CBG Oil Linked To Improved Memory & Reduced Stress, Study Finds
A new human trial found that CBG oil appears to improve memory and significantly reduces stress.
CBG (cannabigerol) is a cannabinoid found in hemp and cannabis. Though not as well-known as THC and CBD, CBG has been gaining popularity and can now be found in various products. In fact, Rare Cannabinoid Company offers a pure CBG oil tincture, CBG gummies, THC + CBG Gummies, and CBG + CBD + THC Rapid Relief Gel.
Researchers at Washington State University (WSU) and the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) decided to explore CBG oil’s potential, motivated by anecdotal and survey-based reports.
The study, published in the journal Scientific Reports, revealed that CBG led to “significant overall reductions in stress” among participants compared to a placebo. Moreover, “CBG also enhanced verbal memory relative to placebo,” with “no evidence of subjective drug effects or impairment.”
CBG’s “shocking” results on memory
Lead author and WSU associate professor of psychology Carrie Cuttler expressed surprise at the findings. “The finding that it significantly enhanced [memory] was kind of shocking to me and completely, entirely unexpected, which was why I triple-checked the direction and the result,” Cuttler told cannabis magazine Marijuana Moment. She added, “We definitely want to replicate that finding before we make too big of a deal about it.”
To evaluate CBG’s effectiveness, researchers conducted a double-blind, placebo-controlled field trial. In this trial, 34 healthy adults received either 20mg of hemp-derived CBG or a placebo tincture across two sessions. Participants completed online assessments to rate their stress, and mood. After receiving the cannabinoid, they undertook additional assessments, including a survey, a stress test, and a verbal memory test.
“CBG may represent a novel option to reduce stress in healthy adults,” the study authors noted. They highlighted that “CBG reduces global feelings of stress and that it may enhance memory in the absence of intoxication, impairment, or subjective drug effects.”
Cannabigerol was linked to an average 26.5 percent reduction in stress, and researchers observed a “significant effect of CBG on subjective stress ratings.” The verbal memory test, which involved participants recalling two sets of 16 words, produced particularly surprising results.
“We hypothesized that CBG would not impair memory, but our finding that CBG significantly enhanced verbal memory was unexpected,” the study states.
Reduced Stress May Affect Memory
When asked why CBG might enhance memory, Cuttler suggested that the reduced stress might play a role. She theorized, “The cognitive function could be bolstered when people are feeling less stressed or anxious.”
This clinical trial was informed by an earlier survey in which 51 percent of CBG users reported using it primarily to alleviate stress. Nearly 80 percent of these users found CBG more effective for stress than conventional medications.
Cuttler is currently seeking approval for a follow-up clinical trial to be conducted in-person in a laboratory setting. This would help substantiate the findings and assess CBG’s physiological effects, such as impacts on blood pressure, heart rate, cortisol levels, and body temperature. She is also considering a separate study on how CBG might affect menopause symptoms and is interested in hearing from potential participants.