Summary: One of the latest studies shows that a minor cannabinoid that is cannabigerol, is good for reducing stress and anxiety even at small dosages. This adds to the existing knowledge that cannabinoids may have a role in managing stress, anxiety, and chronic pain, making them an important area of focus for chronic pain specialists.
Stress and anxiety are widespread problems. At any given time, most adults experience them, and everyone will experience them many times in their lives. Some are constantly living with stress and anxiety, and they are finally overwhelmed by it, causing chronic pain, fatigue, low immunity, insulin resistance, metabolic disorders, and various other diseases.
Such chronic problems are best managed through lifestyle interventions or natural remedies. When seeking remedies for chronic issues, the safety of that specific remedy is always the concern. In recent years, CBD (cannabidiol) has been rising in popularity for managing stress, anxiety, sleep issues, and chronic pain.
However, the cannabis plant is more than CBD. It has more than 100 cannabinoids. Two of them are major cannabinoids, CBD and THC, and there are numerous minor cannabinoids. Cannabigerol is one such minor cannabinoid. All this means that there is still much left to explore and learn about this plant, which is precisely what science is doing.
It is interesting to note that all cannabinoids are somewhat structurally or chemically related (that is why they are called cannabinoids). Still, their effects on the body are very different and sometimes even opposing. So, take the example of THC, which causes excitement, while CBD helps relax.
In recent years, science has been focusing much on minor cannabinoids, as some of them might be more potent for stress and anxiety and chronic pain management. Studies have already shown that cannabigerol is quite suitable for chronic pain. Since chronic pain and mood disorders are often interrelated, researchers are now exploring their role in managing mood disorders.
The new study, reported in Nature, one of the most reputed scientific journals in the world, found that cannabigerol can help reduce stress and anxiety in more than one-fourth (26.5%) of adults. This was higher than the placebo, showing that cannabigerol works.
Here, it is also worth noticing that researchers used a small dosage of cannabigerol, just 20 mg a day. It is quite likely that this effect may be more pronounced at higher dosages. At present, the ideal dosage of cannabigerol is not established.
Of course, quite like CBD, cannabigerol does not cause a high or alter motor function, which means that it is relatively safe and good for prolonged use.
Since cannabinoids are so diverse, researchers are also exploring their mode of action. Researchers think that cannabigerol works by modulating serotonin and GABA receptors. However, there might be other ways in which it may work.
It is known that cannabinoids also act on the endocannabinoid system, and they boost the production of the bliss molecule anandamide. These can also contribute to their ability to improve mood and overcome chronic pain.
The ultimate goal of these studies is to understand how minor cannabinoids can help manage pain and anxiety. Should cannabigerol prove more effective for specific health conditions than CBD, it may become more widely used in pain management clinics, such as Interventional pain management St. Louis, where personalized approaches to pain relief are essential.
Of course, there is still more to be learned. It is no secret that cannabinoids work better when combined with each other. This is because they modulate each other’s activity. This means that cannabigerol may work even better for reducing chronic pain, stress, and anxiety when combined with other minor cannabinoids, something that needs to be explored further.
Latest clinical studies show that various cannabinoids can be good for managing different health conditions. Though they are not very potent, but they are safe for prolonged use. Above all, in recent years, science has started looking beyond CBD and started exploring other minor cannabinoids like cannabigerol.
Source:
Cuttler, C., Stueber, A., Cooper, Z. D., & Russo, E. (2024). Acute effects of cannabigerol on anxiety, stress, and mood: A double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover, field trial. Scientific Reports, 14(1), 16163. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-66879-0
