Interest in the lesser-known compounds in cannabis has grown quickly. Cannabigerol (CBG) is one of them. You may have seen it in wellness products, or read claims about what it might do. Yet until recently, little was known about how CBG behaves in the human body.
A new Phase 1 study set out to change that. Researchers gave healthy adults a range of single doses of CBG and measured what happened over the following hours.
Key Takeaways:
The study. A Phase 1 study gave 12 healthy adults single oral doses of CBG, ranging from 25 mg up to 200 mg, plus a placebo (a dummy dose with no active ingredient).
- Tolerability. The researchers recorded no side effects that they judged to be caused by CBG. Two mild events, a short bout of dizziness and one raised blood-pressure reading, occurred at the highest dose and were judged unrelated to CBG.
- Liver. Blood tests of liver function stayed within the normal range at every dose tested.
- Mind and body. CBG had only small effects on how people felt. It did not measurably affect memory, attention or a driving-simulation task at any dose.
- Absorption. The amount of CBG reaching the blood rose with the dose, but varied a great deal from person to person.
- The caveat. This was a small, short study in healthy adults using single doses. It cannot tell us whether CBG helps with any medical condition, or how it behaves with long-term use.
What is Cannabigerol?
Cannabigerol (CBG) is one of more than 100 compounds, known as cannabinoids, found in the cannabis plant. It is a minor cannabinoid, which means it is usually present in much smaller amounts than the two best-known cannabinoids, THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) and CBD (cannabidiol).
CBG is sometimes called the “mother cannabinoid”, because the plant makes other cannabinoids from a form of it as it grows. Unlike THC, CBG does not have the potential side effect of euphoria. It is now widely sold in supplements and wellness products.
In laboratory and animal research, scientists have been exploring how CBG interacts with the body. Some of that early work has looked at processes relevant to conditions such as pain, blood pressure and mood. These are early-stage findings. CBG is not a licensed treatment for any condition, and this study did not test whether it works for any illness.
A recent Phase 1 human study, published in The Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, aimed to provide further information on this potential.
Why did researchers run this study?
Despite its growing popularity, basic information about how CBG behaves in people was missing. The authors say this is the first study to measure two key things across a range of CBG doses in humans at the same time.
The first is pharmacodynamics, which means what a substance does to the body, such as its effect on mood, alertness or blood pressure. The second is pharmacokinetics, which means what the body does to a substance, such as how much is absorbed into the blood and how quickly. The team also checked liver function, because some cannabinoids at high doses, including high-dose CBD, have been linked to signs of liver strain.
What did the study involve?
The study used a double-blind, placebo-controlled design, carried out at Johns Hopkins University in the United States. Double-blind means neither the participants nor the staff knew which dose was given at the time. Placebo-controlled means a dummy dose was included for comparison.
Twelve healthy adults, six men and six women, completed the study. Each attended five sessions, held at least a week apart. They received 25 mg, 50 mg, 100 mg and 200 mg of hemp-derived CBG, dissolved in an oil, given in increasing order. A placebo was slipped in at a random point in that sequence. The flavour and volume of every dose were matched so that people could not tell the doses apart.
On each visit, the team measured effects for eight hours. They recorded self-reported feelings, performance on tests of thinking and attention, results from a driving-simulation app, vital signs such as blood pressure and heart rate, and repeated blood samples. In total, 58 people were screened, 16 were eligible, and 12 completed the study.
Was CBG well tolerated in the study?
In this small study, CBG was generally well tolerated. The researchers recorded no side effects that they judged to be caused by CBG across any of the doses.
Two unwanted events were noted, both at the highest 200 mg dose, in one participant each. One was a short episode of mild dizziness, about 90 minutes after the dose. The other was a single raised blood-pressure reading, about 30 minutes after the dose, rated as mild to moderate. The researchers concluded that neither was caused by CBG, because they happened only once and did not follow the dose.
It is important to keep this in perspective. These results come from 12 healthy adults taking single doses in a closely monitored setting. They do not show that CBG is safe for everyone, at every dose, or when taken regularly over time. All substances, including supplements, can carry some risk.
Did CBG affect the liver?
Blood tests of liver function stayed within the normal range. The team measured three markers that can flag liver strain, called ALT, AST and bilirubin, at the two highest doses. Across all participants, none of these markers rose above the normal range.
This is a reassuring early signal, and checking liver function was a new step for CBG research in humans. Even so, this was a small, short study in healthy people. It does not tell us what happens in older adults, in people who are unwell, or after repeated dosing. It should not be read as evidence that CBG protects the liver. The markers simply did not rise here.
