I built LEVEL on the idea that a wellness claim is only as good as the evidence behind it. That commitment led me, in 2021, to design and sponsor a randomized, triple-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial of cannabigerol (CBG), the first study of its kind conducted anywhere in human subjects. We ran it with U.S. military veterans, a population I know personally, since I am a veteran myself, and one that carries a disproportionate burden of chronic sleep disruption. The results are now published in a peer-reviewed journal, under my name, including the parts that did not go the way I had hoped.
Why a veterans study, and why CBG
Veterans report insomnia and other sleep disorders at markedly higher rates than the general population, often alongside PTSD symptoms that conventional sleep aids do not touch. CBG had never been tested in a placebo-controlled human trial. Those two facts, a compound with real theoretical promise and a population underserved by existing options, are what shaped the Veterans ECS21 study.
CBG is often called the "mother of all cannabinoids," but that framing belongs to CBGa, the acidic precursor molecule from which other cannabinoids are enzymatically derived in the growing hemp plant. CBG itself is the neutral, non-acidic form found in the finished tablet. It is one of the emergent cannabinoids LEVEL formulates for a calm, centered, clear-headed effect, the "cool as a cucumber" read, rather than the sedation people sometimes associate with cannabis generally.
How the trial was built
The study was decentralized, meaning participants took part from home rather than in a clinical site. Instead of relying only on periodic in-clinic assessments, we layered in real-world data: daily sleep and evening diaries alongside objective sleep metrics collected via Fitbit actigraphy, captured continuously as veterans went about their normal routines. After a two-week run-in phase, 63 veterans were randomized to receive either CBG Protab or a matching placebo. Dosing started at 25 mg daily for two weeks, then stepped up to 50 mg daily for a further two weeks, a design meant to mirror how someone would actually titrate a new formulation in real life.
Three outcomes were tracked: sleep quality via the Medical Outcomes Study Sleep Scale, quality of life via the WHODAS-2.0, and PTSD symptom severity via the PCL-5. Thirty-five participants completed the protocol without major deviations, 18 in the CBG group and 17 on placebo.
What we found
Both groups reported improved sleep scores over the course of the study. The CBG group did not separate from placebo by a statistically significant margin on the primary sleep measure, and the pattern held for the quality-of-life and PTSD symptom measures as well. What did hold up cleanly: CBG was well tolerated at both doses, with a favorable safety profile and no signal of concern across the trial.
That is the honest reading. We are not going to tell you this trial proves CBG helps veterans sleep better than placebo, because it does not show that. What it does show is that a specific, precision-dosed CBG formulation can be studied rigorously, tolerated safely, and reported transparently, null result and all, in a peer-reviewed cannabinoid journal. In an industry that leans hard on unverified claims, we think that is worth more than a favorable topline number would have been.
Where CBG fits at LEVEL today
Because this trial tested CBG specifically for sleep, it is worth being clear about how we actually formulate and position CBG day to day. Our CBG Protab is built as a daytime tablet, for staying clear and centered through a demanding day, not as a nighttime formulation. If overnight rest is what you are after, that is squarely the territory of our CBN-based Sleep Protab. Take any Protab with a light meal or snack that contains dietary fat, which supports more consistent absorption.
Every batch we release is third-party tested, with results posted publicly at our test results page. If you are not sure which formulation lines up with your goals, our two-minute quiz is a faster way to find out than guessing from a product page.
Curious how CBG compares to other emergent cannabinoids in the lineup? Our guide to CBG versus CBD breaks down the differences in plain language.
Take the quiz to find your formulation.
Frequently asked questions
What was the LEVEL CBG veterans study?
It was a decentralized, randomized, triple-blind, placebo-controlled trial testing an oral CBG formulation against placebo in 63 U.S. military veterans over six weeks, the first placebo-controlled human trial of CBG on record. It is registered on ClinicalTrials.gov as NCT05088018 and published in Medical Cannabis and Cannabinoids.
Did the study prove CBG improves sleep?
No. Sleep scores improved in both the CBG and placebo groups, and the difference between them was not statistically significant. The study's own conclusion is that no firm claim about CBG's sleep efficacy can be made from this data.
Is CBG safe, based on this trial?
Yes. CBG was well tolerated at both the 25 mg and 50 mg daily doses tested, with a favorable safety profile and no signals of concern over the six-week study.
What is a decentralized clinical trial?
It is a study conducted primarily outside a traditional clinical site, with participants completing assessments from home. This trial leaned on real-world data, daily sleep diaries and Fitbit-based actigraphy, to collect objective information remotely from participants as they went about their normal routines.
Where can I read the full results?
The peer-reviewed paper, "Effect of Cannabigerol on Sleep and Quality of Life in Veterans: A Decentralized, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial," is published in Medical Cannabis and Cannabinoids (2025;9(1):1-14, DOI 10.1159/000549902) and freely available via PubMed Central.
