though CBDV was discovered over five decades ago, it's still not nearly as popular as other cannabinoids like delta 8, delta 9, delta 10, and even CBD. From what we know, how does it compare to these other compounds?
CBDV vs. Delta 8
There is one main difference between delta 8 and CBDV, as with the other “deltas” on this list, in that delta 8 is psychoactive, whereas CBDV isn’t. However, delta 8 isn’t as psychoactive as delta 9, which is also known as THC. It is believed that delta 8 is about half as strong as delta 9, and its side effects are also milder, which is why the compound has been called “delta 9’s nicer younger sibling.”
Some of delta 8’s effects include:
- Relaxation
- Pain relief
- Appetite stimulation
- Better sleep
- Anxiety relief
- Digestive support
CBDV vs. Delta 9
In hemp, delta 9 or THC is the main psychoactive compound, so the main and most notable difference between CBDV and delta 9 is that delta 9 makes you high whereas CBDV does not. Although delta 9 is a relatively strong psychoactive compound, it still provides many benefits, including:
- Insomnia relief
- Appetite stimulation
- Anxiety management
- Anti-inflammatory properties
- Analgesic properties
- Relaxation
- Euphoria
CBDV vs. Delta 10
In contrast to popular belief, delta 10's higher number in its name does not mean that it is more psychoactively potent than delta 9. In fact, delta 10 is weaker than both delta 8 and delta 9. In other words, even though it is psychoactive, it will not leave you as high as other tetrahydrocannabinols.
Among its main effects are:
- Stress relief
- Relaxation
- Uplifting properties
- Euphoria
- Increased focus and creativity
- Energy boosts
CBDV vs. CBD
As their names suggest, CBDDV and CBD both have very similar effects and benefits. Although CBD has already been approved for medicinal uses to reduce seizures associated with rare and aggressive forms of epilepsy that do not respond to traditional medications, CBDV has proven effective in reducing seizures associated with Rett syndrome but has not yet been approved for medicinal uses.
CBD also has the following effects:
- Anti-stress
- Muscle relaxant
- Anti-nausea
- Sleep regulation
- Analgesic
- Inflammation relief
Final Thoughts on CBDV
In spite of being discovered in cannabis over 50 years ago, CBDV has only just received the recognition it deserves. It is non-psychoactive and has similar effects to CBD, with a plethora of potential benefits to its users. The compound has recently caught the attention of the medical community for its potential to reduce nausea and ease inflammation, as well as treat some types of epileptic and non-epileptic seizures.
Due to the infancy of research on the compound, we don’t yet know much about it, including whether or not it can trigger a positive drug test or how long it stays in the system. In spite of this, it is thought to be more effective than other, more popular cannabinoids, especially CBD in some ways—it reduces certain types of seizures that CBD does not. Even though our CBDV products aren't meant to be consumed as health supplements or medicines, CBDV is quickly becoming an indispensable household item.
