How Edibles Turn into HXY-11 in the Body

If you’ve ever tried THC, you’ve also tried 11-hydroxy-THC. 

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11-Hydroxy-THC (sometimes abbreviated hxy-11 THC, or simply hxy 11) is a metabolite of the psychotropic compound THC. That means that your body produces this compound as it breaks down THC. 

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This is not the only metabolite of THC, but it’s definitely the most interesting one. Why is that? Because this compound retains the psychotropic properties of THC. Because of this, it can dramatically change the timing and experience of your high. It can also help to explain why smoking cannabis and consuming edibles are two very different experiences.

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In this article, we’ll explain why this molecule is so important and how you can use it to your advantage.

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We’ll also clear up a couple of common misconceptions. Although it’s easy to get 11-hydroxy-THC mixed up with delta-11-THC, these two are actually pretty distant relatives who both have the number 11 in their name. We’ll cover the differences between the two compounds. 

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But first, let’s set the stage.

Setting the Stage

The cast of characters in the cannabis saga is growing ever longer. Every time you go shopping, there’s another cannabinoid available for sale. The names can sound confusingly similar because they’re all one big chemical family. And yet, they each have their own effects and quirks.

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This is the kind of story where you’re going to want to refer back to the family tree periodically to remind yourself who’s who. To make it even more confusing, sometimes the same compound can fall into multiple categories. The same exact compound can be classified as a phytocannabinoid, a synthetic cannabinoid, or a semi-synthetic cannabinoid, depending on where it came from. You can think of it like an inbred family, where the cousin is sometimes also the brother. These nuances may seem trivial, but in many cases, they actually determine the legal status of the compound.

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To keep things organized you can refer to this chart.

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Side note: phytocannabinoids are naturally present in their carboxylated forms. They must be heated in order to produce the cannabinoids that are psychotropic.

What is Hxy 11 THC?

When you consume pretty much anything, the body metabolizes it. That means that it breaks it down into new compounds, called metabolites. Those new compounds are then used and/or removed.

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In the case of THC, the body produces two major initial metabolites: 11-hydroxy-THC (aka hxy 11 THC) and 11-nor-9-carboxy-THC. There are actually more than 80 others! 

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So why are we particularly interested in 11-hydroxy-THC? Because this compound, like THC, has psychotropic effects.

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That’s because these two compounds – THC and its major first-pass metabolite – are structurally almost identical. The only difference is that 11-hydroxy-THC has an extra hydroxy group.

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Psychotropic variants of THC can often have different potencies. For example, THCb – another psychotropic family member – is thought to have three times higher potency compared to THC. 

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11-hydroxy-THC is thought to have psychotropic properties that are equal to THC, although some research also suggests that it may be more potent. It’s likely that there is variability between users – some people find that they are more sensitive to 11-hydroxy-THC compared to other people. Once it has been further broken down however, it loses its bioactivity.

How 11-hydroxy-THC Controls Your High

The key thing to realize about 11-hydroxy-THC is that it can affect the timing of your high. In fact, 11-hydroxy-THC is a huge reason why you have a different experience from smoking compared to edibles.

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When you smoke THC, the bioavailability is about 30% on average – although as you might expect, there is a wide variability. For example, experienced smokers can achieve a higher bioavailability compared to light users.

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When you consume THC as an edible, the average bioavailability is lower – between 4 and 12%.

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But that isn’t the whole story. When you consume THC via edible, more of it gets converted to the equally potent 11-hydroxy-THC metabolite. The difference will be about threefold higher 11-hydroxy-THC for oral consumption compared to smoking.

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Why is that? The liver is responsible for the conversion of THC to 11-hydroxy-THC. When you smoke, your liver still gets some of that THC – but it gets a lot more when you consume an edible.

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That’s why getting high from edibles tends to take longer, but can ultimately be more powerful.

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Can You Buy 11-hydroxy-THC?

Yes, you can purchase this molecule and consume it directly. In fact, you can skip the wait – your high will have a much shorter onset. Since your body doesn’t have to break down THC into 11-hydroxy-THC, you will experience the effects almost immediately. 

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Because 11-hydroxy-THC acts directly and is potentially more potent, it’s important to pay attention to dosing. This is especially true if you are someone who is especially sensitive to edibles. Start low and work your way up.

Delta-11 Versus 11-hydroxy

Finally, let’s clear up a common misconception. Delta-11-THC and 11-hydroxy-THC are not the same compound. In fact, as cannabinoids go, they’re not even close (except that they both have the number 11 in their name.)

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Notice in our chart above that delta-11-THC and 11-hydroxy-THC aren’t even in the same sub-category. 

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What is delta-11-THC and what does the delta signify?

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First of all, remember that THC is the most prominent psychoactive cannabinoid found in cannabis. It is the only psychotropic compound that is naturally present at a high enough concentration to make you high. THC is also sometimes referred to as delta-9-THC. (Same compound, two different names, like your cousin Bill/William.) 

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The delta-9 refers to the location of a double bond, which goes from carbon 9 to carbon 10.

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Similarly, there are other variations of THC where the double bond is in a different place. When the double bond is located between carbons 8 and 9, the compound is called delta-8-THC. When the double bond is located between carbons 10 and 11, we have delta-10.

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Delta-8-THC and delta-10-THC are both naturally occurring psychotropic cannabinoids. However, they are present at such low levels that they are unlikely to contribute to your high. 

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So how is it that you’re able to buy delta-8 and delta-10 THC that does get you high? It’s because we can synthesize these compounds using CBD as a starting material. Check out the image above and notice that CBD is structurally quite similar to THC and its delta-variations.

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Therefore, these “delta” compounds are semi-synthetic cannabinoids – which fall into a legal gray zone.

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Delta-11-THC is exactly like those other deltas. It is a psychotropic compound that can be produced from hemp-derived CBD, making it a semi-synthetic, ambiguously legal compound.

Take-Away and Vape-Away

To review: 

• 11-hydroxy-THC is a molecule or “metabolite” that your body makes as it breaks down THC. 
• There are actually lots of other THC metabolites, but 11-hydroxy-THC is special because it has psychotropic properties.
• Your body makes 11-hydroxy-THC whether you smoke, vape, or consume an edible.
• Three times more 11-hydroxy-THC is produced when you have an edible compared to smoking or vaping.
• 11-hydroxy-THC partially explains the different experience you get from smoking versus consuming an edible.
• 11-hydroxy-THC is not the same molecule as delta-11-THC.

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We hope that helps to clear up the confusion! If you want to try 11-hydroxy-THC directly, check out some of our hand-selected favorite products.

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As always, if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us for a free consultation.