Oct 27, 2021 Cannabigerol, CBD VS. CBG, CBG, CBG-A, difference between cannabidiol and cannabigerol, health benefits of CBG
You might be familiar with cannabidiol – a well-accepted and popular cannabinoid of the cannabis plant. With the rising popularity and legality of cannabis-derived products, people are keen to know about their derivatives. Recently, people are interested in trying CBG – Cannabigerol. Generally, it is the precursor of other cannabinoids, as its acidic form CBG-A breaks down to form CBG, CBD, THC, and CBC when heated.
Though you are an amateur in this cannabis world, you might have heard about CBD & THC. People use CBD oil and other CBD-infused products to manage various health conditions, including pain, sleep, inflammation, and more. Due to the increasing demand of customers, manufacturers are introducing new discreet ways to take CBD. Besides CBD, now people are focusing on other cannabinoids to reap more health benefits.
If you are new to this immense cannabis world, you can get all the essential information about CBG from here.
Typically, the manufacturers obtain cannabigerol from young cannabis plants as they have a high content of it. Moreover, some strains of CBG has high CBG content, such as:
Frots CBG
Besides this, the acidic form CBG-A from which CBD & THC is obtained carries cannabigerol. In general, a young cannabis plant contains more cannabigerol than a fully developed plant. The CBG converts into CBD & THC as the plants grow. To meet the consumer’s need and overcome the difficulty of getting CBG, cannabis growers are experimenting with cross-breeding and genetic manipulation.
Similar to CBD, CBG is a non-intoxicant cannabinoid means it does not get you high. Moreover, both CBD & CBG interacts with the endocannabinoid system to impart particular effects.
However, the primary difference between CBD & CBG comes down to the level of research available. There is a decent amount of research is available on CBD, but not so much on CBG. The increasing demand for CBG oil ensures that there will likely be more studies on it soon.
What Are the Potential Benefits of CBG – Cannabigerol?
Here are some existing pieces of research studies that report the following health benefits of CBG:
Inflammatory Bowel Syndrome: According to a 2013 study, CBG reduces the inflammation associated with irritated bowel syndrome. Similar to CBD oil, people are taking CBG oil to manage the inflammation that worsens this condition.
Glaucoma: You might be familiar that people use medical cannabis to manage glaucoma. CBG may responsible for the effectiveness of medical cannabis. Moreover, a 2008 study suggests that CBG is effective in treating glaucoma, as it reduces intraocular pressure.
Bladder Dysfunction: Some cannabinoids seem to control the contraction of the bladder. A 2015 study looked at the efficacy of five cannabinoids showed that CBG has more promising benefits.
Huntington’s Disease: CBG might have neuroprotective properties as a 2015 study about neurodegenerative conditions shows that CBG offers promising benefits.
Bacterial Infection: A research study conducted on the antibacterial cannabinoids from the cannabis plant reports that CBG is beneficial. Furthermore, according to a 2008 study, CBG can kill bacteria, particularly MRSA – Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus.
Cancer: Similar to CBD, CBG can minimize the risk of cancer. A 2015 research study indicates that CBG can reduce the growth of cancerous cells. Also, it is beneficial for other tumors.
Appetite Loss: A 2016 study suggests that CBG can stimulate the appetite. The interaction of cannabidiol with the endocannabinoid system that regulates appetite is beneficial in this regard.
So, there are several promising research studies about the health benefits of CBG. But there is a lot more to explore and confirm about the effects and benefits of this new compound.
How to Use CBG – Cannabigerol?
The most common way to use CBG is CBG Oil. Through CBG oil, you can reap the therapeutic benefits of pure cannabigerol. However, CBG oil is rare and expensive.
Well, the good news is that you can get some benefits of CBG by using full-spectrum CBD Oil. The broad-spectrum CBD oil contains all the cannabinoids, including cannabigerol, except delta-9 THC. People use broad-spectrum CBD as it contains all cannabinoids that work synergistically to produce potent effects.
CBG vs. CBD:
Most people compare CBG to CBD as they share similarities. Both CBG and CBD are non-psychoactive means they cannot alter the state of mind of the user. Aside from this, they can reduce the psychotropic effects of THC if you consume it. One of the biggest differences between CBD & CBG is the quantity of both cannabinoids in the cannabis plant. Most cannabis plants contain 1% of CBG and 25% of CBD.
Besides these similarities, both differ in the following critical ways:
While they come from the same cannabis plant, they have different molecular structures. The molecular structure refers to the number and arrangement of hydrogen, oxygen, and carbon atoms. Due to the dissimilarity in the molecular structure, CBD & CBG have different three-dimensional shapes. Therefore, they bind with the cannabinoid receptors in different manners. Moreover, a cannabinoid’s molecular structure help determine the bioavailability of the cannabinoids and their degree of solubility in the water.
CBD and CBG also activate the receptors differently. For example, a research study on CBG and CBD indicates their interaction with 5-HTI1A receptors found that CBD exerts anti-nausea effects. On the other hand, CBG has antagonist effects and block the 5-HT1A receptors. Moreover, the pre-treatment with CBG block the anti-emetic effects of CBD. So, it suggests that these two cannabinoids bound at the same place have opposing effects.
Another critical difference between CBD & CBG is in appetite stimulation. Research studies found that CBG enhances the appetite that normal intake. Contrary to this, CBD act as an appetite suppressor.
Does CBG – Cannabigerol Interacts With Any Medications?
Currently, the research about cannabigerol is in infancy. So, it is best to consult with your healthcare professional before trying CBG oil. Also, if you are on medications that have grapefruit warnings, avoid taking CBG.
Medications with grapefruit warnings are:
Prostrate medications
CBG – Cannabigerol is becoming increasingly popular, but research is still ongoing. If you are curious about trying CBG, it might be easier to find high-quality full-spectrum CBD oils, which should contain some CBG. Just make sure to check in with your healthcare provider first if you take any medications or have an underlying health condition.