CBD vs CBG

If you think about it, CBD and CBG have a lot in common. Both are cannabinoids, both possess significant health benefits, and both have experienced surging popularity recently. Some even find these cannabinoids to have similar-sounding names.

But just because they have similarities doesn’t mean there aren’t major differences you should know about, such as where CBD and CBG overlap, where they don’t, and what makes CBG rarer than other cannabinoids. In the article, we discuss:

• CBD and CBG: the similarities
• CBD and CBG: the differences
• Why is CBG is rarer than CBD

CBD Vs CBG: the similarities

Let’s kick things off with some similarities between CBG and its more-famous relative, CBD.

Both CBG and CBD gently activate your body’s internal cannabinoid system (ECS) without side effects such as hunger, highness, or anxiety.

This ECS activation means both cannabinoids may also exert anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-stress, and anti-shock effects.

Last but not least, both cannabinoids can boost one’s mood. For this reason, many people take CBD or CBG to address issues like anxiety.

CBD and CBG: the differences

Although they have similarities, new research also hints that CBG has benefits that ”regular” CBD doesn’t have.

For example, CBG appears to be a more powerful antibacterial than CBD, which might make it better suited for being used as a topical. “CBG proved to be marvelous at tackling pathogenic bacteria,” one study author put it.

CBG also shines more than CBD when it comes to promoting the sterility of the gut. Despite the current popularity of probiotics/prebiotics, many people eating a western diet unknowingly suffer from having too much gut bacteria, as seen by problems like SIBO. CBG’s antibacterial properties might make it a great way to promote gut health without having to resort to using antibiotics.

Some ancient cultures went so far as to chew on the CBG-rich leaves of young cannabis plants to keep their microbiomes in check. If that’s not a testament to CBG’s power, we don’t know what is.

Why is CBG rarer than CBD?

Despite its historical availability, in modern times, CBG is much rarer than CBD. That’s because mature hemp plants only contain trace amounts of CBG. CBG producers have had to find ways to extract CBG more efficiently or begin extraction at just the right time.

Once CBG makes it through extraction, good things happen. CBG possesses a different molecular structure than CBD, and this special structure allows it to bind to different endocannabinoid receptors than other cannabinoids do. CBG’s molecular structure gives it a different solubility (ability to dissolve) in water and within physiological structures. 

So, what does CBG bind to? A 2011 study gives us some clues. It turns out that CBG is a serotonin receptor antagonist, meaning it blocks the normal action of serotonin at that particular bonding site. The study also found that pretreatment with CBG blocked some of CBD’s antiemetic (anti-vomiting) effects.

Summing things up

All in all, both CBD and CBG have their place. They’re both wonderful supplements with a wide variety of benefits.

Finding the exact CBD and/or CBG that works for you is largely a matter of personal preference. As long as you take them consistently, both cannabinoids are a worthy part of any health and wellness routine.