How did CBG make people feel?
The effects on mood and feelings were small. On the questionnaire, higher doses were linked to a modest increase in reported appetite. Some doses were linked to small changes in feeling active, jittery and calm. These effects were subtle, and larger doses did not simply produce stronger effects.
Notably, CBG did not produce euphoria or strong liking for the drug at any dose. The appetite finding is of interest because it is the first time an effect seen in animal studies has been repeated in people. This remains an early observation rather than a proven use.
Did CBG affect thinking or driving ability?
No. CBG did not measurably change performance on tests of memory, attention and reaction time, or on a driving-simulation app, at any dose. In this setting, single doses did not impair thinking or task performance.
These were laboratory tasks using single doses, not a real-world driving study. Rules on driving and impairment are a separate matter, and this study does not change them.
What about blood pressure and heart rate?
CBG did not change blood pressure or heart rate in a way that tracked with the dose. Both dipped slightly during the first three hours and then returned to normal. This same pattern appeared across all sessions, including the placebo, so it was most likely not caused by CBG itself.
How much CBG reached the bloodstream?
The amount of CBG reaching the blood rose with the dose. Levels climbed slowly, reaching their peak roughly two to three hours after the dose was taken. At the highest dose, levels tended to rise a little faster.
One clear message was how much people differed. The peak level varied a great deal from person to person, even on the same dose. The table shows the average peak level for each dose.
| CBG Dose Administered | Average Peak Blood Level (Cmax, ng/mL) |
|---|---|
| 25 mg | 0.9 |
| 50 mg | 3.9 |
| 100 mg | 10.6 |
| 200 mg | 30.5 |
Figures are average peak blood levels (Cmax) reported by Wolinsky and colleagues (2026). CBG was detectable in the blood of most participants even at the lowest dose, and in all participants at 100 mg and 200 mg.
What are the limitations of this study?
Every study has limits, and it is worth being clear about this one. The main points to keep in mind are:
- Very small size. Only 12 people completed the study.
- Who took part. Participants were healthy young adults from a limited range of backgrounds. Results may differ in older people, or in people living with health conditions.
- Single doses only. Everyone received CBG only once at each dose. The study cannot tell us about regular or long-term use.
- With food. Doses were taken after a high-fat breakfast, which increases how much CBG is absorbed. This may not match how people take it day to day.
- Study design. Doses were given in increasing order. This could allow people to become familiar with the tasks over time, although a randomly placed placebo was used to reduce this.
- Short window. Effects were only followed for eight hours after each dose.
What does this study mean, and what does it not mean?
This study gives researchers a careful first map of how single doses of CBG behave in healthy people. It is reassuring that no drug-related side effects and no liver signals appeared across the range of doses tested. It also confirms that the body absorbs CBG in a dose-related way, while showing wide differences between individuals.
It does not show that cannabigerol treats or helps any health condition. It does not tell us about long-term use, higher or repeated doses, or people who are older or unwell. The authors call for larger and longer studies, including in the groups where CBG is being explored, before firmer conclusions can be drawn.
Frequently asked questions
What is CBG used for?
CBG is a minor cannabinoid found in the cannabis plant. It is sold in some supplements and wellness products, and researchers are studying how it behaves in the body. It is not a licensed medicine, and this study did not test it as a treatment for any condition.
Is CBG safe?
In this small study of 12 healthy adults, single doses of CBG were generally well tolerated, with no side effects judged to be caused by CBG. That is not the same as proof that CBG is safe for everyone, at all doses, or with regular use. As with any substance, there can be risks, so speak to a healthcare professional.
Does CBG get you high?
No. CBG did not produce a “high” (euphoria) or strong drug-liking in this study. It is thought to act differently in the body from THC, the compound in cannabis mainly responsible for feeling intoxicated.
How long does CBG take to reach its peak in the body?
In this study, blood levels of CBG peaked about two to three hours after an oral dose. The exact level varied widely between people, even at the same dose.
Is CBG the same as CBD?
No. Both are cannabinoids from the cannabis plant, but they are different compounds. This study looked only at CBG, not CBD.
Thinking about your treatment options?
In the UK, cannabis-based medicines are prescription-only and remain unlicensed for most conditions. They are considered only by a specialist doctor, after a full assessment, and usually only when licensed treatments have not helped enough.
If you would like to understand whether a specialist consultation may be appropriate for you, you can complete our online eligibility check. Any decision about treatment is made by a specialist doctor on an individual basis.
