The global market size for industrial hemp was estimated at $5 billion. That figure will skyrocket to a staggering $36 billion by 2026.
The astounding demand for hemp products is due to the rapidly increasing awareness of their benefits. In particular, CBD and CBG have attracted unprecedented interest from researchers, investors, and consumers. The two cannabinoids are especially popular for their many potential healing benefits. So, if you plan to order Delta 9, maybe it’s time?
Chances are you’ve heard about CBD Seeds and CBG for anxiety. But how do the two compare when it comes to their effectiveness against this mental illness, which currently affects as many as 40 million Americans aged 18 and above?
Read on to learn more.
What Is CBD?
CBD is short for cannabidiol, a naturally occurring chemical compound in the cannabis sativa plant. The plant is also known as marijuana or hemp.
CBD is usually used in such products as oils and edibles. It generally imparts a feeling of calm and relaxation.
Unlike THC, which is the main active ingredient in cannabis, CBD is non-psychoactive.
Does that mean CBD won’t get you high? Not necessarily. While CBD generally doesn’t give you feelings of euphoria, there are exceptions.
A small percentage of people report feeling sedated after they’ve taken CBD. The reasons for this are unknown. Because you may not always know how your body will react to CBD when you take it the first time, it’s best to do it under supervision.
How Does CBD Work?
Your body has lots of different receptors. These receptors are attached to the cells and receive signals from a variety of stimuli.
CBD interacts with CB1 and CB2 receptors. Exactly how CBD impacts the CB1 receptors in your brain isn’t fully known. But scientists believe that the compound may impact serotonin signals.
Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that plays a central role in a person’s mental health. People with low serotonin levels are prone to anxiety. CBD is thought to be effective when it comes to boosting the levels of serotonin in your body.
CBD for Anxiety
While there are many conventional treatments for anxiety, more and more people are turning to CBD to manage this mental illness. The product has been proven effective for:
Generalized Anxiety
CBD has proven effective for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). The cannabinoid helps reduce stress. Using CBD products has been shown to improve such symptoms of anxiety as increased heart rate.
Other Forms of Anxiety
People with other forms of anxiety, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and social anxiety disorder (SAD), may also benefit from CBD. People with anxiety-induced insomnia also report an improvement in their condition after taking CBD.
What Is CBG?
CBG is short for cannabigerol. It’s a less common cannabinoid that doesn’t occur in as much abundance as THC and CBD. Given its significantly low levels of availability, CBG is often regarded as a minor cannabinoid.
Experts sometimes refer to CBG as a stem cell, given that it serves as the base molecule from which other cannabinoids such as CBD and THC form. This happens when CBG is exposed to heat or light, a process known as decarboxylation.
Thus, the main difference between CBD and CBG is that CBG is essentially the parent cannabinoid from which CBD and all other cannabinoids come.
Will CBG make you high? Not at all. Users of the cannabinoid won’t feel sedated, unlike what happens with THC.
How Does CBG Work?
Just like CBD, CBG works by connecting with your CBD1 and CBD2 receptors. CBG is believed to enhance the function of anandamide. This transmitter can help enhance motivation and pleasure, regulate your appetite and sleep, and alleviate pain.
In terms of how CBG connects to your CB1 and CB2 receptors, the compound seems to act more directly and effectively compared to CBD.
CBG for Anxiety
While research into how effective CBG is for anxiety is still in short supply, the compound has been shown to have potential therapeutic benefits. Previously, the compound was believed to be effective against Huntington’s disease, inflammatory bowel disease, glaucoma, and colorectal cancers.
Currently, there’s an increasing interest in CBG’s role in boosting mental health. The cannabinoid does so by impacting gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA) uptake in the brain.
GABA is a naturally occurring amino acid in the brain that is believed to regulate behavior, cognition, and your body’s response to stress. The amino acid controls fear and anxiety when your neurons get overexcited.
CBG can help prevent the uptake of GABA and serotonin in your brain. In doing so, it triggers an improvement in your brain’s neurotransmitters. Thus, CBG can be very helpful in treating depression.
CBG has also proven helpful when it comes to anandamide production. The endocannabinoid increases dopamine levels and regulates many other functions, including mood and sleep.
Which Is Better: CBD or CBG?
It’s difficult to tell which is better than the other when it comes to CBD’s and CBG’s effectiveness in improving mental health. That’s because the two are similar and different in many ways.
Generally, CBD is effective in producing and regulating endocannabinoids. CBG, on the other hand, works on the receptors. A major difference between the two is that while CBD tends to have a calming effect, CBG energizes the body. Taken together, the two tend to balance each other out.
It’s also important to note that CBD’s effects are more intensified within the physical body. As a result, CBD is more commonly used against such issues as pain and inflammation.
Conversely, CBG is more effective in the body’s neurological areas. Consumers report enhanced focus and relief from depression and anxiety.
So, which between the two cannabinoids is better for anxiety? Perhaps the best way to answer the two is by looking at how effective the two are when it comes to GABA absorption.
Generally, CBG is more effective when it comes to GABA absorption than both CBD and THC.
Note also that CBG can stimulate Alpha-2 receptors. These are proteins in your body that can smooth the contraction of muscles, making you feel more relaxed. That’s why CBG has proven so effective in decreasing blood pressure, reducing the intensity of heart palpitations, and relieving anxiety.
How About Availability?
Generally, CBD is a lot more abundant than CBG. As we pointed out earlier, CBG occurs in very low amounts in the cannabis plant. While CBD is the second most abundant cannabinoid in cannabis plants, CBG’s concentration in the plant amounts to a microscopic 1 percent.
As a result of its scarcity, CBG products tend to be pricier.
The good news is that things are changing now. Given the increased demand for CBG, cannabis breeders are now producing cannabis strains that have much higher concentrations of CBG, making CBG oil and other products a lot more accessible to consumers looking to manage their anxiety. The concept of Biomass (CBD & CBG) is also now more popular than ever before.
Can You Use CBD and CBG Together?
Yes. In fact, experts recommend using CBG and CBG together.
Generally, consuming one cannabinoid interacts positively with your body. But when you consume more than one cannabinoid, the benefits multiply. This reaction is referred to as the entourage effect.
When you consume CBD and CBG together, the two balance each other out, with CBD positively impacting your endocannabinoid levels while CBG works directly on the body’s receptors.
For the users who report feeling drowsy after using CBG alone, CBD can produce an energizing effect. With such a blend, you have a more balanced experience.
Using CBD and CBG Safely
There are multiple ways to consume CBD and CBG. However, the most preferred method of consumption appears to be oral. Oils, pills, tinctures, and edibles are particularly popular among CBG and CBG users.
Other methods of consumption include smoking or vaping, topical application, and intranasal consumption.
Smoking and vaping are discouraged as they cause damage to your lungs. Topical application also poses the challenge of knowing how to measure the dosage.
Note that CBD and CBG have a wide therapeutic range. Doses usually range anywhere from 10 mg to 800 mg per day. The best way to find the right dose for you is to start from a low dose and then increase little by little.
CBD vs CBG: Find What Works for Your Anxiety
While research into the CBG and CBD is still in the early stages, there’s little doubt that the two have numerous mental health benefits. It’s no wonder that so many people now look to CBD and CBG for anxiety. Using the two together may even prove more beneficial for your mental health.
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