CBG vs CBD: What is the difference? | The CBD Expert

Most people are not very familiar with cannabidiol (CBD), let alone the differences between cannabidiol and cannabigerol (CBG).

And between the coolness of the FDA and the hesitancy of many doctors to discuss it, we get it.

But don’t worry, we’re here to filter out all the hype and misinformation to give you a clear understanding, and CBG vs CBD is a great place to start.

In this article, we will explore what these cannabinoids are, how they work and of course how they compare and contrast one with the other.

First things first, the introductions are in order.

quick introductions

Cannabidiol and cannabigerol are classified as cannabinoids—two of more than 200 chemical compounds that are naturally derived from cannabis plants.

Both compounds are described as “non-euphoric” or “non-intoxicating,” but we’re not the only ones who claim they’re not completely incapable of producing psychoactive effects.

This is a bunch of closely related terms, basically neither CBG nor CBD will cause a “high”, but to say that they cannot have subtle impacts on mood and cognition is not accurate.

When it comes to its natural occurrence, CBD (along with THC) is usually much more abundant in hemp plants, although genetics can affect this slightly.

That’s why, CBD and CBG are often referred to as “major” and “minor” cannabinoids.respectively.

Finally, we’ll keep organic chemistry as simple as this: CBG and CBD have different chemical structures, which refer to different locations of (and bonds between) carbon, hydrogen, and other atoms.

How CBG and CBD interact with the body

Hey, we said we’d keep the organic chemistry to a minimum, not biochemistry.

Jokes aside, here’s the basic concept: CBG and CBD interact with many of the same cellular receptors, but often in different ways.

The main apparatus that humans are equipped with to interact with most, if not all, bioactive cannabinoids is called endocannabinoid system.

Yes, we make our own cannabinoids (anandamide is a common example), so it stands to reason that we have (two) receptors for them, called CB1 and CB2 receptors.

CBD and the endocannabinoid system

In reality, CBD has “low binding affinity” for both receptors, as this borders article he says, but he has an ingenious ability to reduce the ability of the CB1 receptor to bind with other cannabinoids through a process known as “noncompetitive negative allosteric modulation.”

In English, this means that when a good dose of THC hits CB1, the CBD can actually “reshape” the receptor by binding to it, passively preventing THC (and other agonists) from binding with it. effectiveness.

All this being said, THC or not, CBD’s direct interactions with the endocannabinoid system remain strong enough to activate several of its functionswhat includes:

• anti-inflammatory effects
• helping with stress
• Appetite regulation
• promote sleep
• Modulation of the immune system

Of course, not all of these therapeutic benefits, by the way, not an exhaustive list, have been strongly linked to CBD in research, but they are still associated with the endocannabinoid system.

CBG and the endocannabinoid system

As for CBG, which lags considerably behind CBD in terms of research, studies like This from the University of Barcelona suggest that it is a “partial agonist” at the CB2 receptor, which means that it can bind to and activate the effects of CB2 in a limited way.

The same finding reported that “The effect of CBG on CB₁R (what we call CB1) was measurable, but the underlying molecular mechanisms remain uncertain.”
Considering the similarities in how CBD and CBG affect the endocannabinoid system, it is not surprising to learn that CBG also promotes relief from inflammatory conditions and some other forms of discomfort..

But the overlap is not complete; some academic reviews have pointed to a trend in studies suggesting that CBG may help with complex neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease, and multiple sclerosis (MS).

Finally, the endocannabinoid system may take center stage when it comes to how the body responds to CBD and CBG, but researchers are learning that it’s not the only game in town.

Where CBD is believed to be an agonist the 5-HT1a receptor, an important target in psychiatric care for its roles in regulating mood, cognition, and memory, CBG has been shown to have antagonistic effects in 5-HT1a.

Alright, class is officially over.

On the more practical side of things, let’s take a look at several CBD and/or CBG products that our team has personally vetted.

CBD and CBG products

Like all CBD products, you can find CBD and/or CBG products in all popular formats, including oil tinctures, edibles (like gummies), capsules, vape, and even smokable hemp flower.

We use “and/or” because when talking about a full spectrum or broad spectrum hemp product, CBG is one of the more common minor cannabinoids that appears in third party lab test reports, but not always.

In other words, depending on your preference for one or both cannabinoids, here are your options in the context of CBG versus CBD content:

• Full spectrum or broad spectrum CBD products often containing both cannabinoids (CBD > CBG)
• Full or broad spectrum products that contain CBD and various other cannabinoids, but not CBG
• CBD/CBG products that have a much higher CBG content than usual (closer to 1:1 CBG/CBD versus 1:15+)
• Rarely, CBG isolates that do not contain other cannabinoids, including CBD

Taking these different preferences and use cases into account, Here are our team’s top picks for CBD/CBG products:

Frequently Asked Questions about CBD and CBG

key takeaways

CBD and CBG are naturally occurring chemical compounds found in hemp plants.with CBD significantly outperforming CBG in most cases.

They differ slightly in molecular structure and consequently in the way they interact with cellular receptors in the body. CBG can produce similar effects to CBD, but there are differences too.

You can find high-quality hemp products that contain one or both of these cannabinoids.but it is much easier to find CBD without CBG than the other way around.

As long as it is safe for you to use cannabinoids, the combination of CBD and CBG is considered safeand, in fact, it is likely to produce synergistic benefits (entourage effect).

As usual, We strongly recommend that you only purchase hemp products from reputable brands. that use third-party tests.