In 2019, Gallup ran a poll looking at Americans’ use of CBD products. Amazingly, it was found that one out of every seven Americans said that they personally used CBD products.
This is pretty incredible when you consider that industrial hemp (which is where CBD comes from) was only legalized at the federal level in 2018. In the course of a year or so, CBD exploded onto the market and into the daily lives of countless Americans.
As interest in CBD has grown, so has interest in the other cannabinoids in cannabis. One of these compounds that has been of particular interest is CBG, which is often called the mother of all cannabinoids because of its role in creating THC, CBD, and other compounds.
Are you wondering about the studies available on the potential benefits of CBG? Let’s take a look at the research that has been done on this fascinating cannabinoid so far.
What Is CBG Oil?
Cannabigerol (CBG) is an active compound, or cannabinoid, found in the cannabis plant. It is thought that there are more than 100 cannabinoids in cannabis, the two most prevalent of which are THC and CBD. Increasingly, researchers are interested in the benefits of some of the lesser-known cannabinoids, including CBG.
The acidic form of CBG is known as CBG-A, which breaks down when it is heated to form THC, CBD, and CBG. For this reason, CBG is considered to be some other cannabinoids’ precursor, and is sometimes referred to as the “mother of all cannabinoids.”
In most strains of cannabis, the percentage of CBG is only about 1%, compared to between 25 to 30% for THC and 20 to 25% for CBD.
What Is Full-Spectrum CBD Oil and How Is It Different From CBG?
Unless you have been hiding under a rock, you have probably heard of CBD oil. If you looked into it any further, you also probably something to terms like “full-spectrum,” “broad-spectrum,” and “isolate.” Let’s take a quick look at what these mean:
- Full-spectrum CBD Oil: Contains CBD as well as the other cannabinoids that were present in the plant at the extraction, including small amounts of THC
- Broad-spectrum CBD Oil: CBD isolate with other cannabinoids added, allowing people to have zero THC content without forgoing the other cannabinoids
- CBD Isolate: Just CBD without any of the other cannabinoids
There are several similarities between CBD and CBG. They both act on the endocannabinoid system. Neither of them are psychoactive, meaning that they will not create the “high” that is often associated with marijuana.
One of the biggest differences between these two cannabinoids is that CBD is far more prevalent in cannabis and CBG is. They also interact with the endocannabinoid system definitely than CBD does, and some researchers believe that it might be more efficient at delivering its potential benefits to the different systems of our bodies.
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What Are the Benefits of CBG?
So far, there are only a handful of studies that look into the potential benefits of CBG. However, some of these do suggest that CBG might serve therapeutic purposes. Let’s take a look at what studies have found this cannabinoid might be capable of.
Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBS)
One mouse study from 2013 found that CBG seems to decrease the inflammation associated with IBS. Inflammatory bowel disease is incurable and affects millions of people.
Bladder Dysfunctions
A study from 2015 examined how five different cannabinoids might impact the bladder and its contractions. The researchers concluded that CBG was the most promising cannabinoid when it comes to treating dysfunctions in the bladder.
Glaucoma
Patients sometimes use medical cannabis in order to treat glaucoma, as it seems to be quite effective. It is thought that CBG might be part of the reason for its efficacy. One particular study found that, by reducing intraocular pressure, CBG might be an effective glaucoma treatment.
Bacterial Infections
A 2008 study found that CBG can help to kill bacteria. It suggested that this was particularly the case with a type of bacteria that causes drug-resistant staph infections, which are fairly dangerous and can be quite difficult to treat.
Appetite Loss
CBG was found to potentially stimulate appetite in a 2016 rat study. For people who have conditions such as cancer or HIV, chemicals that can help to stimulate appetite can be helpful or essential.
Huntington’s Disease
It is also thought that CBG might have properties that are neuroprotective. One particular study from 2015 found that CBG might be a promising treatment option for neurodegenerative conditions. In this study, they look at mice with Huntington’s disease, which is a neurodegenerative condition.
Cancer
According to a study from 2014, CBG might help reduce the growth of cancer cells as well as other tumors. This particular study looked at rats with colon cancer.
Are You Interested in Trying CBG?
In the future, more research will be done about the different cannabinoids in cannabis and the benefits that they might have. The world of cannabis research is still in infancy, but the existing research does leave many people optimistic about the potential benefits of CBG, CBD, and other cannabinoids and terpenes in cannabis.
There has also been some research into the notion of the “entourage effect,” which refers to the idea that cannabinoids are better able to perform their benefits when taken alongside the other naturally occurring cannabinoids. If you’re already taking CBD, you might consider taking a CBD and CBG oil, allowing you to benefit from the way these two cannabinoids interact with your endocannabinoid system.
Ready to try out CBG for the first time? Check out our full-spectrum CBD + CBG oil.