CBD and CBN are sometimes together. Other times, they’re separate. (It’s complicated.) However, it’s more and more common to see one or the other in the wellness industry. They almost sound like they could be interchangeable. But they’re not the same!
What is CBD?
CBD refers to cannabidiol. It is the most common cannabinoid in the hemp plant and is the most popular currently. The 2018 Farm Bill made CBD legal in all 50 states and it’s been a huge success since then. Because it is non-intoxicating, it has opened the cannabis industry to a much larger public. You didn’t think your mother-in-law was going to buy CBD balms for the post-knitting stiffness, yet here we are.
Preliminary research indicates that CBD could help with symptoms of chronic pain, nausea, and seizures. It could also help in fighting MRSA and improving cognitive abilities.
What is CBN?
CBN or cannabinol is a naturally occurring cannabinoid in aged THC. It was the first cannabinoid compound to be isolated in 1896. The same year Utah officially became a state, so it’s been a while. Unfortunately, it’s one of those scientific oopsies, and was first thought to be the compound responsible for the cannabis high.
Thankfully, this theory was later refuted when further research revealed that THC was the one responsible for the high associated with hemp products. CBN is nonintoxicating but is credited to having an important role in the entourage effect.
For now, the real effects of CBN are yet to be confirmed. It has been researched in tandem with THC, to find out about its sedative power, but this remains to be confirmed by research focused on CBN and CBN only. Other preliminary studies have also found that it would be an anti-inflammation, anti-convulsion, and appetite stimulant solution.
You may have noticed that CBN appears mostly in sleep aid products. That is because lots of cannabis use still mostly rely on cannabis culture and the traditional use of its compounds. CBN was known for a long time as the sleep cannabinoid, and until it is proven otherwise, it will remain as such.
What are the differences between CBD and CBN?
CBD and CBN are radically different from the start. They come from the same plant but are two separate compounds that occur in different stages of Hemp cultivation and extraction. CBD can be found in high amounts in specific strains, CBN is the result of oxidizing THC. This makes the extraction of CBN more complicated and long than CBD.
Both compounds have widely different supposed effects. Keep in mind, when you consume a full spectrum CBD product, there is a small amount of CBN in the product, which explains CBD’s more versatile uses.
How do they work together?
Again, this is not a claim and researchers are still working on proving it. But because CBD and CBN have some similar supposed effects for calming stress and pain, they could be used in combination to improve symptoms of anxiety and chronic pain in the future.
This is in part due to the theory behind the entourage effect that drives cannabis researchers and specialists to think that combining a few cannabinoid compounds could result in more efficient results.
What products can I start with?
Your body is unique, has unique needs, and won’t answer in the same way for you as it will for Linda from accounting or your brother Terrence.
Our advice if you want to give CBN and CBD a try is to try them in the isolated form (separately) first. With any cannabinoid, consistency is key. The more regularly you take a supplement, the better results you’ll get. So, it may take you a month to get to the point where you can assess how your body reacts to both separately before jumping into trying them together. But what is a month when it comes to figuring out your overall wellness for years to come?
Try out a CBD isolate for two weeks, then try out a CBN product for another two weeks. Wellness takes time, but it’s time well spent!