A lesser-known cannabinoid known as CBG has surprised scientists after a first-ever human clinical trial found that it appears to improve memory, while also “significantly” reducing anxiety and stress.
The non-intoxicating cannabinoid might not be as well-known as THC and CBD, for example, but as it’s grown in popularity, researchers at Washington State University (WSU) and the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) set out to investigate its therapeutic potential amid anecdotal, survey-based reports about its therapeutic potential. The study, published in the journal Scientific Reports this month, found that cannabigerol, or CBG, caused “significant overall reductions in anxiety as well as reductions in stress” among study participants compared to the placebo.
“CBG may represent a novel option to reduce stress and anxiety in healthy adults,” the study authors said. “Results indicate that CBG reduces global feelings of anxiety and stress and that it may enhance memory in the absence of intoxication, impairment, or subjective drug effects.” On average, cannabigerol was linked to an average 26.5% reduction in feelings of anxiety, and researchers also found a “significant effect of CBG on subjective stress ratings.” The clinical trial was informed by an earlier survey that found 51 percent of people who use CBG say they primarily consume it to mitigate anxiety. Nearly 80 percent of CBG users said it was more effective at treating anxiety than conventional anxiety medications.
