Get to know CBG, the mother of all cannabinoids.

CBD seems to be the new hype right now around the world, but have you heard of CBG? CBG stands for Cannabigerol, which is another cannabinoid, a compound found in cannabis plants, like CBD. CBG is basically like the “parent” of other cannabinoids, such as THC (the psychoactive stuff that makes you high) and CBD (the non-psychoactive part that helps with anxiety, sleep, inflammation, etc.). CBG is also non-psychoactive, so it is legal in Hong Kong.

Read on to learn about five things you should know about CBG and how it could help you.

Inflammatory bowel disease

At the moment, the research on CBG is limited, but CBG and CBD interact with the same receptors in the body (CB1 and CB2), and both have anti-inflammatory characteristics. Research has shown that CBG could help with inflammatory bowel disease by decreasing inflammation, helping people soothe their gastrointestinal discomforts.

Glaucoma

Glaucoma occurs when the optic nerve, which connects the eye to the brain, becomes damaged. Usually it’s because of fluid buildup in the front of the eye, which increases pressure inside the eye. A study found that CBG can reduce this pressure significantly, making it a possible glaucoma treatment!

Anxiety

CBG has displayed strong anti-anxiety effects as well as a muscle-relaxing reaction. Both of these effects are linked to the same parts of the nervous system in the brain, so CBG binding to certain endocannabinoid receptors in the brain can ease anxiety and pain. CBG has also been correlated with increased levels of dopamine, which supports anxiety levels, sleep, and appetite.

Cancer

A recent study has shown that CBG could reduce cell proliferation in several cancer cell lines, including human breast and prostate cells by inhibiting cell invasion. In addition, CBG could exert pain-relieving effects and prevent chemotherapy-induced cachexia (extreme weight loss and muscle wasting) and nausea.

Appetite loss

CBG also shows great promise as an appetite stimulant. Scientists discovered that rats who ingested CBG increased their meal frequencies and doubled their food intake, although meal sizes and durations remained constant. The rats also didn’t experience any adverse effects.

This finding indicates that CBG could be a promising therapy for conditions such as anorexia.

Interested in trying CBG?

If you are keen to try CBG for its anti-inflammatory and stress-reducing benefits, Found, one of Hong Kong’s CBD stores, offers CBG capsules and CBG oil that you can purchase online or at the store in Sheung Wan