CBG hemp products are rising in popularity alongside their better-known relative, CBD. CBG, or cannabigerol, is a cannabinoid that is similar to CBD, cannabidiol, but still has some notable differences. In this article we will explain what CBD and CBG hemp oils are and explore some of their primary uses.
CBG is the parent molecule of cannabinoids
CBD actually starts as CBG. In fact, all cannabinoids begin as CBG-A, which is the non-activated form of CBG. From CBG-A, the plant builds cannabinoids such as CBD-A, THC-A, CBC-A, and so on. It is for this reason that high-CBG plants were difficult to find in the past, and therefore why CBG products are currently more rare than CBD products; CBG typically converts to other cannabinoids as the plant matures. These days, thanks to selective breeding by CBG hemp farmers, cannabis plants that maintain high levels of CBG throughout the maturation process have come into the picture. You can now buy high-CBG hemp oils and experience their profound benefits.
CBG — “super-CBD”?
Some people call CBG hemp oils “super CBD”. We get it — CBG really is a super hero for lots of people. The feedback never ceases to amaze us.
CBG (cannabigerol) is a cannabinoid similar to CBD. It works for a lot of the same conditions, such as anxiety, depression, pain, inflammation, and overall wellbeing. Cannabinoids work for so many different conditions because they replenish your endocannabinoid system (ECS), which is an internal network that keeps your body’s processes in balance. Your body cannot maintain proper balance between its functions when your ECS is depleted. This manifests as disease, sleep issues, poor mental health, chronic inflammation, and more.
To learn more about the endocannabinoid system, please check out our blog post about it.
Due to their ability to help the entire body function better, hemp products have soared in popularity in recent years. Most people find that CBG is more potent than CBD, hence the “super CBD” nickname. In general, CBG hemp oils offer superior pain relief than CBD does. CBG also tends to be more effective for depression. Certain conditions, such as autism spectrum disorder and ADHD, have found CBG to be vastly helpful in relieving various symptoms.
FlowerChild’s CBG hemp products are used for:
Since the endocannabinoid system helps keep all of your body’s processes functioning in balance, CBG and other cannabinoids are used for just about everything. Please note that cannabis products have not been approved by the FDA to treat or cure any disease. Based on customer feedback and select studies, CBD/CBG may help relieve certain conditions, but only doctors can give you medical advice.
Here is a list of conditions that FlowerChild customers commonly use CBG products for:
- Pain
- Inflammation
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Autism Spectrum Disorder
- ADD/ADHD
- Glaucoma
- Insomnia
- Restlessness
- Arthritis
- Neuropathy
- Cancer
- Skin Conditions
- Accelerated Healing
- Burns
- Bug Bites
- Overall Wellness
More on the differences between CBD and CBG:
This convenient chart was created using published scientific studies, which can be found cited here. Please keep in mind that everyone’s body is different, so everyone’s body responds differently to various cannabinoids. For example, although most people find CBG to be more effective against pain, there are select individuals who will actually get more pain relief from CBD. We encourage people to experiment with CBD and CBG to find the cannabinoid and dose that works best for you.
CBG: Hemp, Cannabis, Marijuana
The terminology regarding hemp products can be confusing. People frequently ask us if our products are derived from hemp or cannabis, because some companies use industrial hemp (which is mostly stalk and leaf fiber) rather than the nutrient-rich flowers/buds. ‘Hemp” is defined differently by different people, but overall it refers to cannabis plants that contain less than 0.3% THC, which is the legal limit in the United States (as of 2020). “Cannabis” refers to the entire species of plant, much like “tomato” includes cherry tomatoes and roma tomatoes and all the other kinds of tomatoes. Within the cannabis umbrella there is industrial hemp grown for its fiber, CBD/CBG hemp grown to make tinctures and topicals, and marijuana (high-THC strains of cannabis).
FlowerChild makes all our products with cannabis grown specifically for high quality CBD and CBG oils. This means we use beautiful buds/flowers to make beautiful, terpene-rich extract.
The biology of CBD vs. CBG
As we mentioned in the previous section, CBD and CBG work by interacting with your endocannabinoid system. This internal network consists of endocannabinoids, which are cannabinoids that your body naturally creates, and receptor sites called CB1 and CB2 receptors. The endocannabinoids interact with these receptor sites to help your body maintain homeostasis (balance among its various physiological processes). Dr. Dustin Sulak, a licensed doctor of osteopathic medicine (in which the human body is regarded as an integrated whole), writes:
“The endogenous cannabinoid system, named after the plant that led to its discovery, is perhaps the most important physiologic system involved in establishing and maintaining human health. Endocannabinoids and their receptors are found throughout the body: in the brain, organs, connective tissues, glands, and immune cells. In each tissue, the cannabinoid system performs different tasks, but the goal is always the same: homeostasis, the maintenance of a stable internal environment despite fluctuations in the external environment.”
