【Sister CBD】Knowing about Cannabigerol, people called CBG.
Cannabigerol, or simply CBG, is a lesser-known cannabinoid that is gaining attention among CBD users. The cannabinoid is purported to offer a range of potential health benefits and is often compared to its sister cannabidiol (CBD) as they share many similarities.
CBG products are anticipated to witness the fastest growth in the U.S market thanks to its non-psychoactive nature. However, like with any relatively new cannabinoid, users are asking questions about CBG, including its benefits, properties and possible side effects.
This article delves into the wild world of this fascinating cannabinoid. We will give a detailed breakdown of what CBG is, the benefits of CBG, its potential side effects and the latest CBG products on the market.
What Is CBG?
To put it simply, cannabigerol (CBG) is a naturally occurring cannabinoid in the cannabis plant. Because it occurs in very minimal amounts in most cannabis strains (often less than 1%), CBG is considered a minor cannabinoid.
Cannabigerol is often coined as the ‘mother of all cannabinoids.’ That’s because its acidic form, cannabigerolic acid (CBGA), is the precursor to the other main cannabinoids- tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCA), cannabichromene acid (CBCA), and cannabidiolic acid (CBDA).
Specific enzymes in the cannabis plant break CBGA down into either THCA, CBDA, or CBCA. When these acids are exposed to heat through a process known as decarboxylation, they are converted into the popular cannabinoids THC, CBD, and CBC.
Scientists usually extract high levels of pure, potent, and non-psychoactive CBG from budding hemp plants. Some breeders are also experimenting with genetic manipulation and cross-breeding strains to produce high CBG levels.
4 Possible side effects of CBG
CBG is a relatively new cannabinoid in the hemp market. Because of the impressive positive response from CBG users, research into its possible side effects is very scarce.
However, some people have reported reversible side effects like:
- Tiredness
- Dry mouth
- Changes in appetite
- Increased heart rate
5 Potential medical benefits Of CBG
Our bodies have a biological cell-signalling system known as the endocannabinoid system (ECS). The ECS is comprised of endocannabinoids, cannabinoid receptors, and enzymes. These components work in synergy to regulate and control the most vital functions in our bodies like memory, mood, appetite, learning, sleep, and more.
CBG provides its effects by interacting with the cannabinoid receptors in our ECS. Although human studies into the benefits of CBG are still very limited, preliminary research suggests that CBG may provide the following therapeutic benefits:
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)- IBD is a disorder characterized by chronic inflammation and pain in the digestive tract. This disease affects millions of people worldwide, and it has no known cure. Luckily, CBG was found to have positive effects on inflammatory bowel diseases during a 2013 study.
- Huntington’s Disease– Huntington’s disease is a rare condition that leads to progressive breakdown or degeneration of brain nerve cells. In a 2015 study, researchers concluded that CBG can act as a neuroprotectant. This means that it can protect your brain nerve cells from damage.
- Fighting Cancer- A 2014 study on rats with colon cancer found that CBG may block the receptors that promote cancer cell growth. CBG was also found to inhibit the development of colorectal cancer cells.
- Antibacterial Effects– In a 2020 study, researchers concluded that the antibacterial effects of CBG can be effective against multiple bacteria, including the drug-resistant methicillin-resistant strains of Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).
- Glaucoma- Glaucoma is an eye condition that damages the optic nerve and can cause blindness. In a study, acute topical application of CBG produced a modest reduction in eye pressure and a significant increase in aqueous humor outflow. Aqueous humor is a water-like fluid that maintains eye pressure while providing the eye with vital nutrition.
The latest CBG products on the market
CBG is a minor cannabinoid, existing only in minimal amounts. This makes CBG-based products very rare and often expensive.
However, there is a rise in CBG’s popularity thanks to the host of medicinal benefits it has to offer. You can find an impressive variety of CBG products on the market, from pre-rolled joints, body butter, elixirs, oils, and CBG-infused flavored water.
In the upcoming years, we expect to see a lot of new and innovative CBG products.
That’s it for this time. Thank you so much for reading.
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