Many products of the cannabis plants are being studied, the most funded and well known of which is called cannabidiol, or CBD for short. Increased research into this particular cannabinoid has gotten both researchers and merchants curious about other chemicals present in the hemp plant in hopes that the other cannabinoids could be just as beneficial as CBD.
One such cannabinoid is CBG.
What is CBG?
CBG, short for cannabigerol, is a cannabinoid. It’s a chemical compound often found in cannabis plants. CBG itself is present in hemp but is lower in concentration than the more famous CBD.
Also known as the ‘mother’ or the ‘stem cell’ of other cannabinoids, CBG is thought to be the predecessor of chemicals such as CBD, CBC and THC that are formed by the breakdown of the acidic form of CBG, called CBG-A.
Potential Benefits
Although there is a significant difference in the research between CBD and the overlooked CBG, CBG seems to follow CBD up the popularity ladder due to how beneficial it could be.
CBG shows promise as an antibacterial agent and an anti-inflammatory, so it could possibly aid against bacterial infections like MRSA and other diseases such as inflammatory bowel diseases. It may also help reduce glaucoma since CBG has been shown to reduce intraocular pressure.
From a study done between five different cannabinoids, CBG seems to be the best option for helping treat bladder dysfunction. Like some other cannabinoids, CBG also stimulates a person’s appetite, so it could be useful to aid against symptoms like appetite loss that occur due to diseases such as cancer and HIV.
Furthermore, CBG, like CBD, shows potential in helping slow down cancer cell growth and tumor growth. It is no miracle cure, but it could essentially help millions of people everywhere in the fight for their lives against cancer.
Its neuroprotective properties may help treat diseases such as Huntington’s disease and other neurodegenerative conditions.
This all seems too good to be true, but we still do not have enough information to confirm or deny the above statements. None of these benefits are completely certain as of yet and more research is needed to figure out the exact effects of CBG. However, the current research is promising!
Possible Side Effects
As stated before, there is a vast gap in the information files of many cannabinoids and CBG specifically, so its side effects have not yet been documented.
Multiple studies that have been performed on rats show that CBG is well tolerated with these rodents that have surprisingly similar genetic characteristics to humans, but this alone can’t be used as a testament on how safe a high concentration of pure CBG might be.
Does CBG Interact with Any Medications?
Always consult your health advisor first before buying any sort of supplement, vitamins or any type of pharmaceutical drug in case it might have chances of meddling with the effect of your prescription, especially if the medication you are taking has a grapefruit warning.
Even if you don’t have or need a prescription, it is still better to ask in case you may have an allergy to any of the other ingredients.
As for CBG specifically, it so far seems similar to CBD in the sense that it seems to not affect medications, but with the lack of research its always best to stay safe and remain cautious.
What are the Differences Between CBD and CBG?
While both CBD and CBG are products of the breakdown of the acidic CBG-A, they are very different compounds. One of the differences is their molecular structure. Another difference is the way they both interact with our bodies.
CBD does not interact with our brain’s cannabinoid receptors and mostly relies on indirect interactions with the endocannabinoid system in our bodies while CBG has been thought to have access to and the ability to directly interact with our brain’s CB1 and CB2 cannabinoid receptors which are responsible for many of our physiological processes such as our mood, metabolism, pain response, and appetite.
Why is the Research on CBG Limited?
CBG is present in a really low concentration in hemp plants, so the extraction of CBG is much harder than that of CBD. Moreover, many crops have been selectively bred to contain a higher percentage of CBD.
With the difference in percentage concentration between CBD and CBG, it would take approximately twenty times the amount of biomass used to extract CBD to be able to extract the same amount of CBG. This makes it difficult to get a decent amount of CBG to test and experiment on.
Why are CBG Oil and Other Products Expensive?
The noticeable difference in the prices of CBG products and other cannabinoid products has led to CBG earning itself the nickname ‘The Rolls Royce of Cannabinoids’ as it is the most expensive of all cannabinoids to produce.
Unlike CBD, people have not yet started cultivating many farms of genetically modified or selectively bred hemp plants that contain a higher concentration of CBG, so to extract a certain amount of CBG you would require about twenty times the amount of biomass required to extract the same amount of CBD.
Another issue in cultivating CBG is the difficulty in keeping the CBG present stable in its form instead of breaking down to produce other cannabinoids. Even the extraction process itself is costly, not to mention the expensive equipment that is needed.
As in all businesses, customer demand also sways the price. With the recent spikes in searches about these cannabinoids, demand seems to be higher than the usual yearly supply can comfortably satiate.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will CBG oil make me high?
No, CBG is a non-psychoactive chemical compound so it will not give you a high.
Are CBG oil and other products legal?
Yes, although this may vary by your state of residence, CBD and CBG products are legal on the federal level in the United States of America if it is extracted from the hemp plant which contains a maximum of 0.3% THC. It is legal in many other areas like the United States as well.
Is CBG oil safe?
Yes, the worst that could happen by taking in too much CBG is an upset stomach or some dizziness and fatigue.
What is the best way to take in CBG?
While you could go searching for different pure CBG oil and other products, it would probably be easier to get a full spectrum or broad-spectrum CBD product since they both contain CBG as well as other cannabinoids, thus taking advantage of the entourage effect. They are a lot cheaper than CBG isolate and are much easier to find as well.
How is full-spectrum CBD different from broad-spectrum CBD?
Both full-spectrum and broad-spectrum CBD products have a number of different cannabinoids, including CBG, which encourages the entourage effect, possibly boosting the effects of each of the cannabinoids present.
The main difference between both is the presence of THC, which is present in full-spectrum CBD products but not in broad-spectrum CBD products.
What should I check when buying CBG oil and other products?
Make sure whatever product you are buying has been third-party tested. This ensures that the product you’re buying is of high quality and that the ingredients are the same as those labelled on the package.
So, what are you waiting for? Try out CBG oil and other products today and see how they improve your life!