You want to try taking a cannabis supplement to help with your condition, but should you take CBD or CBG? And would a tincture or salve be better?
Whether to take CBD or CBG is completely up to personal preference, as some people’s bodies do better with CBD, some do better with CBG, and some do best with a combination. With tinctures and salves, a tincture is better for anything internal or anything that affects the entire body, while a topical is better for localized surface conditions.
Understanding the differences between CBD and CBG is key to deciding which is best for you.
CBD or CBG: key differences in effect
Although CBD (Cannabidiol) and CBG (Cannabigerol) are similar, there are still some clear differences. The main distinction is in the tinctures: CBG is more stimulating, whereas CBD is more sedating. This is a general rule and does not apply to everyone. Some people find that the opposite is true for them. For most people, however, CBG helps increase energy and focus and CBD helps increase relaxation and calm. Many people like to take a Blend tincture, containing both CBD and CBG, to balance these effects out.
Another loose rule of thumb is that CBG is better for the brain whereas CBD is better for the body. This is a very loose rule; both CBD and CBG are great for the brain and the body, but studies have suggested that CBG is more beneficial for certain mental/brain conditions. CBG has been shown to have neuroprotective qualities and to help against Huntington’s disease, according to this study published in 2015. According to a different study, published in 2018, CBG can help reduce neuroinflammation.
The difference between topicals isn’t as apparent as it is with tinctures. CBD salves and CBG salves both soak into the area they are applied and interact directly with the cannabinoid receptors in that area, helping soothe pain, reduce inflammation, and assist with itches, burns, rashes, etc. Many people report that CBG is more effective overall for helping reduce pain, and some have also said it is more useful for fungal rashes. Others prefer CBD or a blend.
Salve, Tincture, or Both?
CBD and CBG work by interacting with cannabinoid receptors in your body. This is part of your endocannabinoid system (ECS). When your endocannabinoid system is depleted, due to toxins, stress, etc., your body cannot keep itself in balance, which can manifest as pain, inflammation, diseases, sleep issues, and more. Your ECS regulates almost every system in your body. Supplementing with CBD and CBG helps bring it back into homeostasis, therefore helping your entire body function better.
Tinctures interact with your entire endocannabinoid system, reaching all the cannabinoid receptors throughout your body to help wherever help is needed. This gives your body the tools to manage pain better, improve your immune system, restore healthy sleep patterns, and more. Topicals, on the other hand, have a more potent effect on the local cannabinoid receptors wherever the topical is applied. Let’s use muscle pain as an example. Taking a tincture will have a more subtle, longer-lasting effect because it helps your body process pain better. A topical will have a stronger effect, immediately soothing the area it is applied to, then fading after a few hours.
Many people take both a tincture and a topical, but depending on your specific condition, one or the other might be enough.
CBD or CBG: common conditions and what most people use for them
Below is a list of conditions that people often take CBD and/or CBG to assist with. Keep in mind that CBD and CBG have not been approved by the FDA to treat, cure, or prevent any illness or disease. Also keep in mind that everyone’s biology is different, so even if most people take CBD for a certain condition, there’s a chance your body might do better with CBG for the same condition. The list below is only meant to be a starting point. We encourage people to experiment to see what works best for them.
Anxiety
Depending on how you personally experience anxiety, you might find better results with CBD, CBG, or a Blend. For anxiety that is experienced as an overactive mind, CBD will probably help more since it’s more relaxing/sedating. If you experience anxiety as a blank mind/freezing up, then CBG will be more helpful due to its stimulating effect. If you’re somewhere in between, a Blend is ideal.
Our most popular product for helping with anxiety is our CBD/CBG Blend 1400.
Depression
Overall, either pure CBG oil or a Blend are going to help most with depression. Customer feedback suggests that CBG is the secret for success in the fight against sadness. CBG takes that feeling of hopelessness so commonly associated with depression and smooths it into feelings of capability and optimism. Many people enjoy it mixed with CBD for the added relaxation CBD provides.
Our most popular product for helping with depression is the CBG Oil 700.
Chronic Pain
Topicals help most with pain, but adding a tincture helps your body process pain better overall. For instant relief, apply a topical salve directly to the painful area and experience results in about 5 minutes. The tinctures take closer to an hour to kick in, but they replenish your endocannabinoid system (which regulates your experience of pain). While the effects of the tinctures are not as instantaneous and potent as the topicals, they will reduce your pain overall on a more subtle level. Both CBD and CBG are effective for pain relief, but in general, CBG is more potent.
