CBG vs CBD: The Key Differences Explained

Namely, CBG.

CBG is gaining traction quickly, and the topic of CBG vs CBD is white-hot. CBG is still relatively new on the scene, but if there’s anything we’ve learned about cannabinoids it’s that they have some powerful healing properties.

Here’s what we know so far:

CBG Vs CBD: How They Differ

Now you can buy marijuana, CBD hemp flower, and CBG hemp flower wherever legal sales are permitted. What a time to be alive, right?

While having a variety of cannabis choices is great, knowing the benefits of each cannabinoid will impact your choices. For example, those who cannot consume THC typically opt for a CBD product. The primary difference between CBD and THC is the fact that THC is psychoactive. It’ll get you high and it’s not legal everywhere.

So What about the impacts of CBG vs CBD? What is CBG used for? Which is better? While the two cannabinoids have many similarities, they also have a few critical differences.

let’s start by explaining each cannabinoid.

What Is CBD?

CBD stands for cannabidiol. It’s a non-psychoactive cannabinoid found in high concentrations within the hemp variety of the cannabis plant. It has also become incredibly well known in a short amount of time thanks to its laundry list of therapeutic and pharmacokinetic benefits.

CBD has the potential to alleviate the symptoms from the following conditions:

• Anxiety
• Stress
• Depression and Bipolar disorder
• Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
• Cancer and chemotherapy
• Nausea and vomiting
• Parkinson’s disease
• Alzheimer’s disease
• Crohn’s disease
• Heart disease and high blood pressure
• Insomnia
• Schizophrenia
• Chronic pain and inflammation
• Arthritis
• Migraines
• Epilepsy and seizures

The list could go on forever. In addition to providing relief to a variety of ailments, CBD has other wonderful benefits. For example, it can help improve your focus and concentration. It also serves a beneficial purpose in skincare thanks to its healing properties.

One of the greatest advantages of CBD is that it won’t get you high. You can also take it in a variety of ways, including tinctures, joints, lotions, balms, edibles, and so on. You can even buy hemp cigarettes to help you kick your nicotine habit. There are also CBD products made specifically for your pets, to provide them with a wellness alternative to prescription medications.

What Is CBG?

CBG is the new hemp compound making waves on the market. Well, it’s not exactly new. It’s always been there, however, it’s only recently stepping into the spotlight as we begin to understand the full potential of hemp.

CBG stands for cannabigerol. Just like CBD, CBG is a non-psychoactive compound found within the hemp variety of the cannabis plant. It’s also nicknamed the “mother cannabinoid” and the “stem cell,” as it’s the first cannabinoid to form within the plant. It’s also the compound that gives birth to all the other cannabinoids within the plant (hence the nicknames).

CBG actually starts out as CBGA—cannabigerol acid. As the hemp plant matures, it converts to one of three compounds: THCA, CBDA, or CBCA. Once any of these compounds go through the decarboxylation process, they drop their “decarboxylate” component and become either THC, CBD, or CBC.

Since CBG is not an end result, it has to be extracted during the hemp plant’s earliest stages of growth. This also makes it much harder to harvest and produce. Moreover, without the CBG compound, we wouldn’t have CBD.

CBG products are thought to improve your overall daily wellness. Since CBG is a much newer cannabinoid compared to CBD, there’s much more to learn about how it interacts with the human body. As of right now, we know that it has similar pharmacokinetic and therapeutic properties to CBD.

In high doses, CBG has the potential to provide relief from the same list of ailments as CBD. Recent studies have also shown that CBG may have antibiotic properties that work against drug-resistant bacteria.

Is CBD or CBG Better?

As we said, both CBD and CBG possess a wide range of functional benefits. They’re both non-psychoactive and they both have therapeutic and healing properties. Their key differences are in how they engage with our Endocannabinoid System (ECS) and how they’re extracted.

In terms of our ECS and its cell receptors, CBD binds primarily with our C2 receptors. CBG binds with both our C1 and C2 receptors, allowing it to further mitigate our neurotransmitters. CBG is also must be extracted early on during the hemp plant’s growth cycle. Otherwise, it’ll convert its form into another cannabinoid.

Additionally, the amount of CBG isn’t as abundant as CBD. Therefore, it takes a larger yield of hemp crops and a more detailed extraction process.

So, which cannabinoid is better?

Well, the truth is that they’re better together. There’s a working theory known as the entourage effect in the cannabis world. It has to do with the synergistic effects of a whole plant extract, i.e., a full spectrum of cannabinoids plus the plant’s terpenes, flavonoids, proteins, enzymes and other compounds. Each compound is believed to work off of each other, making your entire hemp product stronger.

CBG and CBD come together to produce unwavering synergistic effects. Their synergy offers a range of benefits. Those benefits include optimal absorption into the bloodstream, an increase in potency, and overall influence on the goals of the ECS.

Quite a Pair

CBD may take over the spotlight, but when you compare CBG vs CBD, there’s really no competition. They’re both incredibly beneficial to your health when taken separately. But, they’re even more powerful when taken together.

The next time you go to purchase a new CBD product, check for one that contains a significant amount of CBG. Your ECS and body will thank you.

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