There are over 100 cannabinoids in existence, yet most people have barely heard of two, let alone what the various cannabinoids specialize in or how they interact with your body. Or even that they all originate from one very important cannabinoid: CBG, the mother of all cannabinoids.
So what gives? Why isn’t there more news and information out there on CBG benefits and the traits that separate it from the other well-known cannabinoids, CBD and THC?
A large part of the answer boils down to how CBG exists within the Cannabis sativa plant, and what happens as the plant matures until it’s finally cultivated. But before we get into all that, you might want an overview of what exactly CBG is, and how it compares to the other cannabinoids.
What Is CBG?
Cannabigerol (CBG) is referred to as “the mother of all cannabinoids” because every single cannabinoid is derived from the acidic form of CBG: cannabigerolic acid (CBGA). And like every other cannabinoid, CBG functions as a phytocannabinoid and works with your endocannabinoid system to regulate and maintain homeostasis within your body.
Although CBG, CBD, and THC are all derived from the same thing – CBGA – the rate at which each of them develops in the Cannabis sativa plant differs. So the reason CBG is less popular and much less well known than its counterparts is that CBGA converts to THC and CBD at a much faster rate, leaving not a lot of CBGA left to become CBG. Although botanists have begun to cultivate high-CBG strains of the hemp plant, their research still has a long way to go.
What It Means to Be “the Mother of All Cannabinoids”
In spite of the nickname, this doesn’t give CBG any prestige in the CBD world. In fact, as we mentioned above, there’s been barely any research done that focused solely on CBG, in large part because of the time and money it takes to extract a large enough quantity.
Because despite the fact that CBG is the source of all cannabinoids, most mature varieties of the Cannabis sativa plant only contain a total of about 1 percent CBG. Most of it has already been converted into other cannabinoids. So when it comes to obtaining CBG, manufacturers typically have to harvest it from younger hemp plants or cultivate a large quantity of mature Cannabis sativa plants.
It’s for this reason that “pure CBG oil” is so expensive and hard to find: The cost of producing a higher quantity is large. Unfortunately, this also means that because CBG is less prevalent in mature hemp plants, it is also typically studied less than CBD or THC. More often than not, researchers have an easier time isolating CBD than some of the minor cannabinoids.
So if you’re curious just how much CBG we include in our formulas, don’t hesitate to look up our third-party, ISO-certified lab results and certificate of analysis, which we’ll dive deeper into below. Our cannabinoid levels are consistent across all product batches, so there’s no need to worry that one shipment will be any weaker, or more powerful, than the last.
How Does CBG Compare to CBD?
CBD, CBG, and the other hundred or so cannabinoids all interact with your body through your endocannabinoid system (ECS), which comprises two types of cannabinoid receptors: CB1 and CB2 receptors. CB1 receptors deal mainly with your central nervous system (CNS) while CB2 receptors are more predominant in your peripheral nervous system (PNS).
Unlike CBD, which commonly binds to your CB2 receptors,CBG can bind to either your CB1 or CB2 receptors, meaning it can play a larger role in the function of your body as a whole. That being said, CBD and CBG have a lot of similar qualities, such as their ability to assist with recovery and reduce exercise-related minor discomforts while boosting the potential benefits of the entourage effect. It’s also important to note that neither CBD nor CBG is psychoactive.
But what are the CBG benefits?
Like we mentioned above, attentive research into the benefits of CBG is just beginning; however, studies suggest that CBG can help support healthy living habits such as a regular sleep routine, consistent exercising, and maintaining your emotional homeostasis. CBG benefits your body in a number of ways, which you can experience with each of our products, no matter whether they’re made with broad spectrum or full spectrum CBD.
Why We Include CBG in Our Products
While you could spend a large portion of your time researching the pros and cons of various cannabinoids like CBD and CBG before finally settling on which suits your needs best, we’d rather simplify the problem. Which is exactly why we’ve created both our broad spectrum and full spectrum CBD formulas so there’s no need to decide. Why have to choose between two great high-quality cannabinoids when you can use them both?
Our tried and true broad spectrum CBD formula contains a range of terpenes, flavonoids, and cannabinoids including CBD, CBG, CBN (cannabinol), and CBC (cannabichromene). We do this so that you can experience some of the many benefits of the entourage effect without having to use a multitude of products. Rather, most of our CBD oil products function as a more “all in one” solution to your everyday stresses.
Like our broad spectrum products, our new line of full spectrum CBD oil tinctures and softgels also offer you CBD and CBG benefits and also introduce less than the federally legal amount of THC (0.3 percent). What this does is allow your body to reap the full benefits of the entourage effect without experiencing a “high.”
But with so many CBD products popping up on the market today, it can be hard to know what you’re looking at and what separates one product, or company, from another.
Know What You’re Buying Before You Buy It
Just like when you purchase anything else, you’ll want to make sure you’re being as smart as possible before buying CBD online or in person, especially since there can be a lot of misinformation out there. And unless you know what red flags to look for, you could be caught off guard.
In order to get to the bottom of the matter and uncover the truth, there are a few key steps you can take to sort through any possible misinformation: find the source of their hemp products, take a look at their third-party testing results, and verify any remaining questions with their certificate of analysis. And if all else fails, contact their customer service.
We want you to be as safe as possible when you buy CBD, which means learning how to spot red flags and weeding through fake and untrustworthy CBD oil products. A high-quality CBD company will have a straightforward website with transparent information on all of their products and will be eager to answer any questions you may have.
