What Benefits Does CBG Have?

Have you ever used CBG products? If you are a newbie in the cannabinoid industry, you may wonder what it is and the potential benefits it possesses. If this is the case, worry no more. This article will explain more about the benefits of CBG.

CBG is growing in popularity thanks to its numerous potential benefits. Its proponents claim it can help pain relief, prevent cancer, and even treat glaucoma. It also has antibacterial properties that remove bacteria and anti-oxidant properties that improve skin health by removing fine lines and wrinkles. Additionally, CBG is non-psychoactive and thus does not cause a high sensation.

CBG's legality is widely unquestionable, although some states have restricted using various cannabinoids. However, it is important to learn more about the authenticity of these medical claims and the possible risks, if any. Read on and learn more about CBG and the potential benefits you may get from its use.

What is CBG?

Cannabigerol, CBG, the mother of all cannabinoids, is a cannabinoid obtained from the cannabis plant. Notably, it is derived from the younger cannabis plants because they contain higher levels than fully developed ones. Most of the CBG in the plant is converted into CBD and THC as the plant develops into maturity, hence lower concentrations of CBG in fully developed cannabis plants.

Moreover, when compared to other cannabinoids in the cannabis plant, CBG is available in smaller quantities. Therefore, products derived from the compound are usually very expensive and rare.

Fortunately, CBG has no intoxicating effects, just like CBD. So, you can use it for its purported benefits without the fear of getting "high" as you would when using THC.

The Benefits of CBG

CBG is commonly used as an oil, which, as mentioned, is rare and expensive. Also, there is limited research on this cannabinoid, and its benefits are not as documented as CBD. The following are some of the benefits you can get from using CBG;

Contains Antibacterial Properties

This is one of the compelling benefits of using CBG. According to Aqawi et al. (2021), CBG eliminates several strains of Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), which is usually resistant to most bacterial agents. In this case, CBG prevented biofilm formation, thus eliminating the MRSA bacteria.

Therefore, CBG proved to be an appropriate antibacterial agent to eliminate MRSA bacteria which is commonly widespread in healthcare facilities. Besides the study, it was even more effective than CBD.

However, more human research and studies are necessary to determine how well it can work as a bacterial agent in other human beings.

Relieves Pain

If you have used CBD before, you know its pain-relieving properties. Similarly, CBG also helps combat pain. According to Überall (2020), CBG effectively relieves muscle and joint pains due to its analgesic properties. However, more research and studies are still necessary to conclude.

It Can Help with Inflammatory Bowel Disease

According to Hill et al. (2016), CBG can help reduce inflammation associated with inflammatory bowel disease, which causes chronic inflammation in the bowels and affects many people today. Unfortunately, it is uncurable.

When CBG was induced in the colons of mice in a study, it was observed that it aided in reducing inflammation and nitric oxide production. Therefore, from these results, the researchers suggested that CBG can be used in clinical experiments in patients with inflammatory bowel disease.

It Can Help Treat Glaucoma

Glaucoma is an eye condition that adversely affects your eye pressure. Fortunately, people with glaucoma can massively benefit from CBG's medical properties. According to Cairns et al. (2016), CBG effectively alleviates glaucoma, reducing eye pressure and increasing aqueous humor flow in the eyes. Aqueous humor is an important fluid in the eye as it maintains eye pressure and offers nutrition to the eye.

Therefore, these results are promising, but more research is needed.

Can Help Fight Cancer Cells

According to Lu et al. (2017), CBG blocks the receptors responsible for cancer growth. Therefore, CBG can be a preventive and curative measure for colon cancer and other tumors.

However, more human studies and research should be conducted to determine how effective it is in curing and preventing colon cancer in human beings.

It Can Help Stimulate Appetite

CBG is an effective remedy for stimulating appetite. Therefore, it could be a treatment for individuals with appetite issues resulting from eating disorders or health conditions such as HIV. However, as promising as this could be, more research is still needed to determine how effective it is in stimulating human appetites.

Side Effects

As you may already know, the research and studies on CBG benefits are still limited. However, animal studies are quite promising. Unfortunately, not much is known about the side effects of CBG, its oil, or whichever form you choose.

From the studies already conducted, rats can tolerate it well enough. However, the research on the potential side effects it can have on human beings is still insufficient. Furthermore, the knowledge on whether or not CBG can cause alterations with other medical drugs is still not enough.

Therefore, if you are already taking prescribed or over-the-counter medication, a supplement, or a vitamin, we recommend you consult your medical healthcare provider before using CBG.

For instance, if you are taking blood thinners, antibiotics, blood pressure drugs, erectile dysfunction medications, prostate medications, depression, anxiety medications, or even corticosteroids, it would be best to first talk to your doctor. Double checking is important as it is unclear how CBG will affect how your body metabolizes the drugs.

Importantly, don't substitute your medication with CBG or CBG oil unless your healthcare provider suggests so.

Conclusion

CBG is one of the cannabinoids derived from the cannabis plant. Its popularity is growing because it's an organic compound with minimal side effects and various health benefits. Furthermore, it is non-psychoactive and does not cause a 'high' sensation. However, the research and studies on its benefits are not as widely documented as CBD. Some potential benefits you may get from the cannabinoid include inflammation and pain relief, appetite stimulation, and treatment of glaucoma, among others. However, more human research is necessary as the most promising results are from animal studies. Nonetheless, the available information on the potential side effects and medication interactions is still insufficient. Therefore, this means you should consult your healthcare provider before giving CBG a chance.

References

Aqawi, M., Sionov, R. V., Gallily, R., Friedman, M., & Steinberg, D. (2021). Antibacterial properties of cannabigerol toward Streptococcus mutans. Frontiers in Microbiology, 12, 656471.

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

Hill, L. A., Bodnar, T. S., Weinberg, J., & Hammond, G. L. (2016). Corticosteroid-binding globulin is a biomarker of inflammation onset and severity in female rats. The Journal of endocrinology, 230(2), 215.

Lu, X. S., Qiao, Y. B., Li, Y., Yang, B., Chen, M. B., & Xing, C. G. (2017). Preclinical study of cinobufagin as a promising anti-colorectal cancer agent. Oncotarget, 8(1), 988.

Überall, M. A. (2020). A review of scientific evidence for THC: CBD oromucosal spray (nabiximols) in chronic pain management. Journal of pain research, 13, 399