Those of us who use marijuana, whether to get high or to medicate, are accustomed to perceiving various effects that change depending on the strain we are using.
Some users indulge in the randomness of possible effects of cannabis, and there are those, like us, interested in understanding the subject in depth.
If you are a weed-nerd like us, stay on reading this article. Today we will take an in-depth look at the effects, benefits, and uses of three cannabinoids: CBD, CBN, and CBG.
Cannabidiol – Uses and Benefits of CBD
Cannabidiol, also known as CBD, is one of the two most essential cannabinoid components of the cannabis plant, found in varying proportions depending on the strain.
While in some, it is minimal, it may be the most abundant in others, or you may find it in more or less equal proportions to THC.
You may find this cannabinoid in different concentrations on concentrates, sprays, tinctures, and even flowers.
In recent times, this cannabinoid has gained worldwide recognition due to its increasingly proven benefits.
What the science says about CBD
CBD might reduce anxiety
According to a study published in September 2015 by Esther M. Blessing et al., preclinical evidence conclusively demonstrates that CBD effectively reduces anxiety related to various disorders, including PTSD.
Anecdotal evidence from many users also suggests that CBD can decrease anxiety symptoms.
CBD as a treatment for Autism Spectrum Disorder
In 2019, Fleury-Texeira et al. found promising results in CBD use to treat disorders in Autism Spectrum Disorder.
As the abstract concludes, “After 6-9 months of treatment, most patients, including epileptic and non-epileptic, showed some level of improvement in more than one of the eight symptom categories evaluated: Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder; Behavioral Disorders; Motor Deficits; Autonomy Deficits; Communication and Social Interaction Deficits; Cognitive Deficits; Sleep Disorders and Seizures, with very infrequent and mild adverse effects.”
The symptoms in which the most significant improvements were noted were Seizures, Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Sleep Disorders, and Communication and Social Interaction Deficits.
The CBD Miracle on Epileptic Children
These are just two of the scientific studies proving the efficacy of CBD in treating various conditions. There are also studies with promising results in palliative treatments for cancer patients and people who have insomnia.
However, according to Harvard, the most outstanding achievement of CBD to date is to treat some of the most terrible epileptic syndromes affecting children.
This cannabinoid manages to alleviate most of the symptoms in children suffering from conditions such as Dravet syndrome and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (LGS), which are known to be unresponsive to available anti-seizure medications.
What is CBG?
CBG is one of the many cannabinoids in cannabis and hemp.
As the plant grows, almost all CBGA in the plant is converted to THCA or CBDA. And by the time it comes time to harvest, the CBG content is around 1% or less in most strains.
This reality, however, is going to change very soon as breeders are working to create CBG-rich strains.
Since research has shown that CBG offers significant potential benefits, experimental breeding in this field is expected to increase rapidly.
Like THC and CBD, CBG produces various effects on our bodies, making it an increasingly attractive substance.
The effects of CBG
Most of us know about CBD, but now, you may be asking, “What is CBG?”
The first thing you should know about CBG is that it has no psychoactive properties, so consuming it does not get you high.
However, as many of you already know, getting high is not the only thing cannabinoids are suitable for. There are various conditions that, according to science, can be treated with Cannabigerol.
CBG – A great analgesic
In 2010, a study conducted by M G Cascio et al. found that CBG acts as a solid alpha-2 adrenergic receptor agonist, which places it in a class of drugs known, among other things, to manage various forms of pain.
A 2008 scientific review came to a very similar conclusion. During the study, research from 1991 was discussed. Researchers found CBG to be an even more potent painkiller than THC.
Promising effects on neurodegenerative illness
Also, scientists have discovered a link between CBG and the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.
Published in 2015 in the academic journal Neurotherapeutics, this study with Huntington’s disease mice found that cannabigerol protected the subjects from several severe disease symptoms.
CBG normalized the expression of several genes related to the disorder. It also improved gene expression of insulin-like growth factor, brain-derived neurotrophic factor, and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma.
This study has opened up new avenues of research, and the path for CBG as a treatment for Huntington’s disease is more straightforward.
CBN – What is it?
CBN is present in trace amounts in growing and freshly harvested marijuana. However, as the weed ages, it occurs in more significant quantities.
More specifically, when THCA is exposed to oxygen, it eventually loses its hydrogen molecules and oxidizes.
Through this process, it becomes CBNA, which becomes CBN when exposed to heat or ultraviolet light.
Therefore, if you want your marijuana to be richer in CBN, let it mature a few weeks longer than usual.
What is CBN used for?
CBN and inflammation
CBN research got off to a slow start, but in recent years it has done significant work.
A study conducted in 2016 provides much insight into CBN’s potential to combat rheumatoid arthritis.
After observing a group of rodents, researchers found that CBN produced a significant decrease in collagen-induced arthritis.
CBN and appetite
There are not many studies on CBN and appetite, but those conducted are pretty promising.
In a 2012 study, researchers found that the appetite of adult male rats increased significantly after being treated with CBN.
In addition to eating more, they ate much faster and continued to feed for more extended periods. This study was the first to obtain such results.
CBN and seizures
On top of all this, CBN also acts as an anticonvulsant.
In 1974, researchers gave a group of mice an emulsion of CBN and sesame oil, in addition to testing THC and CBD with the same substance.
Researchers found that in all three cases, seizures were effectively prevented, with a maximum level of efficacy after approximately two hours.
Given the age of the study, further research should be carried out. But the fact that the researchers were able to establish this connection even then shows that there may be some truth in it.
CBD vs. CBN vs. CBG
As we could observe, based on science, these three cannabinoids have different effects on the human body.
CBD, the most studied of the three, will drastically improve difficulty to cure epilepsy syndromes and help you sleep better, and reduce your anxiety.
CBN and CBG, on the other hand, have less research to their credit, but what is available is very promising. These cannabinoids also have positive effects on seizures, inflammation, and appetite.
Anecdotal evidence (including our experience) supports these claims, but more research is needed on these cannabinoids to understand their benefits entirely.
We hope we have provided you with a clear scientific perspective on these cannabinoids and that you have been able to learn a little more about the marijuana plant and all the benefits it has to offer.