Ever since the passage of the Farm Bill in 2018, the world of hemp-derived cannabinoids has certainly gotten a little more complicated than just THC and CBD. As scientists discover more about all the compounds they find in hemp, the market for these cannabinoids grows more and more.
In recent years, two compounds have risen through the ranks and become fan favorites in the hearts and minds of cannabis enthusiasts around the country. Delta 8 and delta 10 certainly have their differences, but they also have a few things in common, with the most important being that they’re both beneficial to users in more than one way. But what exactly are these compounds? What do they do and how are they made? Let’s dive a little deeper into the world of delta 8 and delta 10.
Delta-8-tetrahydrocannabinol, also known as delta 8 or delta 8 THC, is a naturally occurring psychoactive compound found in cannabis plants. The cannabinoid has a similar chemical composition to that of its close relative, delta 9, or THC, which is the main psychoactive compound found in cannabis. Their molecular structures are actually strikingly similar, with just one palpable difference: while delta 9 has a ninth carbon atom with a double bond, delta 8 has an eighth carbon atom with a double bond.
Delta 8 is an analog of delta 9, but their different arrangements in atomic bonds causes them to have different effects. In fact, delta 8 is estimated to be around half as strong as delta 9, and some research also suggests that the compound is less likely to cause the adverse effects usually associated with delta 9, such as anxiety and paranoia.
Delta 8’s main selling point is that it still gives you a psychoactive experience similar to that of delta 9 with a dramatically reduced risk of bumping into negative side effects like paranoia and anxiety. Delta 8’s high is moderately low and extremely manageable, meaning it allows its users to catch a buzz without leaving them completely lethargic as regular THC often does.
While the compound is commonly referred to as “diet weed,” delta 8 remains associated with many of the same properties as delta 9, albeit to a less potent extent. These effects include:
When using delta 8, you may still feel the same relaxing and pain-relieving effects as you do when using delta 9, but your mind will remain at peace, and you will feel a sense of clear-headedness. At lower doses, delta 9 can be used to get your mind in a productive state, but at higher doses, the compound can have a tranquilizing effect.
Although delta 8 is much milder than regular THC, it may still cause some of the adverse effects commonly associated with the compound. The typical dry mouth and red eyes can be soothed easily by staying hydrated and running to your local drugstore for a bottle of eye drops, but some other, slightly more serious adverse effects may include short-term memory loss and a rapid or slow heart rate.
The good news about delta 8, however, is that because of its mild psychoactive nature, its side effects are very manageable as well. Often called “delta 9’s nicer younger sibling,” delta 8 isn't known to cause some of the more uncomfortable and disorienting side effects of the compound, like anxiety and paranoia, and even on the off chance that a user does experience them, they will be noticeably more manageable than the negative effects associated with delta 9.
Although delta 8 does occur naturally in the cannabis plant, it is only produced in trace amounts organically. Because of this, chemists and manufacturers have turned to the wonders of science as means to keep up with market demands. Extracting small amounts of natural delta 8 is not only costly, but also time consuming, and the product of all that work is never enough to satisfy consumer demand. So, instead, scientists have employed a technique to create delta 8 through a process known as isomerization.
All cannabinoids stem from CBGA, or cannabigerolic acid, which is often referred to as “the mother of all cannabinoids.” This means that all cannabinoids, from CBD to THC, are made up of very similar molecular structures. Isomerization simply involves rearranging the molecules in one compound in order to form another one.
Even though delta 8 can be derived from both CBD and THC, the former is abundant in hemp plants, making CBD conversions the much easier, cheaper, and cleaner option. The most common process through which chemists derive delta 8 from CBD only takes four steps:
Like delta 8, delta 10, or delta-10-tetrahydrocannabinol, is another psychoactive cannabinoid found in trace amounts in the cannabis plant. Delta 10 also has a similar chemical composition as delta 9, with one key difference. Delta 10 has a double carbon bond on the tenth carbon, while delta 9 has it on the ninth carbon. The position of these compounds’ double bond determines their names, catching up yet?
The location of these double bonds matter because it affects how each tetrahydrocannabinol interacts with the body’s drug receptors. In other words, it affects how high a compound can make a user. Delta 10’s double bond placement also makes it much less potent than delta 9. As a matter of fact, delta 10 is thought to be 20-30% less potent than delta 8, which is half as potent as delta 9, so you do the math.
