What Is CBG (Cannabigerol) And Why It’s So Expensive To Produce

CBD products are slowly entering the mainstream market because several states and countries have already eased up their regulations when it comes to their production, sale, and distribution. Because of the availability of these CBD products in the market, more and more people are starting to take notice, piquing their interest in trying out these products. But aside from the common cannabinoids, you find in the market, you may be surprised to know that there is a particular one that is quite more lavish than its counterparts, and this is CBG or cannabigerol.

CBG in Brief

CBG is the cannabinoid component from where all other cannabinoid compounds are derived, which is why it is denoted as the mother of all cannabinoids. To make it easier for you to understand what is CBG (Cannabigerol), you have to remember that it also interacts with the receptors in your endocannabinoid system, just like all other cannabinoids do. These primary receptors include the CB1 and CB2, with the latter found in the brain and the former more prevalent in the immune system.

As CBG interacts with these receptors, they regulate a variety of functions in your body namely your metabolism, mood, appetite, as well as your pain tolerance. It also has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, as well as neuroprotective properties. All these are geared towards promoting your body’s healing and overall wellness.

Process of Making CBG

Hemp is the primary raw material that is commonly used to produce CBG. However, there are only small traces of CBG found in a hemp plant, such that to generate a small but decent quantity of this compound, you need thousands of pounds of cannabis. In this case, several cultivators are caught between the dilemma of sacrificing all their crops to produce CBG before the compound is converted into other forms of cannabinoids and producing CBD instead.

The usual way of extracting CBG is through a process known as chromatography. In this case, superfluid liquid solvents such as carbon dioxide or ethanol are used to extract the cannabinoid. This is done by dissolving hemp in the solution, wherein cannabinoids and terpenes are drawn out. From there, the solution is evaporated by heating and a vacuum is used to remove all the gas residue. As a result, a highly pure CBG concentrate is left behind.

Why is CBG expensive?

The very little percentage of CBG that cultivators can extract from thousands of hemp plants is one of the primary reasons why CBG is so expensive to produce. Come to think of it, with the same number of hemp plants, they will already be capable of generating a significant amount of CBD products. Thus, the price that cultivators have to pay to grow an immense number of hemp plants to extract CBG is transferred to the consumers, making the price of CBG higher than other cannabinoids in the market.

Another reason why CBG is quite lucrative is that there are only a few cultivators dedicated to producing this cannabinoid compound. Because of the immense amount of raw materials necessary, as well as the tedious extraction process, most cultivators focus on generating common cannabinoid compounds found in CBD instead. For this reason, there is only a limited supply in the market, even with a growing demand for CBD. Thus, this significantly affects the price of CBG.

Rest assured that several other methods of cultivating and extracting CBG from hemp plants are currently being done. Some are experimenting by cross-breeding different cannabis varieties to produce a cannabis variety that will yield a significant level of CBG. When this happens, the price of CBG may eventually go down and be at par with other cannabinoid compounds.

Benefits of CBG

Just like CBD products, CBG doesn’t have any psychoactive effects but it proves to have various positive effects when it comes to various physical, mental, and emotional ailments.

Pain Relief

One of the primary benefits of CBG is that it can significantly alleviate pain. This can be attributed to the anti-inflammatory properties of CBG. For this reason, several people have delved into the use of CBG products to help them manage their chronic pain. Others use CBG to treat inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

Enhanced Cognitive Functions

Another benefit that you can reap from the use of CBG is enhanced brain functions. This is because of the neuroprotective properties found in the compound, in parallel with its anti-inflammatory properties. It also fosters the growth of new brain cells, which means that it greatly aids in preventing brain degeneration. For this reason, there are studies currently being conducted to determine whether CBG will be an effective treatment for Huntington’s disease.

Antibacterial Agent

Several studies show that CBG is an effective antibacterial agent, even against bacterial strains that are otherwise resistant to usual antibiotic medications. This characteristic of CBG surpasses the ability of other cannabinoid compounds that are readily available in the market such as CBD. As soon as there are further studies concerning this property of CBG, perhaps CBG will be harnessed to generate a new anti-bacterial treatment in the future.

Manages Stress and Anxiety

Apart from the physical benefits brought about by CBG, it also can regulate emotions that lead to stress and anxiety. This can be attributed to the fact the CBG supports the increase of serotonin, which is the natural happy hormone of your body, eventually easing your anxiety or reducing your stress. Further research reveals that CBG can potentially be an effective treatment for depression too.

To date, there is quite a limited supply for CBG, even if there is already significant demand for it. This is one of the main reasons why it is so expensive. Add to this the fact that it is quite tedious to cultivate and test, making its price more lucrative than the common CBD products you find in the market today. Rest assured that when you use CBG products in the dosage appropriate for you, you will be able to reap all the benefits that it can provide.