The Source of Hemp Products Matters
In the US, the easiest way to make sure that the product you’re using complies with US federal regulations is to find where the hemp was manufactured. Because not all hemp or hemp-based products are grown the same, and buying a US-sourced hemp product is the only way to be sure that you’re abiding by US regulations. Because otherwise you may receive more or less than you bargained for.
A quick search of their website should be enough to give you the answers you’re looking for. And while you’re looking, you might also want to keep an eye out for what kinds of claims they make about their products. Do they sound reasonable? Are their claims backed by research and evidence? Or does their product sound like a miracle cure that’s too good to be true?
There are plenty of trustworthy companies you could buy from, so if it seems like one might be teetering on the edge between affordable and unsafe, it’s probably best to move on to another. That being said, did you know that CBD products are actually less expensive when bought online rather than in person? Not only that, but purchasing something online means you should have virtually all the information you need right at your fingertips.
Like whether a CBD product is broad spectrum, full spectrum, made from CBD isolate, or developed using pure hemp seed oil. And how much CBD each product and suggested serving size contains. Because not all CBD oil products are made the same.
Pure hemp seed oil, for example, actually doesn’t contain any CBD, while CBD isolate contains almost nothing but CBD. Then there’s full spectrum CBD, which contains a variety of terpenes and cannabinoids including CBD, CBG, CBN, and less than the federally legal amount of THC (0.3 percent). And broad spectrum CBD is similar to full spectrum CBD in that it also includes a number of cannabinoids and terpenes, except its THC-free.*
The concentration of CBD in a given product is also an important thing to consider, especially if you’re just starting a daily CBD regimen. In that case, we’d recommend starting with a lower concentration and maintaining a consistent serving size for at least 30 days before deciding to increase or decrease in strength. On the other hand, those who have long reaped the benefits of CBD likely know exactly how much CBD their body needs to function at an optimal level.
It’s All About Third-Party Testing
The keywords you’re looking for when it comes to transparent testing results are “third-party, ISO-certified lab results.” At the moment, CBD is unregulated by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). What this means is that CBD companies can get away with making certain claims or including (or excluding) various ingredients that supplement companies who are regulated by the FDA can’t.
But what does that mean for you as the consumer?
The FDA is working toward a method of regulation, but unfortunately for the moment that leaves the decision up to you as to whether or not you can trust one company over another. Thankfully, the reputable companies out there have made your decision a little easier by undergoing third-party, ISO-certified testing and providing you with the results.
Third-party testing is done as a way to give you the assurance that all ingredients and factors of the product were considered in testing. Because if a CBD company ran the testing itself, how could you be sure they weren’t leaving anything out? Opting for a third party to test their products gives you the peace of mind that the data they’re showing you is reliable.
The term ISO refers to the International Organization for Standardization. The ISO is an independent, non-governmental, international organization which creates standards and requirements to ensure the quality, efficiency, and safety of a number of systems, services, and products. So when something is ISO-certified, such as CBD lab results, what that means is that the testing procedures met every requirement for standardization and quality assurance.
Third-party, ISO-certified lab results will tell you if a product is safe, if it has any contaminants, if it doesn’t contain something it claims to, and if it contains something it shouldn’t.
The Importance of the Certificate of Analysis
Everything we’ve talked about above can be wrapped up in the Certificate of Analysis (COA), including whether or not a specific cannabinoid, such as CBD or CBG, can be detected and the percentage included in every single batch of CBD. COAs are clearly transparent, and will often tell you both what they did and did not test for, and whether or not the product passed the ISO safety analysis.
All of the COAs conducted on our Superior Broad Spectrum formula products also confirm at the very top of the report that THC, at the level defined by the 2018 Farm Bill, was not detected. Our new full spectrum line, however, does contain traceable amounts of THC, albeit less than the federally legal amount (0.3 percent). All of which is clearly laid out for you within the cannabinoid analysis section of the report.
At cbdMD, our products are also tested for pesticides, mycotoxins, residual solvents, heavy metals, and foreign materials to ensure that nothing was contaminated during the production process.
If you’re having trouble finding the certificate of analysis on our website or any other company’s site, don’t hesitate to reach out to the customer service department to request the lab results.
Customer Service
Last but certainly not least: the quality of a company’s customer service matters a lot more than you might think. Especially if you’re new to CBD and have questions, as many often do. In those cases, the last thing you’ll want is an inconsistent customer service response – or worse, no response at all.
More often than not you should be able to find the answers you’re looking for on a company’s website under headings such as “Our Process,” “What is CBD,” “Benefits of CBD,” and “Which CBD is Right for Me.” That being said, customer service centers exist for a reason.
Take cbdMD, for instance. We have the answers to almost anything you could possibly wonder under our “about” section or contained within our many blogs. Yet we still offer a number of possible ways for you to contact us so you can choose whichever method is most convenient for you. While we do provide a customer service number (1-800-973-3984), we also offer email and live chat so you can get in touch with us 24/7.
And trust us, we’ve heard almost every question under the sun, so there’s no reason to be embarrassed or hesitant to reach out to us with your concerns. We’re more than happy to help!
For more information on how the CBG, or more specifically how CBG benefits your body and your lifestyle, take a look at our frequently updated blog. Interested in staying up to date on the latest CBD news and cbdMD’s upcoming special offers? Connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, or chat with someone live today!