What is CBD and CBG?
CBD and CBG are cannabinoids found in cannabis, and although may seem similar, are actually very different in many ways explained below.
CBD stands for cannabidiol, a type of cannabinoid found in high concentrations in type II and Type III cannabis and hemp plants. Like cannabidiol (CBD), Cannabigerol (CBG) is a type of cannabinoid and is a compound of cannabis. CBD is commonly used in oil, tincture, and other products you can purchase at the dispensary. Now there are products containing CBD. So what’s the difference between CBD and CBG?
Molecular Structure
CBD and CBG have different molecular structures. A molecular structure means the number of hydrogen, carbon, and oxygen atoms and their arrangement in the formation of a cannabinoid. Having different molecular structures mean the three dimensional structure of CBD and CBG is different. The molecular structure of a cannabinoid also helps in determining the bioavailability of the cannabinoid, how soluble it is in water.
Pharmacology
Both CBD and CBG activate the receptors differently. In 2011 a study was conducted to study the effects of CBD and CBG at the 5-HT1A serotonin receptor. As per the study which was published in Psychopharmacology, CBD acts as an activator (agonist) and exerts its anti-nausea effects thanks to its affinity for the 5-HT1A receptor. At the same time CBG acts like blocker (antagonist) at the 5-HT1A receptor. The findings showed that a pre-treatment with CBG blocked CBD’s anti-emetic effects, proving that when the two cannabinoid were bound to the same place, they had opposite reactions to this receptor.
Appetite Stimulation
Research shows that in case of studying appetite stimulation after consumption of CBG and CBD was different. A research on rats demonstrates that after administering doses of CBG to the rates, they say a positive stimulation in their appetite and saw them consuming more than double their normal food intake. At the same time in another study, though CBG didn’t induce any changes to the eating behavior, but CBD did have a negative impact on the appetite, it significantly reduced the total food intake. Epidiolex is the first CBD-based medication for epilepsy which is approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Scientific theory suggests that CBD affects the receptor which is involved in seizure activity called transient receptor potential vanilloid.
As always, it is best to speak with your doctor and dietician in order to determine what is best for you. There are many options to use CBD or CBG, including convenient CBD bottles, infused with CBD oil, which you can bring with you on the go, are easy to store, and quite convenient.
DispensaryGO Recommendations
Whether you are wanting CBD or CBG, speak with your doctor, physician, and dietician. There are many ways to intake CBD or CBG, including tincture, oil, lotion, muscle balm, and more. You can test them all. Get second and third opinions. Do your own research. Record your data. Analyze that data and make adjustments. Follow that advice until you are living your best, most healthy life. CBD or CBG is not a cure-all. It will not solve your problems. It is only one small portion which can possibly add to what makes up your entire well-being. So do yourself a favor, try CBD for yourself.