Our most popular product for helping with chronic surface pain is our CBG 1000 salve.
Our most popular product for helping with internal pain is our CBG Oil 1400.
Arthritis
Hemp is a popular choice for helping with arthritis. Our topical salves are all used to help with pain, stiffness, and inflammation of all kinds, particularly the 1000mg strength salves. The 350mg salves are effective as well, but for the most relief, go with the 1000mg.
Our most popular product for helping with arthritis is our CBG/CBD Blend 1000 Salve.
Symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorder
Most people use a combination of both CBD and CBG to help with symptoms of autism. CBG is great for the brain overall and has been reported to help nonverbal people form words and sentences. CBG also helps improve focus. CBD is great for relaxing the body and reducing stimming or self-injurious behaviors. Based on customer feedback, we suggest buying CBD and CBG separately so you can experiment with the ratios and determine which works best to treat your specific symptoms.
Our most popular products for helping with symptoms of ASD are the CBG Oil 700 and the CBD Oil 700.
ADHD and ADD
Since CBD tends to be one of the more relaxing cannabinoids, it can help calm down an overactive mind. Therefore, it can be useful for people who have ADHD. For ADD, a blend containing both cannabinoids might offer the best results, since CBG helps with focus but can, by itself, be a bit too stimulating for those with ADHD.
Our most popular product for helping with ADHD is our CBD Oil 1400.
Our most popular product for helping with ADD is our CBD/CBG Blend 1400.
Migraines
Since CBG is generally the most effective for pain relief, taking it as a tincture AND applying it topically to your temples, back of the neck, and any other areas affected by the migraine will offer the most relief.
Our most popular products for migraines are our CBG 1400 Oil and CBG 1000 Salve.
Fibromyalgia
Symptoms of fibromyalgia can include muscle pain, fatigue, memory problems, sleep problems, and bad mood. CBG is great for helping with memory, mood, and fatigue, while CBD is great for helping with sleep. Both help reduce pain. Depending on your specific symptoms, either CBG 1400 Oil or our Blend 3000 will be the best for helping with fibromyalgia. The tinctures help your body process pain better overall, while a topical salve in addition soaks in and helps directly soothe muscle pain.
Our most popular tincture for helping with fibromyalgia is our CBD/CBG Blend 3000.
Our most popular topical for helping with fibromyalgia is our CBD/CBG Blend 1000.
Cancer
In a study exploring the effects of CBD and CBG on brain tumors, a combination of CBD and CBG was found to encourage the death of cancer cells and to inhibit the growth of brain tumors. Both cannabinoids are also excellent for helping reduce side effects from chemotherapy.
Our most popular product for helping with cancer is our CBD/CBG Blend 3000.
Sleep Problems
Although many people enjoy taking a blend of both CBD and CBG to help with sleep, overall, CBD is more effective. CBD has a mildly sedating effect, which can help you fall asleep and stay asleep better. Some people find that taking a Blend helps reduce morning lethargy, while others report that the addition of CBG gives them vivid dreams.
Our most popular products for helping with sleep are our CBD PM 700 and our CBD/CBG Blend 1400.
PMS and Menstrual Cramps
A combination of a tincture and a topical will offer the most relief for PMS and menstrual cramps. Due to the varied nature of PMS symptoms, a blend of CBD and CBG is suggested in order to cover all the bases. The tincture will help your endocannabinoid system deal with PMS better overall, and a topical salve applied to the abdomen and lower back will soothe cramping.
Our most popular tincture for PMS symptoms is our CBD/CBG Blend 1400.
Our most popular topical for menstrual cramps is our CBD/CBG Blend 1000 Salve.
Cuts, Bruises, and Burns
Although our 1000mg topicals are excellent for accelerated healing, our 350mg topicals are highly effective as well. Hemp encourages your endocannabinoid system to function at its best and therefore tend to bruises, cuts, and burns with peak efficiency.
Our most popular product for cuts, bruises, and burns is our CBD/CBG Blend 350 Salve.
What about dose?
Since we’re not medical professionals, we can’t offer official dosing advice. We encourage people to experiment to find what dose suits them best. With topicals, simply apply as much as you need to cover your desired surface area. With tinctures, start with 1-5 single drops, then work your way up from there over the course of a week. Everyone’s biochemistry is different, so different dosages will work best for different people.
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