Endocannabinoid System and CBD

Many people know that cannabis and hemp compounds like CBD can have various effects on the human body, but how do they actually work? It’s all because of the endocannabinoid system.

What Is the Endocannabinoid System?

The endocannabinoid system, often shortened to ECS, is a cell-signalling system in the human body. It has been closely studied since the 1960s, as scientists and researchers began looking more closely at how cannabis affected the human body, and research is still ongoing to figure out exactly how it works.

There’s still much we don’t know about the ECS, but we do know that it can have a real impact on various bodily processes and even emotions. It can affect one’s mood, tiredness, appetite, sensations, memory, stress levels, and so on.

What is CBD?

CBD is another name for cannabidiol, which is a naturally-occurring compound found in cannabis sativa plants. It can be extracted from both marijuana and hemp plants and is being used worldwide for the treatment of various mental and physical health conditions.

CBD and the endocannabinoid system interact to trigger various effects and processes throughout the human body.

How Does it Work?

So how does CBD interact with the endocannabinoid system? Well, the truth is that scientists still don’t quite understand everything about how the ECS actually works on its own, and are still investigating the links between the endocannabinoid system and CBD oil too. It’s a complicated system that has been linked to a lot of different functions and signals throughout the body.

What we do know is that endocannabinoids are able to bind to special receptors in the ECS, which then leads to various effects occurring throughout the body. These effects might include changes to mood, pain, sensations, energy levels, and so on.

The body produces its own endocannabinoids to work with the ECS, but we can also supplement the system with the use of cannabinoids taken from cannabis plants, including THC and CBD, which are believed to bind to ECS receptors in a similar way and trigger their own unique effects.

Effects of CBD

Once again, the detailed specifics of how CBD and endocannabinoid system work together have not yet been fully explored, with research still ongoing. However, studies, research, and anecdotal evidence from millions of CBD users worldwide have revealed some clear, proven effects.

CBD is able to offer a range of beneficial effects for the human body, especially for people who are suffering from certain physical or mental health conditions. It has been linked with pain relief, soothing inflammation, lowering stress and anxiety levels, slowing the spread of certain diseases, reducing the frequency and severity of seizures, and more.

Endocannabinoids

Endocannabinoids are one of the three main components that naturally make up the ECS. They may also be called endogenous cannabinoids, and they’re naturally produced by the human body.

In terms of chemical structure, they’re quite similar to cannabinoids such as CBD but have slight differences. Scientists have discovered two of these endocannabinoids present in humans so far: anandamide and 2-arachidonoylglyerol.

Main Components of the Endocannabinoid System

There are three main parts to take into account when looking at the CBD endocannabinoid system: endocannabinoids, receptors, and enzymes.

As stated above, the endocannabinoids are compounds created by the human body that are chemically similar to cannabinoids found in actual cannabis plants. They’re used for various bodily processes, and the body produces them naturally.

To function, the endocannabinoids bind to endocannabinoid receptors, found throughout the nervous system. When this binding occurs, the ECS receives a signal to act, triggering different effects throughout the body.

Finally, once the endocannabinoids have carried out their needed duties, enzymes – the third and final component of the ECS – are released to break them down.

Which Bodily Functions Are Regulated by the Endocannabinoid System?

The ECS is a very complicated system and studies are still discovering more about it with every passing year. For now, scientists have found links between the ECS and these processes and functions:

• Sleep
• Stress
• Pain
• Motor control
• Metabolism
• Appetite
• Inflammation
• Immune system response
• Muscle development
• Bone development
• Organ function
• The nervous system
• The reproductive system
• The cardiovascular system
• Memory

It’s clear to see that the ECS is complex but vital for our survival. It plays a key role in regulating and balancing many processes throughout the body, and the endocannabinoid system and CBD can also work together to produce various beneficial effects as well. More research is required, but we can be sure that ECS plays a massive part in people’s general health and well-being.

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