CBD vs. CBG: The Benefits of Cannabidiol and Cannabigerol Combined

Most Cannabis Enthusiasts know about the benefits of Cannabidiol, also known as CBD, that could possibly help relieve the symptoms of anxiety, inflammation, and more. Although within the cannabis plant hemp, there are over 100 plus beneficial cannabinoids like Cannabigerol, also known as CBG. With the combined benefits of CBD and CBG, both cannabinoids could possibly help treat drug-resistant bacteria, neurodegenerative diseases like glaucoma, and even decreasing tumor growth.

What is CBD? 

CBD is a beneficial property or cannabinoid in hemp that interacts with our body’s endocannabinoid system to help our immune system and overall health. Hemp can contain up to 20% or more of CBD compared to other lesser-known cannabinoids like CBG, which makes up around 1% of the plant. CBD is a nonpsychoactive ingredient that interacts with the CB1 and CB2 receptors in our brain and immune system to promote homeostasis or well-being. Along with relieving pain and stress, CBD has been studied to help possibly relieve depression, acne, high blood pressure, sleep deprivation, and more. 

What are the Benefits of CBG? 

Just like CBD, CBG is a non-psychoactive ingredient in hemp that interacts with our body’s endocannabinoid receptors to promote optimal health and relaxation due to an increase of anandamide. This “bliss molecule” is a natural neurotransmitter in the body that is known to help enhance mood, appetite, sleep, and overall immune health. Anandamide can also help boost neurogenesis, or growth of new brain cells that improve cognitive memory and learning. An increase of Anandamide can also help with possible appetite stimulation, mood enhancement, inflammation, etc.  

In a new 2020 study, researchers at the McMaster University discovered how CBG can possibly help boost the immune system to fight off possible diseases like methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus or MRSA. The leading biochemist on the team, Dr. Eric Brown commented that him and his colleagues “investigated over 18 cannabinoids” and realized these properties of cannabis “contained beneficial anti-biotic properties.” With this research, Dr. Brown discovered CBG’s antibiotic prowess to destroy gram-positive MRSA biofilms that often lead to drug-resistant bacteria.  

Unfortunately, when treating gram-negative MRSA superbugs, Dr. Brown states that CBG alone wasn’t able to contain the spread of the disease. Although when adding the antibiotic medicine polymyxin B that is commonly used to treat drug-resistant bacteria and CBG, the combination was able to eradicate the MRSA superbug. With these promising results, McMaster University researchers are hoping to explore the combined benefits of cannabinoids like CBD and CBG to possibly help create more life-saving medicine and treatments.        

How can CBD and CBG help individuals with Glaucoma and More?

One of the “leading causes of irreversible blindness” is glaucoma, a neurodegenerative condition that is caused by reasons unknown by the medical community. Currently, over 3 million individuals in the United States are diagnosed with glaucoma, while over 60 million individuals are predicted to have early onset symptoms of the disease. Surgical procedures and treatments have cut the risk of blindness caused by glaucoma in half since the 1980s, although the number of non-evasive treatments is limited. With the recent exploration into CBG and CBD’s benefits for glaucoma, researchers have discovered that both cannabinoids can help relieve ocular pressure and pain severity.   ,

In a 2009 study published by the Journal of Ocular Pharmacology and Therapeutics, scientists discovered that CBG could help relieve ocular pressure by 25-30%. In a study conducted on cats with mild to severe glaucoma, with 4 to 7mg of CBG oil topically a day the researchers saw a three-fold increase of aqueous outflow facility, which helps relieve ocular pressure and potential blindness. 

During their study, the Ocular Pharmacology researchers tested a small dose of CBD oil topically on their subjects and didn’t see any improvement with ocular pressure. Although they noticed by adding a small dose of 4mg or more orally a day helped improve the feline’s cognitive functions and reaction to pain stimuli. Even though the Ocular Pharmacology’s studies are in their early stages of testing, the researchers still recommend glaucoma patients to take their prescribed medication with an addition of CBG or CBD after consulting with your doctor.            

CBG has also become a main focus in the scientific community with a 2015 study on how the cannabinoid can possibly help nerve cell degeneration with Huntington’s disease. With mice, the researchers were able to see a large improvement of motor functions and a lowered rate of toxicity caused by the disease in healthy brain cells. 

How can the CBD and CBG help decrease Tumor Growth? 

Both CBD and CBG have displayed promising results in multiple scientific studies used to help reduce the possible growth of cancer cells throughout the body and more. In a 2014 study with lab mice, a biochemistry team discovered that CBG could help decrease colorectal or colon cancer, by slowing the growth of these cancerous cells. The scientists also discovered that CBG could inhibit the growth of chemical-induced colon carcinogenesis, which could cause possible gene mutations that lead to cancerous lesions.      

Studies on CBD’s effects on cancer cells is still limited, but cannabis enthusiasts have raved about these cannabinoids benefits to reduce the possible symptoms of cancer and the side effects of treatments like chemotherapy. In a 2010 study by the Cancer Pain Relief Committee, a group of researchers gained feedback from over 117 individuals who were able to decrease their pain severity due to cancer treatments with CBD. Each of these individuals commented that they were able to achieve lasting relief from pain and nausea with the cannabinoid while experiencing little to no relief by using traditional pain and nausea medication alone.     

How to Keep up with the Demand for CBG and CBD Products? 

Since only 1% of hemp contains CBG, some cannabis companies have to worry about the expensive cost of extracting the cannabinoid to produce edibles, sublingual oils, and much more. Luckily in my interview with CBD Hemp Direct’s Owner Drew Gennuso, he discussed with me how modern science has paved the way to create strains of hemp with higher amounts of CBG to create his newest gummies infused with both beneficial cannabinoids.  

Gennuso discusses how his hemp growers have created a specialized strain of hemp called Desert Snow, which can contain up to 21% CBG. This strain is also easier to grow in fluctuating warm climates in Nevada and can be synthesized at the same rate into CBG oil for the same price as CBD oil. 

The leader of CBD Hemp Direct wanted to create an accessible product like a CBD and CBG peach flavored gummy for customers all ages who might have a hard time dosing a sublingual oil. Usually CBD gummies and edibles have a lower bioavailability or absorption rate within the body since they need to be process through the digestive system and liver. Although with these new Peach gummies, each of these edibles are made with CBD and CBG oil for greater bioavailability.   

With the growing demand for products with CBG and CBD, Hemp Direct’s new gummies are infused with 18 mg of CBG and 12mg of CBD. This cannabis infused product contain benefits of both cannabinoids without THC, offering a “larger spectrum of relaxation and relief.” 

Drew Gennuso recommends for first time cannabis consumers to start with a low dose of 10 to 15mg of CBD and CBG infused gummies for relieving possible pain severity, anxiety, and much more. With a low dose of CBD and CBG gummies two or three times a day, consumers can decide to increase or decrease their dosage by a few milligrams to find the right dosage to help relieve stress, sleep deprivation, and other ailments.  

Although the benefits of both CBD and CBG combined is still in the early stages of scientific studies, multiple scientists and researchers have discovered promising results with cannabis to help fight drug-resistant diseases like MRSA, glaucoma, and cancer. With every cannabis infused product, our consultants at Go Green Botanicals recommend to consult your doctor before trying CBD and CBG. With more products like CBD Hemp Direct’s CBD and CBG infused gummies, cannabis enthusiasts can be sure that the future for CBG and CBD can provide hope for potential life- saving treatments for various neurodegenerative diseases and more.