While major cannabinoids such as CBD and THC take the majority of the spotlight, they’re not the only active ingredients in cannabis. In fact, a slew of minor cannabinoids exist in cannabis plants.
One of these compounds is cannabigerol, also known as CBG. Like all other cannabinoids, CBG may have a variety of effects and some possible benefits. We’ll cover both of those topics and more in this complete guide to CBG.
What is CBG?
We mentioned above that CBG is one of the minor cannabinoids. These consist of a group of more than 100 organic compounds that develop naturally in cannabis plants. The main difference between major and minor cannabinoids is their concentration in a cannabis plant. Major cannabinoids may make up as much as 20% (in CBD’s case) or 30% (for THC) of the compounds in a certain strain. In contrast, minor cannabinoids usually make up 1 percent or less.
Many researchers today consider CBG to be a precursor cannabinoid. That’s because it’s sort of like a “cannabinoid stem cell.” Researchers have found CBG to develop abundantly in young cannabis plants.
As these plants mature, CBG develops into one of the dozens of other cannabinoids, including THC and CBD. As a result, CBG becomes rarer within a plant as it ages. Combine that with its extremely low presence overall in cannabis plants, and it’s no wonder that extractors are having trouble getting raw CBG to work with.
However, cannabis breeders have come to the rescue here. They’ve done their best to cross different strains with high CBG content, resulting in even genetics that are fine-tuned to develop as much CBG as possible.
CBG: Effects
Whenever anyone first hears about CBG, one question naturally comes to mind: does CBG get you high?
It’s a valid question! After all, the major cannabinoid THC has psychoactive effects. However, those effects appear to be exclusive to THC alone. As a result, CBG won’t get you high.
Don’t write CBG off as useless just because it’s not psychoactive, though. In fact, CBG may have a variety of possible therapeutic benefits. Medical patients may be able to take advantage of these benefits to help alleviate symptoms of their qualifying conditions.
CBG: Possible Benefits
Although CBG may not get you high, it could hold promise for medical patients. That’s because CBG has several possible benefits.
Like other cannabinoids, CBG appears to bind with a neurological receptor called 5-HT1A. As a result, it exhibits two important properties.
Antioxidant Properties
You may have heard of antioxidants before. Usually, you’ll hear about foods or nutrients that exhibit antioxidant traits. Antioxidants perform an important function for the body. They prevent a process called oxidation, which can release molecules called free radicals into your body. Free radicals can damage cells when left unchecked, so the possible antioxidant effects of CBG could be a huge benefit to medical patients.
Neuroprotective Effects
Like its cannabinoid cousin CBD, CBG demonstrates some anti-inflammatory effects. In CBG’s case, though, researchers believe that these traits could actively protect nerve cells.
Nerve cells, called neurons, defend themselves from damage with a protective sheath. Certain inflammatory responses can degrade these sheathes though, leading to a variety of neurological problems like multiple sclerosis (MS). By preventing the inflammation that destroys these sheathes, CBG could offer some protection for patients who suffer from these conditions.
It’s important to note that research into CBG remains in its early stages. As a result, most scientists agree that we need more data before we can make any conclusive statements about this cannabinoid.
Find Strains, Concentrates, and More with CBG
Looking for a CBG-rich product to see how this cannabinoid might benefit you? Come by our dispensary or check out our online menu to see what high-CBG products we’ve got available right now.
At Exclusive, we offer premium cannabis items sourced in-house and from a range of local growers and product manufacturers. Our extensive menu includes pre-rolls, concentrates, cartridges, edible products, and much more. Check out our menu or download our app to place your order today.
