CBD vs CBG: Which cannabinoid is better for stress, anxiety, and depression?

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When it comes to treating stress, anxiety, and depression, both CBD and CBG (cannabigerol) are strong contenders. Both cannabinoids have demonstrated the potential in influencing mood regulation, providing calming effects, and helping to reduce feelings of anxiousness. But how do they compare? There's a long list of benefits available from CBD and CBG products which may have led to some skepticism about the benefits of cannabinoids. Many people think because CBD companies tout their products as a cure-all that it must be snake oil or a marketing ploy. You may be asking how is it possible for one product to work for so many people with so many different issues.

As remarkable as it might sound the Endocannabinoid system (ECS) wasn't discovered by modern medicine until 1988. We now know that your ECS is a master control system for a myriad of body functions like blood sugar and hormone regulation, immune functions, pain centers, and metabolic functions among others. It seems remarkable that a major system in the human body went undiscovered for so long but here we are. When cannabinoids interact with the CB1 and CB2 receptors in your ECS they can have wide-ranging effects. Exactly how that happens is still left to be discovered but it does not mean that the numerous beneficial effects people report aren't very real.

CBD, the one everybody has heard of

CBD is the most widely studied cannabinoid for mental health issues, with numerous studies concluding that it may help to reduce symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress. CBD is thought to work by interacting with the body’s endocannabinoid system (ECS) and influencing the production of serotonin in the brain – a neurotransmitter associated with positive mood states (Source).

Studies have found that CBD oil was effective in reducing symptoms of seasonal affective disorder (SAD). SAD shows up during the winter when some retreat indoors and out of the cold. Even if you get outside often to work or play in the wintertime, you can be affected. With shortened days and reduced skin exposure to sunlight, our vitamin D levels are significantly decreased. The shortened daylight may also affect Melatonin levels which play a key role in our sleep/wake cycle and Serotonin which greatly affects our mood. CBD may help your ECS optimize these important hormones while reducing levels of cortisol (a stress hormone) in the body. Several studies have concluded that CBD has a rapid and sustained antidepressant effect on the brain by inducing cellular and molecular changes in the body related to depression (Source).

Another study found that CBD oil helped reduce generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) symptoms. Out of 72 participants in the study, 79% showed decreased anxiety scores throughout the study (Source). This is significant and incredibly promising for those of us struggling with anxiety.

CBD is wonderful, but prescribing a one size fits all dose or delivery route is tough. Because cannabinoids react a little differently depending on your body chemistry, metabolism, and the route of delivery, finding your perfect CBD product can take some time and trial and error. While many of our customers report incredible benefits from CBD whether it is our CBD gummy or our CBD tincture some people have better results with one of our CBG products. Reading our product descriptions, blogs, and testimonials can help you purchase the right product for you. We try to give you as much detail and scientific evidence as possible, but you may still have to experiment a little with the dose you are taking and give the product time to work. Some people may have to wait a few weeks to see the benefits of CBD that they are looking for. What if you have given high-quality CBD products the old college try and they're just not working? CBG might work better for you.