Which Is Stronger, CBN or CBG?

Do you want to use CBN and CBG for various purposes and need to know the effectiveness of each beforehand? This article compares the effects of CBG and CBN that will help you judge the stronger one.

 Comparing the efficacy of CBN and CBG depends on the field of action and mode of application. For example, CBN is more effective for curbing chronic pain than CBG used for the same. CBN is also excellent when used for neuroprotection and as an anti-inflammatory agent. You will notice that CBN is more effective in these fields than CBG. However, that doesn't mean CBN is stronger than CBG. There are other fields in that CBG is more effective than CBN. For example, CBG is best for alleviating mental state disorders such as lack of sleep, depression, PTSD, and anxiety. CBG is also said to have better effective in stimulating appetite than CBN. So, when finding out the stronger cannabinoid between CBN and CBG, the main thing to consider is the field of action.

CBN and CBG

CBN and CBG are cannabinoids with the same chemical structure. They are naturally found in marijuana and industrial hemp plants. When taken, these compounds interact with the endocannabinoid system through the CB1 and CB2 receptors. The main difference between these compounds is their appearance in hemp or cannabis sativa and their effectiveness in the body.

 CBG is known as the mother of all cannabinoids. It is the starting point for other cannabinoids such as CBN, THC, and CBD. When the hemp or the cannabis plant reaches maturity, the CBGA facilitates the conversion of the acidic form of other cannabinoids into their respective forms. Unfortunately, CBG is found in lower quantities, say less than five percent in mature hemp. Therefore, for the fairly high harvest of this compound, harvesting must be done before the plant reaches maturity.

The same case goes for CBN – lower quantities. CBN mainly appears when THC, the main active chemical compound in cannabis – is exposed to direct ultraviolet rays from the sun. The light causes the THC to disintegrate to form CBN. CBN is one of the cannabinoids that is formed when other cannabinoids are exposed to ultraviolet rays. The process is natural, but CBN can also be produced synthetically by exposing other cannabinoids to ultraviolet radiation in a laboratory setting.

Comparing the Effectiveness of CBG and CBN

As mentioned, in this context, there is no absolute victor in the strength of CBN and CBG. These compounds have an area of specialty where the others are not. For example, one might be stronger for mental state disorders while the other might not. We will look at the area of specification of each cannabinoid to give you a general picture.

What Is CBN Good for?

In these fields, CBN might be stronger than CBG. CBN is a mysterious natural cannabinoid because insufficient studies have been conducted to discover its benefits. Therefore, there is limited anecdotal data, scientific evidence, and preclinical studies. This makes it difficult to prove whether the medicinal claims are effective. However, the following are some of the health and wellness areas where CBN is stronger than CBG:

• Stimulation of appetite
• Relieving chronic pain and inflammation
• Neuroprotection
• Sleeping disorders such as insomnia.

What Is CBG Good for?

CBG is proven to have numerous health benefits, but when paired with other cannabinoids such as THC, CBC, delta eight, and CBD. It might also feature better results when paired with CBN, although there is not much data to prove it. The following are some of the best health benefits of CBG.

• It reduces tumor growth.
• It relieves eye complications and glaucoma.
• It relieves sleeping disorders such as insomnia.
• It relieves pain and inflammation.
• It fights anxiety and stress.

Is CBG or CBN Stronger?

CBN and CBG for Euphoric Effects

Between CBG and CBN, it is unknown which cannabinoid is stronger. CBN is approximately one-tenth to a quarter of the THC strength when binding to the endocannabinoid receptors in the body. Therefore, CBN doesn't have euphoric and intoxicating effects like THC. CBG, on the other hand, doesn't cause intoxicating or euphoric effects. So, it's not easy to determine their particular strengths regarding euphoric effects.

CBG and CBN for Sleep Quality

Neither CBN nor CBG is effective for treating sleeping disorders when used without the support of other cannabinoids. Although CBN is always taken for its sleep-inducing sedative effects, the claims are made from old scientific research evidence with little verification. CBN might work well as a sleeping disorder aid if mixed with THC and other terpenes of the same nature, such as myrcene, linalool, and pinene. The same is true for CBG – it's only a perfect sleep aid when combined with other cannabinoids like CBN and THC. Therefore, the sleep criteria do not give us a definite strength between the two cannabinoids.

CBN and CBG for Anxiety

In this stage, CBG is said to be stronger than CBN. CBG is more effective when curbing anxiety-related effects, especially when mixed with CBD. There are no studies to prove that CBN has antianxiety effects like CBG. Furthermore, CBG and CBD have strong anti-anxiolytic and anti-stress effects. The two compounds interact with the endocannabinoid receptors and inhibit gamma-aminobutyric acid reuptake, thus boosting their levels. Gamma-aminobutyric acid is a special neurotransmitter released in the brain's central nervous system, thus reducing stress and anxiolytic effects.

CBN and CBG for Pain and Inflammation Relief

CBN and CBG efficiently relieve pain or inflammation when taken separately or with other cannabinoids. For example, taking CBN and CBD interacts with the TRPV2 receptors, thus activating them to release CGRP proteins. These proteins are responsible for relieving pain and regulating pain perception. However, the effect depends on the interaction of the cannabinoids with the CB1 receptors. The same goes for CBG; hence these criteria don't give a clear distinction.

The Bottom Line

In most cases, it is difficult to tell the stronger cannabinoid between CBG and CBN. The only case where there is a difference in the strength of the two is for treating anxiolytic effects. However, this is because no studies link CBN to anxiety. The two cannabinoids work best when taken with other cannabinoids, making it harder to perceive the effects of individual compounds. Therefore, there is no absolute victor in the strength of CBN and CBG. For example, one might be stronger for alleviating mental state disorders while the other might not. When purchasing CBG or CBN products, read the product label and seek medical advice on the right dosage to consume.

References

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Dawidowicz, Andrzej L., Małgorzata Olszowy-Tomczyk, and Rafał Typek. "CBG, CBD, Δ9-THC, CBN, CBGA, CBDA and Δ9-THCA as antioxidant agents and their intervention abilities in antioxidant action." Fitoterapia 152 (2021): 104915.

Magagnini, Gianmaria, Gianpaolo Grassi, and Stiina Kotiranta. "The effect of light spectrum on the morphology and cannabinoid content of Cannabis sativa L." Medical Cannabis and Cannabinoids 1, no. 1 (2018): 19-27.

Perez, E., Fernandez, J. R., Fitzgerald, C., Rouzard, K., Tamura, M., & Savile, C. (2022). In Vitro and Clinical Evaluation of Cannabigerol (CBG) Produced via Yeast Biosynthesis: A Cannabinoid with a Broad Range of Anti-Inflammatory and Skin Health-Boosting Properties. Molecules, 27(2), 491.