Delta 10’s reduced potency makes the compound perfect for beginners. It still provides a psychoactive experience, but it lets you remain in control of your head and your high. At this time, we know more about delta 10’s effects and benefits from anecdotal evidence than we do from scientific research. Users of the compound claim that the compound is energizing, focusing, and creativity-inducing. In other words, delta 10 behaves a lot like sativa cannabis strains. Instead of relaxing you to the point of sedation, the compound stimulates your brain and promotes alertness, productivity, and more.
Like delta 8, delta 10’s muted psychoactive potency also comes with less frequent—and less pronounced—side effects like anxiety and paranoia. Many people use this compound to treat anxiety without complete sedation. Additionally, delta 10 does not provide the euphoric effects associated with delta 8 or delta 9. Instead, its relaxing and calming effects aid in lifting depressing moods and increasing energy.
So, from what we’ve gathered from user reports, delta 10 may promote:
Despite its extremely mild potency, delta 10 can still cause some of cannabis’s well-known side effects. Many of them, such as dry eyes and dry mouth, are uncomfortable at worst and can be relieved quickly. Some other side effects, usually only present after taking larger doses of delta 10, include headaches, anxiety, and low blood pressure.
Because delta 10 is so mild, many people may underestimate the cannabinoid’s potency, leading them to ingest way more delta 10 than their body and tolerance levels can handle. If you’re worried about any side effects, be sure to start low and slow and build your way up to your perfect high. It may seem a little tedious to go through a whole trial-and-error process, but it’s better to perfect your dosage than to take too much of the cannabinoid and end up having a bad time.
Similar to delta 9, delta 10 is also made through the process of isomerization. Because all cannabinoids share very similar molecular makeups, scientists are able to chemically manipulate CBD’s environment in order to turn it into delta 10. Different chemical reactions are used to create either delta 8 or delta 10 from hemp-derived CBD, but apart from that, the production processes for both compounds are virtually the same.
Evidently, delta 8 and delta 10 have many similarities. From their production processes to some of their effects, both compounds share a plethora of resemblances. They’re both milder than delta 9, and they’re both found naturally in trace amounts, so they need to be derived from CBD in a lab environment. They also both share close molecular structures.
That said, delta 8 and delta 10 are different in two key ways: potency and effects. As previously mentioned, delta 8 is 50% as strong as delta 9, but delta 10 is 20-30% less potent than delta 8, making delta 10 the weakest of the three tetrahydrocannabinols. Additionally, delta 8 is known for its soothing and relaxing effects, making it more similar to indica strains than sativa. Delta 10, on the other hand, is associated with feelings of creativity, energy, and focus, giving it sativa-like properties perfect to kickstart a little productivity.
Here's a simple chart to better visualize these similarities and differences:
|
Delta 8 |
Delta 10 |
|
Moderate psychoactive effects |
Mild psychoactive effects |
|
Double bond on its 8th carbon |
Double bond on its 10th carbon |
|
Relaxing, soothing, sedating |
Energizing, focusing, and creative |
If both of these compounds sound appealing to you, you may be wondering if there’s any way you can get the best of both worlds by combining the two cannabinoids and taking them together. Delta 8 has relaxing and pain-relieving properties, while delta 10 is known for stress and anxiety relief. This means that taking them both together can balance their effects out.
Additionally, because of their different double bond placements, delta 10 and delta 8 work in different areas of your brain, so they might be more effective when they’re combined.
It’s always best to consult your physician or doctor when mixing any substances, cannabinoids included. A medical professional can help you better understand each compound’s side effects, as well as how they might work together, which can make it easier for you to decide which treatment is better for your needs.
The question isn't really whether delta 8 is better than delta 10 or vice versa, but rather, which compound is better for your needs. You may be more comfortable with the calming and energizing, but very mild, psychoactive effects of delta 10 products, in which case you’d likely think delta 10 is better than delta 8. Or you may want delta 8’s stronger pain-relieving properties instead, leading you to favor delta 8 products over delta 10.
At the end of the day, both compounds can be tremendously helpful in their own ways, so depending on your tolerance level, desired effects, and physiological needs, you get to choose which compound to go for.
We can discuss the pros and cons of each cannabinoid at length—and we already have—but at the end of the day, no one knows your body and its needs better than you do, so the choice is absolutely and completely yours!
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