What Is CBG 

There are many different options for hemp products on the market – CBD, THC, and CBG…You may ask yourself, what is CBG or any of these other cannabinoids, and where do they come from? The hemp plant has been used for holistic medicinal purposes for hundreds of thousands of years. The first record of hemp used to treat illness was as early as 10,000 BC in Ancient China.  

Many different uses can be derived from a hemp plant – you can smoke it, you can crush the leaves into a paste, and it can be applied topically. You can able to extract oil from the cannabinoids in the hemp plant that can be used for a variety of different health issues. 

Let’s look at the first extract in a hemp plant that can be used in many different ways for several areas of health and is considered one of the best natural medicines in the world – CBG. 

What Is CBG: What Is A Cannabinoid?

Before we dive into what exactly CBG is you must first know what cannabinoids are. A cannabinoid is a small chemical structure that is present in hemp plants or can be created synthetically, there are a couple of derivatives of cannabinoids and the primary one we will focus on in this blog is the phytocannabinoid – meaning that it comes from a plant.

Currently, there are over 120 different phytocannabinoids that can be taken from a hemp plant and used medically or recreationally. The most common among those 120 are CBD and THC. 

Recently, CBG, a phytocannabinoid from hemp has been looked at more closely by scientists because of its incredible medicinal properties – and has been fully adopted by the world of holistic health as an incredible product to help and heal. 

Phytocannabinoids like CBD, CBG, and THC have all been proven to be useful in their unique way as well as every other phytocannabinoid because of how well they interact with something in our bodies called the Endocannabinoid System or ECS for short. This system is something that we are born with and works concurrently with hemp extracts to improve the overall quality of life. 

What Is CBG: What Is The ECS? 

The Endocannabinoid System (ECS) is a complex network of receptors spread throughout your body that are in every major organ system. The ECS ensures that our bodies stay in a constant state of homeostasis. 

“Optimization of the endocannabinoid system is vital to our wellness, and when someone’s endocannabinoid system is not working properly, their health may suffer….It is possible that some poorly understood diseases, like fibromyalgia and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), might be related to such an endocannabinoid deficiency syndrome (InhaleMD).” 

The reason the ECS is so important is that on top of regulating homeostasis when it is interacting with other cannabinoids your body can do amazing things and heal itself in ways that modern medicine just cannot. 

For example, when taking CBD for anxiety the CBD interacts with the receptors in your body’s ECS and targets the source of that anxiety in your brain, and calms it down. Unlike common SSRI medications that just turn off that part of your brain for a small window. 

There are two main receptors in the ECS that are most useful in helping hemp extracts to do their job in your body and they are the CB1 and CB2 receptors. 

What Are CB1 Receptors? 

Scattered throughout the ECS some receptors are responsible for several of the body’s regulatory functions. They are necessary to create a constant state of homeostasis and control hormone levels.

“CB(1) receptors are present in very high levels in several brain regions and in lower amounts in a more widespread fashion. These receptors mediate many of the psychoactive effects of cannabinoids. CB(2) receptors have a more restricted distribution, being found in a number of immune cells and in a few neurons (NCBI).”

The CB1 receptor was first seen in the brain in areas such as the amygdala, hypothalamus, and parts of the brain stem. This is why when taking a hemp extract such as CBD when it interacts with the CB1 receptor it can help to regulate anxiety because cortisol, the stress-causing hormone, is in those affected parts of the brain. 

The CB1 receptor was also found in the peripheral nervous system scattered throughout tissues in your body. It plays a heavy role in regulating your body’s gastrointestinal tract (GI). The CB1 receptor is part of an incredibly complex network that works together to regulate a lot of bodily functions. 

“CB1R could control appetite from the hypothalamus in the CNS and regulate the energy balance and food intake from the GI tract as well. Intriguingly, hepatic CB1R also participates in the regulation of energy balance and metabolism… (NCBI).”

The CB1 receptor is currently being researched and looked at how to be utilized to treat most neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. This kind of groundbreaking research on the ECS and how it can be utilized through the introduction of cannabinoids into the body is crucial in the fight against these horrible diseases. 

What Are CB2 Receptors? 

Shortly after the CB1 receptor was discovered the CB2 receptor was found in the spleen. There has not been as much research done on the CB2 receptor as there has been on the CB1 receptor but we still know it is vital in maintaining homeostasis in our bodies. 

