While many people have heard about CBD – and potentially even used it for a decent chunk of their life – that is not the only cannabinoid out there. For every CBD product you find on the market, there is another made using an entirely different part of the cannabis plant.
THC may be perhaps the most famous other product that comes from cannabis, but CBG has recently started to pick up steam for its range of beneficial effects. But what is CBG, and is it better than taking CBD?
What is CBG?
CBG, or cannabigerol, is a cannabinoid from the cannabis plant that is generally sourced in the same way as CBD (cannabidiol). Neither are psychoactive, meaning that they do not cause a high like THC will, but they are still distinct ingredients that have their own specific uses.
Both CBG and CBD come from the same parent-level cannabinoid, CBGA. However, they are retrieved through a slightly different process, with CBG essentially coming a “step” before CBD.
In other words, CBG is an equivalent to CBD, but with a slightly different set of effects on the body. This has made it a popular choice for people who need something slightly different to CBD, or who feel that CBD is not targeting the right issues.
What Does CBG Offer?
CBG can have a range of benefits on the human body when taken in various forms, similar to CBD. However, their different chemical compositions mean that they impact your body in slightly different ways while still sharing some of the benefits of CBD.
Stress Management
CBG is ideal for managing stress. It interacts with the neurotransmitters in your brain to calm you down and reduce activity levels (specifically, the hyperactivity that comes with being stressed). In simple terms, it soothes you.
While this is obviously not as strong as taking artificial medication, CBG and CBD are similar in this regard. Both can help you manage stress and reduce the energy boosts that stress can give you (which can sometimes make it hard to de-stress on your own).
Ideally, you often want to take proper steps to reduce stress beyond just taking CBG. However, it can make your other attempts to relax a lot more effective since it naturally slows down the process that leads to stress building up.
Reduced Discomfort
Both CBG and CBD are good for reducing pain and enabling faster recovery, which can apply to a huge range of situations and health conditions. This does not just include injuries but also athletes wanting faster muscle recovery or to soothe aches that a person has gained with age.
CBD is the option that most people gravitate towards, but CBG has recently started to see use as well due to its excellent potency and effects in dealing with pain and discomfort. Both target pain receptors in a way that can help soothe pain after use.
This makes CBG a good option for day-to-day pain relief since it lacks any of the risky side effects that medication like painkillers can bring. If you are suffering from excess pain or discomfort – including chronic pain – then it can be a good place to turn.
Reduced Inflammation
Inflammation occurs when the immune system is reacting to something bad, but this can often lead to discomfort while your body fights off the problem. If your immune system makes a bad judgment call or goes out of balance, this can result in significant inflammation and even damage.
Being able to manage inflammation properly is important, and both CBG and CBD are able to provide inflammation relief. CBG is especially good at handling gut inflammation, which can be helpful when dealing with bowel or bladder issues that CBD would take longer to tackle.
If you are dealing with inflammation, taking some CBG (or putting it on the inflamed area) can allow it to heal faster or at least reduce the discomfort you are feeling in the meantime. It can also help in instances where the inflammatory response was overturned and excessive.
Neuroprotection and Mental Benefits
CBG can provide brain cell protection, easing the degeneration process from things like age or long-term injury. While testing is still being done on how well CBG handles this, it already seems to provide better results than CBD.
This makes CBG a good option if you worry about neuron damage, whether that is coming from a genetic predisposition or physical trauma. The calming effect can also benefit your overall mental health in some instances, too.
Both CBD and CBG can sometimes help with issues like anxiety and depression. Once again, CBG is still being tested to see exactly how potent it is with these issues, but the calming effects naturally provide some mental health benefits when used correctly.
Is CBG Safe?
CBG is just as safe as CBD – only it has not been tested as much because of CBD’s greater popularity over the last few decades and the fact that CBG takes slightly longer to harvest in large amounts.
However, CBG has already been used in a range of extracts, namely full-spectrum help products that make full use of the hemp plant’s cannabinoids. CBG has seen a spike in recent popularity, meaning that more and more CBG products will begin to appear over time.
Just like CBD, different products will suit different people. For example, you might prefer CBG inctures from Joy over a standard CBG oil, depending on your own specific needs and the kind of benefits that you are looking for.
Should You Use Organic CBG Products?
Organic CBG is just CBG with minimal artificial influence, meaning that it is purer and, therefore, usually more beneficial. Organic products like this tend to have more nutrients and subject you to fewer toxins or artificial chemicals when you are using them.
Whether you are looking at a specialized Organic CBD + CBG Tincture bundle or simply browsing basic CBG oils, CBG itself is definitely worth using. Take some time to explore your options and consider what would work best for you.
Remember: CBG only got pushed into popular focus recently, so as more research gets done, we are bound to see even more benefits being discovered.
