You came across H4CBD and you are now wondering: What is H4CBD? Here is an attempt to answer the most important questions about the H4CBD cannabinoid.
First of foremost: H4CBD is so new that a lot of the information is based on personal reports and we cannot guarantee that the effects, side effects and dangers described here are complete and always correct. We try to inform you as best we can so that you do not fall for misleading and/or incorrect statements. For example, H4CBD is NOT 100 times stronger than CBD. And yet the number 100 plays an important role, as you will soon find out.
What is the cannabinoid H4CBD?
Hexahydrocannabidiol, or H4CBD, is a synthesized cannabinoid created by adding four hydrogen atoms to the CBD molecule. The process of hydrogenation used to make H4CBD is very similar to making margarine from vegetable oil.
What does H4CBD do?
The exact properties of H4CBD remain unknown, but the limited information available on this cannabinoid indicates that it has considerably higher affinity for your brain’s CB1 neuroreceptors than conventional CBD. Since CBD normally does not typically have any affinity for CB1 receptors, it is unclear what to make of this data. Nonetheless, people who use H4CBD generally report that it feels like CBD but with considerably higher psychoactivity.
Is H4CBD the same thing as CBD?
No. H4CBD and conventional CBD share many similarities, but they are not the same molecule. Just to start, these two cannabinoids offer completely different experienced effects, and from its chemical structure down to its method of procurement, CBD is fundamentally different from H4CBD.
H4CBD vs. CBD
How exactly do CBD and H4CBD compare when examined side-by-side? Discover the differences and similarities between these cannabinoids across the seven categories below:
- Source
Both CBD and H4CBD come from hemp. While CBD is a direct hemp derivative, however, H4CBD undergoes a process of transformation, including hydrogenation, to reach its final form.
As a result, H4CBD must technically be considered a synthetic cannabinoid even if it is only as synthetic as margarine. It’s technically possible to synthesize CBD as well, but with this cannabinoid so abundant in hemp, there is no incentive to do so.
- Structure
H4CBD has been structurally altered to take on a different form from CBD. Four additional hydrogen atoms have been added to the “head” of the molecule, changing its inherent properties.
- Effects
Due to the results of a single study from 2006, there’s widespread speculation that H4CBD may be as much as 100 times more potent than CBD — at least in certain ways. The study in question found that hydrogenated forms of CBD showed surprisingly high affinity for the brain’s CB1 neuroreceptors.¹
The level of affinity was nowhere near as high as is observed in the case of THC, but it was nonetheless notable. A 2017 research review echoed this opinion, but no new studies into the bioactive properties of H4CBD had been conducted.²
Anecdotally, H4CBD users have noted that using this cannabinoid feels something like taking a 2:1 CBD:THC product. The familiar, non-intoxicating effects of CBD are still dominant, but there’s also a slight sense of intoxication that might help take the edge off or make the effects of CBD more enjoyable.
- Potency
Overall, it would be safe to say that H4CBD might offer something in the range of three times the potency of CBD. It’s often claimed that H4CBD offers 100 times the potency of normal CBD, but even if that’s the case, it’s only true for CBD’s potency at your CB1 receptors, which was negligible to begin with.
In mathematical terms, if you take a tiny sum and multiply it by a hundred, you’re still left with a tiny sum. The potential increased activity of H4CBD at your CB1 receptors certainly appears worth investigating further, but it would still be a stretch to say that H4CBD is “100 times more effective” than CBD straight across the board.
- Legality
The legality of cannabinoids — both synthesized and natural — is currently a matter of considerable dispute. Overall, cannabinoids stemming from hemp / industrial cannabis (Cannabis sativa L.), below 0.2% delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), are 100% legal in accordance with EU legislation, but meaningful regulations are yet to be produced, to help guide the rapidly growing online cannabinoid industry. Continue checking this space for updates as they emerge.
- Availability
Between the two, CBD is currently by far the more widely available cannabinoid. Demand for H4CBD is rapidly growing, however, which will naturally lead to the development of a wider array of products. Already, high-quality H4CBD distillates, isolates, and finished products are starting to appear online, heralding the beginning of a brand-new hemp renaissance.
H4CBD FAQs
1. What are hydrogenated cannabinoids?
A hydrogenated cannabinoid is a cannabinoid that has been subjected to hydrogenation, a process that adds hydrogen atoms to molecules. Many cannabinoids can be hydrogenated, and in most cases, it’s possible to hydrogenate each cannabinoid with multiple different quantities of hydrogen atoms. Every hydrogenated cannabinoid has unique properties, but in most cases, the chemical hydrogenation of a cannabinoid typically increases their potency.
2. Is H4CBD synthetic?
Yes, H4CBD is technically synthetic. Keep in mind that this hydrogenated cannabinoid has not been artificially constructed from scratch or combined with any complicated substances. Nonetheless, any alteration in a natural compound is considered a synthetic form of the original. Also, synthesized versions of substances almost always have new and unique properties.
3. Is H4CBD 100 times stronger than CBD?
The claim that H4CBD is 100 times stronger than conventional CBD is more hype than it is fact. Based on a single un-reproduced study from more than 15 years ago, scientists now speculate that H4CBD may demonstrate remarkably increased affinity compared to CBD — but at the nervous system’s CB1 receptors, not the main targets of conventional CBD.
Normally, CBD has very little affinity for CB1 and may even reduce its activity. When combined with four hydrogen atoms, however, CBD’s affinity for CB1 apparently increases considerably, making the new cannabinoid (H4CBD) more psychoactive.
6. Are there strains with H4CBD?
No, there are no strains of cannabis or hemp containing H4CBD since this cannabinoid is not naturally occurring. Since it is not possible to extract natural H4CBD, this cannabinoid can only be made by hydrogenation.
8. What are some common H4CBD effects?
Based on what little we know so far, it appears that H4CBD has roughly the same effects as CBD. Some evidence suggests, though, that this synthetic derivative of CBD may be more effective at certain neuroreceptors. These neuroreceptors are not, however, commonly associated with the effects of CBD. Due to a continuing lack of research, not enough is known about H4CBD to say anything definitive regarding its effects.
10. What is the difference between CBD and H4CBD?
The primary difference between CBD and H4CBD is that CBD is natural while H4CBD is not, but the dissimilarities don’t end there. It’s also an indisputable fact that we know far less about H4CBD than we do about conventional CBD — though there’s still plenty left to learn about both cannabinoids.
References:
- 1. Ben-Shabat, S., Hanuš, L. O., Katzavian, G., & Gallily, R. (2006, January 6). New Cannabidiol Derivatives: Synthesis, Binding to Cannabinoid Receptor, and Evaluation of Their Antiinflammatory Activity. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 49(3), 1113–1117. Retrieved from https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/jm050709m
- 2. Morales, P., Reggio, P. H., & Jagerovic, N. (2017, June 28). An Overview on Medicinal Chemistry of Synthetic and Natural Derivatives of Cannabidiol. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 8. Retrieved from https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphar.2017.00422/full