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Once or twice in the last year, you’ve probably heard about the rising popularity of CBD products, such as CBD oils or CBD softgels. You’ve probably also heard about CBD oil for felines and canines too. CBD products and CBD oils are almost literally everywhere you look nowadays. Whether you’ve been around a friend who raves about using CBD oil to help her sleep or you’ve heard about your friend using CBD edibles after the gym to relax or if you’re just hearing about it for the first time, CBD products are more accessible than ever before.
If you’re like many of those who are curious about CBD for humans, you may also be super curious about CBD for pets too. As I’m sure you’re wondering, what the heck is CBG? Is that the same thing as CBD? Is it entirely different? Do humans and animals use it? Are there benefits?
In today’s article, we’ll be talking about all things CBG and CBD, what the beautiful benefits are for these cannabinoids, and how your puppers may benefit from them too!
Let’s dive into the CBD and CBG oils!
There are over 100 phytocannabinoids present in the cannabis plant. If we were to break down phytocannabinoids it’d be ‘phyto’, meaning derived from plants, and ‘cannabinoid’, meaning a cannabis compound.
Phytocannabinoids are also commonly referred to as cannabinoids, which are the naturally occurring compounds that interact with our endocannabinoid system (ECS, for short). Each of us, including animals, has an ECS that plays a major role in maintaining homeostasis.
The ECS helps us (and our puppers + cattos) regulate our sleep, mood, appetite, amongst other functions throughout our daily lives. You can think of our ECS as its own system, similar to the immune system or respiratory system.
The best takeaway for you to know is that when cannabinoids are introduced into our ECS, there are a wide array of potential positive effects on the body.
Within the ECS, there are two main receptors: cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1) and cannabinoid receptor 2 (CB2). Cannabidiol (CBD) reacts with the receptors differently than other cannabinoids, such as tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), for example.
CB1 receptors can be found throughout the body in various regions including:
CB2 receptors can be found throughout the body in various regions, including:
Both CB1 and CB2 receptors play a role in the function and regulation of the ECS amongst other systems in our body.
Again, depending on the type of cannabinoids you take, it may affect the body differently and interact with the receptors differently. For instance, THC binds directly to CB1 receptors in the brain, triggering a dopamine release, thus one of the reasons why users feel “high”.
Besides THC, there are 100+ other phytocannabinoids present in cannabis, including:
Now that you’ve got a foundation of cannabinoids and how they work within our systems, let’s take a walk down the CBG line.
Cannabigerol (CBG) is a minor cannabinoid, meaning it's only present in very low levels in the cannabis plant.
So what’s the hype, right?
Well, let’s just say, some people have been calling it a “gamer changer” in the world of cannabis. Here’s why.
CBG and CBD sound similar and even look similar, but what sets them apart? Well, yes, they have the same molecular formula and weight, but they have different abilities.
CBG has been called “the stem cell cannabinoid” - as in, it can be mutated!
In general, whether animal or human, stem cells can renew themselves in order to help replace damaged tissue cells. You can kind of think of stem cells as parent cells, coming in to lead the way and provide direction to the other cells.
CBG is also the “stem cell parent” of all the other cannabinoids in the cannabis plant. So think of it like this: when the cannabis first starts growing, 100% of the cannabinoid content is CBG-A (CBG in a raw, acidic form). Once the plant has grown for about 6 to 8 weeks, the plant releases enzymes that change the CBG-A into the raw forms of the 100+ phytocannabinoids, including THC, CBD, and CBC, for instance.
So, all in all, CBG transforms into the 100+ phytocannabinoids present in cannabis in the span of practically 2 months! Talk about impressive!
CBD, on the other hand, is present in the cannabis plant in higher concentrates. Thus, it isn’t as difficult to extract when it comes to processing. Nonetheless, CBD extraction may be lengthy and difficult, especially when you’re producing a high-quality CBD product.
CBD has been catching individuals’ attention due to the fact that it’s non-psychoactive, non-toxic, and non-addictive, and contains little to no THC.
CBD has been suggested to help:
Both CBG and CBD bring nice qualities to the table, they just differ in some availability and processing ways.
Like we mentioned before, each phytocannabinoid may react within our systems differently.
Some directly interact with our ECS (i.e. THC) and others interact indirectly (i.e. CBD). In either instance, cannabinoids activate a response that can result in psychological and physiological change.
In regards to CBG, this cannabinoid may help:
Due to CBG’s ability to boost our “bliss” molecule, anandamide, it may help boost our mood. This can assist with managing our day-to-day stressors, supporting a healthy blood pressure, promoting calmness, and helping bring a sense of relaxation.
CBG is currently being researched and studied for its ability to help neurological disorders and investigate its neuroprotective properties.
I’ll cut to the chase - CBG isn’t cheap. If you were to hit the internet search and click the first few options that pop up, you’d be quick to see that CBG oil is expensive.
It’s expensive because it’s expensive to produce - simple. Since it naturally occurs in such low levels of the cannabis plant, it takes thousands and thousands of pounds of biomass to create a tiny portion of CBG oil.
To put things into perspective, it’s common to see CBG oils with price tags up to $200 on the cannabis market. Talk about saucy!
Since most cannabis companies focus on CBD or THC exclusively, it can be quite tricky to find a premium, high-quality CBG oil that meets all of your requirements.
When looking for a quality CBG oil or CBG product, take into consideration what you’re goals are for oil. Do you want an all-natural product? Non-GMO? Third party tested? High quality cannabis? A reputable company with certificates of analysis?
These are great questions to ask yourself (and companies who want your business) prior to purchasing a CBG oil.
If you’re wanting to get a CBG oil for your puppers, make sure it’s certified with the National Animal Supplement Council. If the company you’re interested in has been certified from this council, then you’re off to a good start! Companies who are certified undergo rigorous quality control audits, ensuring that they’re meeting the standards in the holistic pet space.
Since cannabis is not yet controlled and regulated by the FDA, this is one of the best ways to ensure that you’re purchasing a legit, high-quality cannabinoid product, with safety and quality in mind.
Now that you know more about CBG, you understand why it’s becoming increasingly wanted on the cannabis market. This incredible cannabinoid may help you fight free radicals, help promote a healthy immune system, help reduce inflammation in the body, and help with occasional discomfort.
Though CBG is not widely available yet to most, CBD is a more well-known and available option - for you and your pets! CBD may be a more wallet-friendly option here too, seeing that CBG oil has an expensive reputation (literally).
CBD can be a great natural compound that may help in numerous ways, including helping you manage daily stressors, promoting relaxation, reducing inflammation, and aiding in heart health. CBD is a non-psychoactive compound of the cannabis plant, meaning, it won’t get you “high” or “stoned”.
Just in the last ten years, more research has been done investigating the beautiful benefits around CBD for humans and animals.
So if you’re ready to give CBD or CBG oil a try, start researching and talking to your holistic veterinarian about different natural cannabis options that may be right for your feline or canine.
Here, at Petly CBD, we include a range of CBD Oils for Dogs and CBD Oils for Cats of all sizes, including different concentrations of CBD and delicious meat-flavored chewable treats for your fur friends to enjoy!
If you’re curious to try, give us a taste!
