Can CBG Help with Joint Pain? 

Millions of people experience joint pain each year. Any number of human ailments and illnesses, including simply aging, can cause it. At the moment, the typical treatment for this type of pain includes drugs such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and prescription painkillers. For those seeking an alternative treatment, some studies have shown that cannabigerol (CBG) has shown promise for potentially reducing stiffness, soreness, aches, and pains in both joints and muscles. 

What Is CBG? 

Many people have heard of CBD and THC, two of the active compounds found in cannabis, but CBG isn’t quite as well-known. Like other cannabinoids, CBG is a compound found in hemp and cannabis plants. Like CBD, it is non-psychoactive. CBG has been called “the mother of all cannabinoids” by researchers because CBG is a sort of building block for more well-known cannabinoids. Essentially, it’s the parent of compounds like CBD and THC. 

This particular cannabinoid is plentiful in cannabis plants, but it eventually transforms into CBD and THC. By the time a cannabis plant has fully matured, the amount of CBG constitutes a tiny fraction of its initial presence. Because CBG accounts for less than one percent of a cannabis plant’s mass, it’s considered a rare cannabinoid alongside other minor cannabinoids like THCV, CBN, CBC, 8-THC, CBDA, and others. In fact, over 100 different cannabinoids have been discovered by scientists so far.

Like CBD and THC, CBG works with the human endocannabinoid system, or the ECS, initially discovered by scientists in the 1990s. This system regulates important bodily functions, including pain, appetite, sleep, hormones, and the immune system. All humans and other mammals possess an endocannabinoid system, which means that the body is naturally able to interact with cannabinoids such as CBG.

Is CBG an Effective Treatment for Joint Pain? 

While CBD and THC have both been the subject of significant, if restricted, research, only a few studies have been published that indicate CBG’s potential for pain treatment. Despite this, some scientists believe that CBG might be more effective at interacting with the ECS and could boost the effectiveness of CBD when the two are used in combination. 

One study published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences found that CBG possessed powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. That could potentially make it ideal for treating joint stiffness and soreness in humans and other mammals. Because inflammation and oxidative stress contribute to neurodegeneration and lead to chronic pain, some researchers think that CBG could also be a powerful preventative treatment. It might actually protect against future pain. 

Another study published in Therapeutics and Clinical Risk Management suggests that CBG might prove to be a more potent pain reliever than CBD and THC. As with all scientific studies, these initial conclusions could be strengthened or weakened by future research. 

While studies have suggested that CBG could be an even better treatment for joint pain than other more popular cannabinoids such as CBD and THC, more research is needed. CBG’s potential for use as a preventative treatment is exciting for all who suffer chronic pain. But one thing does seem clear: when CBD and CBG are combined, the potential for joint pain relief is much greater. 

In Summary

While the studies on CBG’s potential use as a treatment for joint pain are limited, the findings thus far have been encouraging. Particularly when it’s combined with CBD, CBG has the potential to reduce swelling and soreness in joints. It could also prevent the type of neurodegeneration that eventually leads to chronic joint pain. CBG shows great promise for those who seek a new method of pain management.