In our bodies there’s something called the ‘Endocannabinoid System’ which is involved with regulating a huge range of critical bodily functions like learning and memory, emotional processing, eating, sleep, temperature control, pain control, inflammatory and immune responses, and even eating. It’s pretty important. This system is what allows cannabinoids like THC to have an effect on us and our bodies. If we didn’t have this system then cannabis could be just another weed to be cut down in the garden.
Overall there are more than 100 cannabinoids that have been identified so far, some of which like CBD, CBG, and CBC, we’ve already covered. Over time the aim is cover as many as those compounds as possible though we may never get close to covering them all, but for today it’s time knock CBN off of that list.
What is CBN? And How is it Different from CBD? – Explained
What is CBN?
Is CBN Legal in The UK?
How Does CBN Work?
What Are the Effects of CBN?
Is CBN The Same as CBD?
Conclusion
What is CBN?
CBN or ‘Cannabinol’ is one of the cannabis plants many cannabinoids, but interestingly, unlike many of the others it is only formed after the plant is harvested. This is in huge contrast to something like CBG which only occurs earlier on in the plants lifecycle. Even more interesting is that CBN is created when the THC starts to degrade in the presence of excessive amounts of heat and light. Fortunately or unfortunately (depending on your perspective) its change in form from THC to CBN also leads to it losing its psychoactive properties. It’s not getting you high.
When learning about cannabinoids it’s been fascinating to see how even beyond a strains genetic make up and it’s personal balance of cannabinoids, but now understanding that the timing of when a plant is harvested leads to such huge differences in the balance of those compounds, well it feels like every harvest must be relatively unique.
CBN has been studied relatively little compared to other major cannabinoids so it’s still early days for being able to make use of it.
Is CBN Legal in the UK?
No CBN is in fact a controlled substance in the UK and totally illegal.
The detail: THC’s psychoactive properties are what make it illegal, but as far as we have found so far it’s the only known psychoactive cannabinoid in the plant. Unfortunately as CBN is what THC turns into part and parcel of the ban.
How does CBN Work?
As mentioned earlier on, humans have this endocannabinoid system which is integral to our bodies and heavily influences our core functions and behaviours. As you may have noticed Cannabinoids can have an effect on those functions and behaviours (you might be very familiar with one called THC)
So CBG enters your body and interacts with the endocannabinoid system by binding to huge amounts of the cannabinoid receptors which make up a big part of this system. CBG binds to receptors which primarily influence areas such as emotional processing, sleep, temperature control, pain control, inflammatory and immune responses. As far as making it work for you there are loads of good products available at the moment who that have CBN in it, we recommend full spectrum to get the best of all the cannabinoids (minus THC) in one place.
What are the benefits of CBN?
Research into CBN shows that CBN may be useful in the treatment of a variety of health conditions, and provide the following benefits:
- May improve sleep: CBN’s most significant effect appears to be on sleep. A published study in 2018 demonstrated that products with CBN can positively affect sleep quality. It’s not surprising that CBN can enhance sleep quantity and quality, given that it is a byproduct of the oxidation of THC, which is the most commonly known cannabinoid for sleep. CBN’s sleep-promoting effects are even noticeable at low doses.
- It is an Anti-Oxidant: There is early evidence suggesting that CBN may function as an antioxidant, a substance that counteracts free radicals in the body. Despite the limited information available CBN appears to be well-tolerated and further research will shed light into its specific health benefits.
- Relieving Muscle Pain – A study conducted in 2019 on rats showed that CBN, along with CBD and a combination of both, reduced muscle sensitivity. The findings suggest that CBN may offer pain relief for chronic muscle pain conditions such as temporomandibular disorders and fibromyalgia, however, more clinical trials are needed to confirm this.
- Neuroprotective and inflammatory effects – There is some evidence that CBN has neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory properties. One study showed particular use in combatting ALS. However much human based research is required.
As always make sure to research any potential interactions with medication you’re on. There are no known side effects but medications can be delicate and other substances like CBD or CBN can have potential unknown interactions.
Can CBC help with Sleep?
Is CBN the same as CBD?
Despite having very similar effects they are in fact totally different molecules and formed through separate mechanisms. Although these properties do seem to be very similar to those of CBD, or even CBC, the difference lies in what it is particularly good at. CBN for example as shown above is a specialist when it comes to improving sleep. As our understanding of CBN improves no doubt we’ll see more and more effective products and medical treatments brought to the market.
Conclusion
Honestly, at the time of writing (January 29th 2023) the research is so small that it’s hard to recommend that you go out there and hunt down some CBN unless you really want it. My personal recommendation is that you look at full spectrum products like those here that will contain CBN as part of their mix of cannabinoids. I’d recommend checking a few out as you may find some have higher percentages of CBN that others and therefore more likely to get the benefit you’re looking for.