CBD vs CBG Oil: Which Is Better? (The Answer Might Surprise You!)

When it comes to CBD vs CBG oil, which is better? The answer might surprise you! If you’re feeling curious, read more here!

By now, almost everyone knows about cannabidiol, or, as it’s more commonly known, CBD.

With its minimal side effects, absence of addiction, and comprehensive list of health benefits, it’s easy to understand why this cannabinoid has become extremely successful.

What you might not know, however, is that there is more to cannabis than CBD and THC. In fact, there are actually lots of naturally-occurring compounds found in cannabis. The success of CBD products has sparked a growing interest in discovering the therapeutic potential of these various compounds.

One such compound is CBG, short for cannabigerol. Just like CBD, CBG oil seems to offer a host of health benefits.

What is CBG oil, and how does it compare to CBD? Read this article to learn all you need to know about CBG vs CBD oil.

The Endocannabinoid System

While cannabis remained illegal for a long time, the relaxation of laws in recent years has opened the door to studying its amazing health benefits.

Cannabinoids, which are chemical compounds found in cannabis, are a medical boon for many patients.

Cannabis, and in particular CBD, has gained recognition for its capacity to relieve pain, soothe anxiety, and improve sleep, among other things.

The reason why cannabis works so well with the human body is simple and can be summed up in three words: the endocannabinoid system.

The endocannabinoid system consists of receptors found in the body whose purpose is to regulate physiological processes such as mood, sleep, appetite, memory, reproduction, and more.

Cannabinoids such as CBG and CBD activate these receptors to work with these bodily processes and provide health benefits.

How Is CBG Made?

CBG is a lesser-known cannabinoid. Most cannabis strains will only have small quantities (generally less than 1%) of this compound, however, it’s still worth learning more about for several reasons explained below.

CBGA, the acidic form of CBG, is the precursor to the three major cannabinoid lines THCA, CBDA, and CBCA.

This means that enzymes present in cannabis turn CBGA into either THCA or CBDA. It can then be decarboxylated, which is a process using heat or light meant to produce THC or CBD.

Usually, CBGA is directly converted to THCA or CBDA. Because of this, more THC or CBD means less CBG. That’s why breeders are experimenting and crossing strains in order to get higher yields of CBG.

Read more on CBG to learn all about it.

What Are the Benefits of CBG Oil?

CBG is different than CBD because it has a high affinity with cannabinoid receptors. Just like THC, it works directly with the CB1 and CB2 cannabinoid receptors present in the brain.

CBG can act as a buffer to the effect of THC, and even lessen the feelings of paranoia that some people experience when consuming high amounts of THC.

While research is still picking up on the therapeutic potential of CBG, early studies have shown promise.

CBG has been linked to various health benefits and could be used in decreasing inflammation, treating glaucoma, inhibiting tumor growth, and killing drug-resistant bacteria.

CBG vs CBD Oil

Just like CBD oil, CBG won’t get you high. Both those compounds are natural, full of health benefits, and have very minimal side effects.

Both CBD and CBG are very effective thanks to their interactions with the endocannabinoid system, and some of their therapeutic benefits overlap.

They both show neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory properties, which have been used to treat glaucoma, reduce tumor growth, and even to alleviate acne.

CBG may also protect against colon cancer and help treat inflammatory bowel disease. Furthermore, it stimulates appetite and displays antibacterial properties.

On the other hand, CBD is proven to relieve anxiety, pain, help with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), social anxiety disorder, reduce epileptic seizures, and more.

While the effects of combining CBD and CBG aren’t well known yet, studies have already shown that different cannabinoids can work in conjunction with what’s termed the entourage effect.

The entourage effect means that, when cannabinoids are combined, their efficiency is increased. For instance, when CBD and THC are taken together, they are more effective at reducing pain.

Thus, it’s not unreasonable to think that taking CBD and CBG together could enhance the effects of both compounds.

CBG in CBD Oil

There are different types of CBD oils, which don’t all contain the same compounds.

If you want to consume multiple cannabinoids at once to take full advantage of the entourage effect, you should look at full spectrum CBD products.

Full spectrum CBD oil has all the cannabinoids and terpenes found in the cannabis plant, which include CBD, CBG, and THC, along with many others.

The downside of full spectrum CBD oil is that the percentages of each cannabinoid are unknown and can largely vary depending on the particular strain of cannabis used to make the oil.

It makes it more difficult to know the effects you’ll experience, as you might respond differently to various products.

What’s more, full spectrum CBD oil also has trace amounts of THC. While it shouldn’t be enough to get you high, it might still show up on a drug test.

If you still want to experience the entourage effect but not take any risks with THC, you can look into broad spectrum CBD products.

Broad spectrum is just like full spectrum, except it doesn’t have any THC in it. You’ll still benefit from all the other cannabinoids and terpenes, but it won’t appear on a drug test.

Finally, if you’d rather stick to pure CBD, CBD isolates are what you should get. Isolate CBD oil is made by removing all cannabinoids and terpenes apart from CBD.

You get a pure CBD product, which makes it easier to dose and assess the effects of CBD on you. However, you lose potency because there’s no entourage effect. And there also won’t be any CBG in it.

CBD or CBG Oil?

Now you know more about CBG oil and how it compares to CBD. Hopefully, the success of CBD products has paved the way for seeing CBG products take off in the future.

While CBG is still a largely unknown compound, its potential health benefits should encourage the scientific community and consumers to look more into it.

Check out our health section for more health-related tips.