The CB2 receptor is located in almost every major organ system and is responsible for immune response and pain relief. It can also be utilized in the fight against certain neural networks and pathways that might promote addictive behavior and is also located in the cardiovascular and bone systems. 

When taking an anti-inflammatory like CBG the CB2 receptor will bind to the cannabinoid and deliver it to whatever part of your body is suffering from pain and inflammation. Over time with continued use of cannabinoids this pain will go away completely as the body heals itself. 

There is no other pain medication that you can purchase that attacks and attempts to heal the pain and inflammation at its source, it just numbs the pain for a certain amount of time. 

While there is still research to be done on the CB2 receptor and the endocannabinoid system as a whole, it is clear to see the importance that it has in our daily life, and how keeping up with our health will benefit us in ways we can’t even see. 

But the ECS would not be able to function properly without introducing cannabinoids into our body, specifically phytocannabinoids like CBG which has become one of the best “cure-alls” for a lot of common health problems. 

What Is CBG: What CBG Does In Your Body 

Cannabigerol, more commonly known as CBG is considered the stem cell of all phytocannabinoids. This is because it is the very first cannabinoid that is present in a hemp plant, and every other cannabinoid stems from CBG. CBG is non-psychoactive meaning that it doesn’t get the user high or cause any hallucinatory effects which is what makes it so attractive to people as a treatment option. 

Because of all of these things, CBG packs quite a punch in terms of how much it can do for your body and overall health. Over 120 different hemp extracts, all start with CBG. So just what does it do for you? 

CBG Uses

The primary use for CBG currently is to reduce inflammation and brain fog. CBG has powerful anti-inflammatory effects that can relieve chronic pain and eventually eliminate it altogether. By reducing brain fog and inflammation in your brain your body will also feel energized after taking CBG because of its ability to increase bind to the receptors in the ECS. It does this by increasing the presence of anandamide, the pleasure-seeking, and motivational neurotransmitter. 

There have been several studies done on CBG and the effects it has on people and their anxiety and in every study, the CBG either outperformed traditional anti-anxiety medications or was on par with the level of treatment. However, the CBG gave no side effects to those taking it over the normal side effects you would get from taking an antidepressant or anti-anxiety medication (NCBI).

CBG is also being looked at as a way to treat cancer and other life-threatening diseases and is even now being utilized in epileptic medications that are approved by the FDA. It is also being used in therapeutic treatments and addiction recovery. 

CBG can be taken orally, subcutaneously, topically, or smoked in leaf form. There are no known side effects to taking CBG; it is one of the safest natural substances you can put in your body. The ancient Chinese knew about the power of the hemp plant and CBG as well as what it could do for their bodies. It can do the same thing for you now – so why not try an ancient holistic practice that has worked for thousands of years? 

What Is CBG: Final Thoughts 

In short, CBG is an extremely powerful phytocannabinoid that interacts with our body’s ECS to maintain a perfect level of health. 

But it can also be so much more than that. When combined with other hemp extracts something called “The Entourage Effect” happens which is the hypothesis that when combining two or more cannabinoids their efficacy improved tenfold. So, for example, taking CBD+CBG the desired effect you would want from taking those specific extracts will be increased. 

CBG is a complicated and wonderful product that will continue to be researched and used for years to come. The era of holistic health is here to stay as more and more people realize the value of cannabinoids like CBG. 

Works Cited 

“What Is the Difference between Phytocannabinoids and Cannabinoids?” Massachusetts Medical Marijuana Doctors: Inhale MD, https://inhalemd.com/blog/difference-phytocannabinoids-cannabinoids/.

Zou, Shenglong, and Ujendra Kumar. “Cannabinoid Receptors and the Endocannabinoid System: Signaling and Function in the Central Nervous System.” International Journal of Molecular Sciences, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 13 Mar. 2018, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5877694/.

Russo EB;Cuttler C;Cooper ZD;Stueber A;Whiteley VL;Sexton M; “Survey of Patients Employing Cannabigerol-Predominant Cannabis Preparations: Perceived Medical Effects, Adverse Events, and Withdrawal Symptoms.” Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research, U.S. National Library of Medicine, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34569849/.