CBD and Depression
Depression affects over 17 million American Adults (about 7%) each year, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. Cannabidiol, or CBD, was found to have antidepressant-like effects in a 2014 study done by the Institute of Psychiatry. There are thousands of testimonials all over the internet that support this finding.
It is hypothesized that mood disorders, including depression and anxiety, may result from a dysfunction in the endocannabinoid system. The endocannabinoid system keeps your body’s processes in balance, and when it’s depleted it can’t do its job right. What can you do about this? Take CBD or CBG oil! CBG in particular is delivering profound results for depression.
CBG: Cannabigerol. What is CBG? Can It Help Me?
FlowerChild specializes in CBD and CBG products. Many people have heard about CBD, but what about CBG? What is it and what does it do?
CBG – The Plant’s Stem Cell
“CBG” stands for cannabigerol, which is one of the many cannabinoids found in the cannabis plant. This cannabinoid is similar to CBD but is a different compound entirely. CBG is the non-acidic form of CBGA, which converts to CBG when heat is applied. CBGA is an important cannabinoid because it is the beginning of all other cannabinoids in the cannabis plant, such as THC and CBD. First, the chemical building blocks of the cannabis plant combine to make CBGA, and then that CBGA combines with other enzymes in the plant and becomes various other cannabinoids. Honestmarijuna.com writes, “ the point to remember is that the acidic form of CBG (CBGA) is much like stem cells in the human body—with a little help, it can become a wide variety of chemical compounds” (Franciosi 2018).
Hybridizing Hemp for High CBG Varieties
Hemp farmers have recently begun to breed and grow strains that maintain high levels of CBG throughout the plant’s maturation process, which means that the buds (which are used to make FlowerChild’s and other high-quality extracts) are full of CBGA, rather than full of THCA, CBDA, etc. The effects of consuming each cannabinoid vary; unlike THC, both CBG and CBD are non-psychoactive, therefore they will not make the user feel “high”. CBD is relaxing at a small dose and can make people feel drowsy at higher doses. CBG is energizing and balancing.
Can CBD and CBG Increase Happiness?
CBD has been used to help with depression in thousands of cases over the last few years. But what about CBG? At FlowerChild, we’re finding that CBG might be even more effective than CBD against depression. CBD and CBG both help replenish the endocannabinoid system, but something about CBG suggests it might be superior.
Customers tell us that CBG makes them feel happier without the tiredness that can come with CBD. It appears to relieve those “what’s the point” feelings that make depression such a challenge to overcome. Feelings of hopelessness become feelings of capability. “What’s the point” becomes “I can do this, I can handle this!”
CBG increases anandamide levels in the body, which helps regulate appetite, sleep, and memory. It inhibits the uptake of GABA in the brain, which helps regulate neuron activity. CBG also blocks serotonin receptors, which helps manage and alleviate depression.
CBG Health Benefits
That’s not all — CBG has been shown to stimulate bone formation and healing, slow tumor growth, act as an antifungal and antibacterial agent, relieve pain, reduce inflammation, assist with an overactive bladder, help with psoriasis and other skin conditions, help treat glaucoma, alleviate anxiety, and help protect neurons from degeneration as well as stimulate the growth of new neurons.
According to FlowerChild customer testimonials, some nonverbal autistic patients are finding themselves able to speak and interact in ways they were unable to before. Our CBG has also helped shoo away sadness from customers who have said that nothing else has ever helped.
CBG is still relatively new on the market, but word is spreading quickly about its numerous health benefits. More research is still needed, but we at FlowerChild like to think it acts like a stem-cell for the human body just the way it acts like a stem-cell for the plant. It can assist with a wide variety of health conditions — it almost seems to become whatever you need — and if you haven’t tried it yet, it might be just what you’re looking for.
Article written by Britt Foster
Sources:
Franciosi, Anthony. Honestmarijuana. Oct 12, 2018. “CBG: Everything You Need to Know”.
LeafScience. Apr 26, 2017. “What is CBG (Cannabigerol)?”
