WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: DELTA 8
“Delta 8 is incredibly energizing while also being completely clear-headed. There is absolutely nothing “stoning” about Delta 8 THC. There’s certainly a “high” of sorts but it’s neither euphoric nor heavy like the couch-lock of a true stoned feeling.
– Anonymous
Although chemists have been experimenting with Delta 8 since 1975, the compound is just now making its way into the mainstream. That being said, it’s still considered a fairly new product and is just now racking up the attention it so rightly deserves. If you’re unfamiliar with Delta8, you’re not alone, as many people are just now learning about the amazing qualities of this compound. In order to explain exactly what Delta8 is, we’re going to breakdown exactly how it’s found and manufactured. We’ll also give you a bit of the background on the product, how it made its way into the limelight, and how its best used.
What Is Delta 8?
Delta-8-tetrahydrocannabinol (Delta-8-THC) binds to the cannabinoid G-protein coupled receptor CB1, located in the central nervous system.” For simplicity’s sake: try to think of Delta 8 as THC’s beneficial sister. Before we get more into Delta8, however, we need to understand exactly what THC is and how Delta8 comes from it. The technical name for THC—the abundant cannabinoid responsible for giving you a high feeling—is Delta 9 Tetrahydrocannabinol. However, unlike CBD, THC does get you high and provides its users with psychoactive effects. Interestingly, however, scientists have been experimenting with various forms of THC and slight variations of the chemical compound for years. This is how they have found CBD and Delta8, both of which are slight different chemical bonds that occur within the marijuana plant. Because they’re different, chemists are able to separate and isolate these chemical bonds from THC and create a new, unique compound. Known as Delta 8 Tetrahydrocannabinol, Delta 8 differs from Delta 9 by only a slight shift in one chemical bond. However, despite its similarity, it has an entirely different chemical profile which distinguishes it from traditional THC. Its similarities and slight differences are what have fascinated the science community for years. As you can see below, Delta 9 and Delta 8 appear incredibly similar. However, when you look a bit closer, you can see that the two do in fact vary at the atomic level.
How Delta 8 Is Manufactured
Delta 8 occurs much less abundantly in cannabis plants than Delta 9 does. Therefore, chemists and extractors use selective breeding and molecular isolation methods to extract concentrates that are abundant in Delta 8 (item9labs). Additionally, scientists have found a way to convert Delta 9 into Delta 8. In order to extract Delta 8, Delta 9 is first extracted from the flower. The concentrate remaining is then processed and refined to change the atomic make-up, resulting in Delta 8.
Delta 8 History
As mentioned above, chemists began experimenting with Delta 8 as early as the 1970s and quickly learned the many benefits of the compound. In 1975, researchers discovered that Delta 8 could actually shrink cancer tumors in rats.
Delta 8 Benefits
Unlike the high feeling that THC provides its users, the US National Cancer Institute reported that Delta 8 has a “lower psychotropic potency” than Delta 9 THC. That doesn’t mean that Delta 8 has less benefits than THC, however. In fact, although scientists suggest that Delta 8 affects a different set of cannabinoid receptors than Delta 9, the compound provides users a general sense of well-being. That’s because the cannabinoid receptors involved in Delta 8 are associated with a physical state known as homeostasis, the body’s natural resting state, when it is not in a fight, flight, or freeze mode (item9labs). According to a patient testimonial, “Delta 8 is like CBD that you can physically feel working in your body. It’s a total sense of well-being.” What’s more, Delta 8 is known to help users produce a neurotransmitter called Acetylcholine. Acetylcholine is responsible for cognition, memory, arousal and neuroplasticity.
What’s even better is that Delta 8 has the same – if not more – healing properties than traditional CBD and THC.
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