CBG, more properly known as Cannabigerol, is the newest and least-known player in the world of Cannabis. Everyone knows about THC (more properly known as Delta-9 THC), as it is the active ingredient of Marijuana. CBD has become almost as well-known in recent years for its medicinal and calming effects. CBG, on the other hand, has the potential to combine the benefits of all cannabinoid substances in one.
That’s just one of the reasons that people choose to try these products, so let’s examine things a little more closely.
The Cannabinoid Stem Cell
When a Cannabis plant first begins to grow, it does not have the capacity to produce complex Cannabinoids like THC and CBD. Instead, it contains CBG, which is a more generalized Cannabinoid substance. Like a stem cell, it will later “differentiate” and become all the other Cannabinoids that we know. Just as stem cells have certain documented medical uses, so too does CBG. And, unlike with stem cells, there are no ethical issues with the collection of CBG.
Still, we should try to find evidence to support the idea that CBG can offer the benefits of many Cannabinoids in one. We already know that it lacks the psychotropic effect of THC, but that isn’t really important anyway. Instead, let’s look at some studies and see what benefits CBG has been proven to have. As you will see by looking at the results, CBG has been linked with the following:
- Inhibition of colon cancer
- Anti-inflammatory effects
- Antimicrobial properties
- Reduction of ocular (eye) pressure
- Neuroprotective benefits
- Pain Relief
- Reduces anxiety and stress
- Appetite stimulation
- Nausea Relief
Does the Evidence Support The “Stem Cell’ Theory?
Overall, we would have to say that it does. However, it would be an exaggeration to say that CBG gives you all the effects of every Cannabinoid substance at once. However, it does seem to deliver all of the effects that people would actually want. Other than the euphoria and “high” feeling, it doesn’t seem to be missing anything.
If you don’t believe us, take a look at the list presented above and the studies presented in the link. You will see that it checks all the boxes that we would want to see. Medicinally, whole Cannabis is often used for relief of pain and nausea, and as an appetite stimulant. CBG seems able to do all of these things. CBD is often used for its anti-carcinogenic benefits (check), anti-inflammatory effects (check), and mild relaxing effects (check). In the end, the evidence does seem to support the “stem cell Cannabinoid” theory.
How Do They Get All That CBG?
We have already explained that CBG is mostly found in immature Cannabis plants. Mature plants do retain a little bit, but it’s not enough to be worth extracting. However, once people realized that CBG was useful, they immediately started working on strains with abnormally high CBG content. Many of these are now available on the market, although their CBG levels still tend to be relatively low.
In some cases, they simply grow a bunch of Cannabis plants and harvest them before they mature. However, this is not a very cost-effective way of doing things. As the CBG-dominant strains grow more and more potent, we expect that this method will die out entirely.
The Immediate Benefits
There has been a lot of evidence presented showing the medicinal benefits of Cannabinoids. Some internet writers will tell you that there “haven’t been a lot of studies” on CBG, but these are mostly just people that were too lazy to do any research at all. There have been all kinds of studies on CBG, as we have already shown you! So, there is no doubt as to the long-term health benefits of Cannabigerol.
However, you might be asking yourself if there are any immediate benefits. On that front, it is worth noting that many people enjoy the act of smoking in itself. Unlike tobacco, this is a smoke that won’t give you cancer (and may even prevent you from getting such). Smokable Hemp comes in all sorts of appealing flavors as well.
Most CBD users report that they get a mild relaxing effect when using CBD products, and CBG does seem to have this same quality. The change definitely couldn’t be described as a “high,” but most people find that it relieves their stress and anxiety. Thus, it can be a great way to relax at the end of a long day.
Conclusion
If we had chosen to discuss all the individual health benefits that can be linked to CBG, this article would have been ten times as long. However, we think you can get the general idea from that which has been presented. CBG does seem to offer the benefits of many Cannabinoids in one, lacking only the intoxicating “high” that many people don’t want anyway.
As legal Cannabinoids go, it might just be a perfect choice. However, at the present time, it does have one downside. CBG-based products tend to be more expensive, but that is likely to change with time. It always costs a little more to be on the cutting edge, and CBG is a good example of that fact. Thanks for reading and be sure to come back soon.
