The Truth About CBG Isolate

There has recently been a surge in demand for cannabis products as more research is conducted on the plant's various compounds. However, the recent surge might also cause a lot of false claims to be made about cannabis products. This article will focus on the lesser-known CBG isolate compound of cannabis, its benefits, and what to consider when purchasing CBG products.

CBG, or cannabigerol, is one of the many compounds found in the cannabis plant. This cannabinoid is rarely found in already grown cannabis plants, although it is found in a very large quantity in younger cannabis plants and some strains of cannabis. This is because CBD and THC normally start-up as an acidic form of CBG, and as the young cannabis plant gets older, the lower the CBG that can be found. While purchasing CBG products, it is vital to read the customer reviews and the product label. This article seeks to find the truth about some of the claims surrounding CBG.

CBG 101; Introduction to CBG

As discussed, CBD and THC usually come from an acidic form of CBG called CBGA (Cannabigerolic acid). Therefore, CBG is known as the "mother of all cannabinoids." CBG is usually found as low as 1% in most cannabis strains compared to 25% of CBD and about 25% to 30% of THC. This low availability of CBG in cannabis often makes their products very rare and expensive. However, the recent surges in demand for cannabis products with medical properties have also made more people go after CBG products. As scientists are doing more research on CBG, they are also trying to breed different strains of cannabis to help in the extraction of more CBG.

Just like CBD, CBG is usually thought to have various medical properties without having THC's intense, intoxicating effects. It is thought to have pain-relieving and therapeutic benefits in alleviating several medical conditions. Some researchers believe that CBG might even be used to combat some of the anxiety or paranoia sometimes reported by users of excess THC. With that said, what are the benefits of CBG?

Alleviating Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)

Inflammatory bowel disease is a condition that usually represents two forms; Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. Crohn's disease usually affects the digestive tract and the lower parts of the small intestine (ileum), while Ulcerative colitis usually affects the colon (large intestine) only. Both forms are usually indicated by symptoms such as diarrhea, rectal bleeding, abdominal pain, and fatigue. This disease normally has no cure, and sometimes its symptoms and pain caused can be devastating.

The disease's intense pain and inflammation might vary from mild to severe symptoms. Although several studies, such as Hryhorowicz (2021) et al., have been made about the condition, there is a need to further check on the possibility of CBG to curb some of the pain and inflammation caused by Inflammatory Bowel disease.

Relieving Glaucoma

Glaucoma is a group of eye conditions that can damage the optic nerve, which is crucial for eye health. After an extended period, glaucoma might cause adverse effects, with this disease believed to cause blindness when not treated. The disease is usually caused by an abnormal amount of pressure on the eye, and its damage is usually irreversible. Furthermore, the effects of glaucoma are sometimes unnoticeable, making it more difficult to diagnose it earlier.

Some studies, such as that of Caims, Baldridge & Kelly (2016), suggest CBG might be used to treat glaucoma and reduce eye pressure. Although much research still needs to be done, users are more convinced that CBG might be a natural way of combating the effects of glaucoma by increasing aqueous humor outflow, which usually maintains eye pressure and provides nutrients to the eye.

Fighting off Cancerous Cells

Many products are available for CBG consumption; it makes more sense that you can use CBG edibles to battle off the growth of cancer cells. Research has suggested that CBG might be used to block off the receptors that cause cancer cell growth and inhibit the growth of colorectal cancer cells. Similar research has linked CBG to battling the growth of cancer cells; this might be a great way of battling cancer. On the flip side, Charni et al. (2016) suggested it should not be viewed as a supplement for other medications.

CBG Contributes to GABA Reuptake Inhibition

A GAMA reuptake inhibitor (GRI) is a drug that causes the reuptake inhibitor for the neurotransmitter Gamma-Aminobutyric acid (GABA). According to Kerna (2022) et al., CBG can inhibit the uptake of GABA, which might lead to muscle relaxation, a general calming sensation, and tension relief. This is a great gain in the pharmaceutical world of medicine because most research has suggested you can use it for treating some episodes of anxiety.

Besides, CBG has been in the spotlight for relieving pain and inflammation. CBG's pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory properties might be what you need to fight off some of the symptoms of eczema and acne.

Where to Find CBG Products

CBG is usually naturally found in a small amount; therefore, its products are normally hard to find and might be expensive. However, as more research is conducted to determine CBG's medical benefits fully, the demand for CBG products has risen significantly. However, this might result in many companies producing low-quality CBG products to exploit the rising demand.

Therefore, you must keep an eye on the contents of products being sold in the market today to prevent any intake of harmful products such as metals. It is always best to choose a reputable company. Furthermore, consider talking to your doctor to get more insight on CBG products and how to prevent any reaction to pharmaceutical drugs you have been prescribed earlier.

Conclusion

The most common compounds of the cannabis plant are CBD and THC; however, another less-known compound called CBG has been on the surge recently. The rise in demand for CBG products could be attributed to its purported health benefits. Since CBG is often found in smaller quantities in the cannabis plant, the products available for CBG are normally expensive and hard to find. However, recent research on the compound has shown promising results; thus, CBG might help those with various conditions such as acne, eczema, and even inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and glaucoma. While purchasing CBG products, remember to ascertain whether the product has undergone intensive independent third-party testing.

References

Cairns, E. A., Baldridge, W. H., & Kelly, M. E. (2016). The endocannabinoid system is a therapeutic target in glaucoma. Neural Plasticity, 2016.

Charni, M., Molchadsky, A., Goldstein, I., Solomon, H., Tal, P., Goldfinger, N., ... & Rotter, V. (2016). Novel p53 target genes secreted by the liver are involved in non-cell-autonomous regulation. Cell Death & Differentiation, 23(3), 509-520.

Hryhorowicz, S., Kaczmarek-Ryś, M., Zielińska, A., Scott, R. J., Słomski, R., & Pławski, A. (2021). Endocannabinoid System as a Promising Therapeutic Target in Inflammatory Bowel Disease–A Systematic Review. Frontiers in Immunology, 12.

Kerna, N. A., Flores, J. V., Chawla, S., Brown, S. M., & Anderson, I. I. (2022). J, Carsrud NDV, Holets HM, Roberson R, Nwokorie U, Pruitt KD. "A Desktop Primer and Practical Review of Cannabis-Containing Compounds and Their Entourage Effects." EC Neurology, 14, 49-57.