CBD and Minor Cannabinoids
Anyone shopping through CBD products has likely come upon some new letters that are popping up, notably CBG and CBN. What are these new cannabinoids and what do they do?
The cannabis plant contains a multitude of chemical substances including cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids. The best-known cannabinoids from the plant are delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD).
The most abundant cannabinoids are considered to be major cannabinoids while the less abundant cannabinoids are referred to as minor cannabinoids. There is a growing interest in minor cannabinoids and what benefits that they are able to bring to the average person for certain issues such as trouble sleeping, pain, or anxiety.
CBD consumers are becoming more and more intrigued in combining CBD effects with other minor cannabinoids such as CBG and CBN for more elevated effects.
What are Cannabinoids?
Cannabinoids are a class of molecules that interact with the body’s endocannabinoid system (ECS).
The ECS helps the body maintain functional balance through its three main components: “messenger” molecules that our bodies synthesize, the receptors that these molecules bind to, and the enzymes that are able to break them down.
Pain, stress, appetite, cardiovascular function, reproduction, and sleep are just a few of the body’s functions that cannabinoids impact by acting on the ECS. The potential health benefits of cannabinoids are bountiful and include inflammation reduction as well as nausea control.
What do cannabinoids do to the body?
Cannabinoids have a wide variety of effects on the body, all of which occur when the activation of cannabinoid receptors takes place. The effects of minor cannabinoids such as CBD, CBN, and CBG do not have psychoactive effects as THC does.
Every function in the body requires a specific balance of factors to perform at its optimal capacity. When the body achieves this balance, it’s called homeostasis. Cannabinoids interact with receptors to trigger homeostatic responses throughout the body. This response creates calming and reliving effects throughout the system.
CBD: Cannabidiol
Cannabidiol (CBD) grew from a trend into a big industry unto itself. One recent estimate predicts that CBD sales in the U.S. could reach $1.8 billion by 2022.
Its available in large amounts in both marijuana and hemp, and thus easily cultivated, and health claims that are associated with it include ease of anxiety and movement disorders, and even physical pain when applied topically.
CBD is typically sold as tinctures, edibles vaporizer oils, and even in ointments. It can also be purchased as a flower for smoking. CBD is very popular and can be found in a growing variety of methods. CBD effects are popular amongst consumers of all adult ages and genders.
Because of its reputation for providing relaxation without any intoxicating effects, the cannabinoid has also become a popular option for nervous dogs who are frightened by thunder or fireworks. For anyone looking to dip their toe into the cannabinoid world, CBD effects are widely considered to be a good place to start.
Many products available are also third-party lab tested, and the test result is often available to customers on the manufacturer’s website or scannable QR codes on the packaging. Third-party testing is an important aspect of quality business, and you should be able to retrieve this information easily from a professional brand.
CBG: Cannabigerol
Cannabigerol is the parent molecule from which all other cannabis compounds are synthesized – meaning THC, CBD, etc., all start as CBG – it is often called the “mother” of cannabinoids.
Being difficult to extract means many companies have not invested in producing and selling CBG, but its promise has proven to be interesting enough for some to begin adding it to their cannabis brands.
As the “mother”, CBG benefits can be more powerful, or at least offer a more comprehensive range of benefits over other cannabinoids. At the very least, manufacturers believe it has created a powerful “entourage effect” when combined with CBD.
Scientists who have studied cannabis have suggested that CBG benefits could effective in decreasing the effects of inflammatory bowel disease, as well as act as an analgesic, and as an anti-depressant.
CBN: Cannabinol
Cannabinol is another mildly psychoactive, nonintoxicating cannabinoid only available in trace amounts in cannabis. However, it also forms when cannabis ages with THC breaking down into CBN. This then makes it easier for sellers to make, and some studies suggest CBN may be a potent antibacterial agent.
To current date, the CBN cannabinoid has earned quite a reputation as a natural sedative. Some say that this sedative effect actually arises from cannabis becoming older, which becomes high in CBN. CBN is combined with CBD in order to create a sleep remedy due to its sleepy effects.
Some companies have begun introducing the CBN cannabinoid into their CBD products. There is a growing interest in gaining a combined effect from CBD along with other minor cannabinoids and their own properties. It is certainly a lesser-known cannabinoid from the cannabis plant but it is one with promising effects and gaining more attention from consumers.
Will there be a new wave of minor cannabinoid combinations?
For now, these are the most popular cannabinoids. But the rising popularity of all things cannabis – expect to see more and more options appearing on the market soon as well as combinations of certain cannabinoids from the cannabis plant.
This is especially true as the legality spreads throughout the country and more research and studies are conducted on all the various attributes of the plant and the many compounds in which it contains. The interest is growing amongst everyone – brands, cultivators, and consumers.
What is clear is that the sales of CBD and the early returns of these other cannabinoids prove consumers are interested in the natural benefits of cannabis beyond just getting psychoactive effects. People want to have natural relief for issues such as anxiety and pain and minor cannabinoids present many opportunities that have gone noticed by the mainstream until recently.
| By Doc Brown’s | March 2022 |