Do you like staying informed about the latest health and wellness trends? If so, you have probably heard about the newest buzz in town; CBD. In the past few years, numerous forms of CDB popped up in the market to help people cope with pain, anxiety, and other health issues.
From CBD creams to capsules and oils, consumers have a range of CBD products to choose from. However, there has been a recent turn of events with a new buzzword introduced to the market; CBG. So what is CBG, and what’s all the hype about?
Read below for a comprehensive guide about CBG and CBD:
What Is CBG?
CBG, also known as Cannabigerol, is a type of cannabinoid. This means it’s a naturally occurring chemical compound in the cannabis plant. But CBG is found in mature cannabis plants.
The most famous cannabinoids include tetrahydrocannabinol (TCH) and cannabidiol (CBD). But thanks to the recent interest in the study of the cannabis plant, most scientists and researchers are finding newer chemical compounds every day. Additionally, the more advanced extraction technology available today makes it easier to isolate cannabinoids for study.
CBG vs. CBD
CBG and CBD are often compared to each other because they have numerous similarities. Their effects also depend on their impact on the endocannabinoid system. But, both CBD and CBG are non-psychoactive; hence, they won’t alter or affect your state of mind the same way as their psychoactive cousin THC.
But if you ingest a cannabis plant, both CBD and CBG will diminish the psychotropic effects of the THC. However, the most significant difference between the two compounds is their quantity in the cannabis plant. Most cannabis contains up to 25% CBD and only 1% CBG.
Another significant difference is their interaction with our body’s endocannabinoid system. CBG binds with CB1 and CB2 receptors, making it more efficient at relaxing and healing the body than CBD.
Potential CBG Benefits
CBG is an excellent compound with numerous health benefits. And like GCD, CBG can combat pain and improve your health without the intoxicating and psychotropic effects of THC. While there is ample research on the possible health benefits of CBG, more research is needed to determine how they affect the human body.
Promising research in animals found that CBG has a lot of health benefits. These benefits include:
Treating Glaucoma
Researchers conducting an animal study on CBG found that it can treat glaucoma. In the study, the researchers administered CBG to cats ailing from glaucoma, and they noticed a significant reduction in eye pressure. The researchers also noted an increase in the aqueous humor discharge.
The aqueous humor is a fluid produced by the eye, which helps maintain its pressure. It also provides the eye with nutrition.
Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)
IBD is a bowel condition that leads to chronic inflammation and swelling in the bowel. Unfortunately, this disease affects millions of people worldwide, and it has no cure. In 2013, an experimental study revealed some beneficial effects of CBG on IBD conditions.
The researchers induced inflammations similar to Inflammatory Bowel Disease on mice then gave them CBG. The CBG reduced the inflammations and improved the production of nitric acid in the stomach. The compound also reduced reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in the intestines.
The researchers concluded that CBG could have potential health benefits to people suffering from IBD, which should be considered in clinical experiments.
It Has Antibacterial Properties
According to a 2020 study, researchers noted that CBG has antibacterial properties. CBG can be used against the methicillin-resistant strain of Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). This is a drug-resistant bacteria that causes staph infection.
It Fights Cancer Cells
Some researchers studied the possible beneficial effects of CBG on mice with colon cancer. In the study, they discovered that CBG was blocking the cell receptors that led to the growth of the cancer cells. CBG also inhibited the growth of colorectal cancer cells.
After these findings, the scientists suggested that pharmaceutical companies consider CBG to prevent and cure colon cancer. However, more research is needed to study the possible effects of CBG on humans.
Huntington’s Disease
Huntington’s disease causes nerve cells to break down in the brain. In a study to examine the potential neuroprotective effects of CBG and other cannabinoids, the researchers administered CBG to mice with an experimental replica of Huntington’s disease.
They noted that CBG acted as a neuroprotectant. It protected the nerve cells in the brain from any damage. CBG also improves motor deficiency and conserves striatal neurons in the brain against the toxicity of the 3-nitropropionic acid.
How to Use CBG
Most manufacturers produce CBG in the form of oil. There are many benefits you can get from using uncontaminated CBG oil. However, CBG oil is expensive and rare.
But, you can also get the benefits of CBG if you use broad-spectrum CBD products such as oils. A broad-spectrum CBD oil has all the cannabinoids found in cannabis plants, including CBG. However, it doesn’t include THC due to its psychoactive effects.
When the cannabinoids are mixed and used together like in a CBG and CBD blend, they increase each other’s effectiveness. This phenomenon is known as an entourage effect.
The Scarcity of CBG
CBG is rare and difficult to extract. This makes it a scarce cannabinoid as it’s more challenging to produce than CBD, THC, and other cannabinoids. But because CBG shares similar qualities and benefits with CBD, most manufacturers often prefer CBD instead.
But if the chemical compound is produced, the resulting products are very costly. However, it has a wide range of promising health benefits. Hence, scientists are doing more research to make the production process easier and increase the availability of this cannabinoid.
Purchase Cannabinoid Products Today
Cannabinoid products such as CBG, CBN, and CBD have varied health benefits. However, before you use any products, keep in mind that more research is needed to determine possible health benefits to the human body.
So what is CBG, and what are its benefits? The above guide will help you understand CBG and its possible uses. At Nature’s Bloom, we believe in the health benefits of cannabinoids, and we are here to help. Check out our collection of cannabinoid products in our shop.