When your body isn’t creating enough of its own endocannabinoids, you can supplement with external cannabinoids such as CBD and CBG. These different cannabinoids interact with your body in slightly different ways.
How CBD and CBG interact with the ECS
It is thought that CBD works by essentially encouraging your body to produce more CB1 and CB2 receptors and more endocannabinoids of its own. This is why some people have to take CBD for a few days before they start experiencing the benefits. When you take a CBD oil, your body responds to the influx of cannabinoids by creating more receptor sites. Then, the added receptor sites encourage your body to create more endocannabinoids to interact with those receptor sites. CBD also blocks the fatty acid that breaks down anandamide, which is an endocannabinoid our body creates that helps relieve symptoms of various conditions.
CBG interacts more directly with the receptor sites by binding with them, particularly those in the brain. Specialists think this is why CBG is often so effective at enhancing mental health and helping alleviate symptoms of conditions such as OCD, autism, and bipolar disorder. Studies have found CBG to be effective against neurodegenerative conditions such as Huntington’s disease, and customer feedback attests that it can help stimulate speech in nonverbal patients, improve mood and cognition, and effectively reduce both mental and physical pain.
What will I feel when I take CBD or CBG hemp products?
Since CBD and CBG are non-intoxicating, you shouldn’t feel “high” unless you take too much or are highly sensitive to THC. FlowerChild’s products are all full-spectrum and contain traces of THC to ensure maximum healing potential, so at higher doses you might feel a little different. For the most part, this “different” feeling means more relaxed, happier, more inner peace, less mental/physical pain, and an overall satisfaction with life. High doses of THC can have hallucinogenic properties and cause paranoia, but CBG and CBG actually regulate the effects of THC and smooth it out. Since CBD and CBG hemp products contain less than 0.3% THC, your experience should be subtle and enjoyable. There are also variations in how you’ll feel depending on which product you use.
Pure CBD Oils/Tinctures:
CBD has a slightly more sedating effect at higher doses. This makes it excellent for sleep or when you really need to relax. It instills a sense of deep contentment and can “slow down” the world and help bring you more presently into the moment. Helps quiet down an overactive mind and organize normally-chaotic overthinking patterns.
Pure CBG Oils/Tinctures:
CBG has a slightly more stimulating effect at higher doses. It’s great for daytime use because it won’t make you sleepy like pure CBD sometimes does. It can enhance focus and concentration while also helping you feel calm and relaxed. Helps remove mental barriers/blocks and encourage your thoughts to flow in a more organized fashion.
CBD & CBG Blend Tinctures:
When taken together, CBD and CBG balance each other out and reduce the stimulating/sedating qualities that they often have when taken separately. Blend products can help you feel deeply content as well as alert/awake. Many people like taking a blend before bed because it allows them to wake up feeling less groggy than with pure CBD—however, CBG and blends containing CBG have been known to give some people especially vivid dreams.
Tincture or topical or both?
Tinctures, which people take sublingually (under the tongue), work differently from topicals. When you take a tincture, the cannabinoids move through your entire body. There they interact with the CB1 and CB2 receptors and involve your whole ECS. Topicals work more locally. After applying a salve, the cannabinoids soak in and interact with the receptors in that immediate area. This allows topicals to deliver more potent and immediate attention directly to the area in question, but it does not get your ECS working on the problem to as much of an extent. This is why we recommend using both a tincture and a topical to help address most conditions.
For example, a topical salve can give you instant pain relief to an inflamed wrist, and although the relief will be stronger than a tincture, it might fade after a few hours. If you also take a sublingual tincture, your ECS will respond by processing the pain better, and you will therefore experience more subtle but longer-lasting relief. Likewise, a topical salve can help treat a persistent skin condition quite well on the surface, while adding a tincture helps treat the problem at a deeper level by helping your ECS balance out the physiological processes that are responsible.
If your condition is purely internal, such as with anxiety or depression, taking only a tincture will suffice. If your condition is purely external, such as an itchy mosquito bite, using only a topical is fine.
The topical salves also make for great massages if you just want to show your body some love!
CBD and CBG hemp products are a worthwhile addition to your routine
Your endocannabinoid system plays a huge role in keeping your body healthy. In today’s world, most people’s ECS is depleted due to chronic stress, environmental and dietary toxins, unhealthy coping mechanisms, and disconnection from the natural world. Fortunately, cannabinoids from plants, like CBD and CBG, can interact with our ECS and help it do its job better. CBD and CBG hemp products both offer profound healing benefits. Depending on what you’re using hemp products for, you might do better with pure CBD, pure CBG, or a blend containing both of them. Whichever you choose, we’re confident FlowerChild products will serve you well. All our products are full-spectrum, whole-plant extracts formulated for maximum efficacy.
Head on over to our shop section to try some for yourself!
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