Endocannabinoid System and CBD
It was medical marijuana laws that changed the legal status of cannabis nationwide, opening the doors for an adult-use market and creating a path towards full legalization. Cannabis patients across the country have used the plant to treat a growing number of medical conditions. How does cannabis address so many different conditions? How does the body interact with the plant to produce these medicinal effects? What research has been to done to demonstrate the efficacy of medicinal cannabis? The endocannabinoid system is essential to human health because it maintains homeostasis in the body.
How Does CBD Affect the Endocannabinoid System?
After several decades of research, scientists studying the effects of marijuana made several important discoveries. Not only did they identify the active ingredient in marijuana, they also discovered where and how it works in the brain—via a new system they called the endocannabinoid EC system. The EC system—named after the marijuana plant Cannabis sativa and its active ingredient deltatetrahydrocannabinol THC —is a unique communications system in the brain and body that affects many important functions, including how a person feels, moves, and reacts.
The natural chemicals produced by the body that interact within the EC system are called cannabinoids, and like THC, they interact with receptors to regulate these important body functions. Review Figure 1 and the steps below to take a closer look at the components of the EC system, how it works, and the effects of THC. Typically, the chemicals called neurotransmitters are released from a neuron a presynaptic cell , travel across a small gap the synapse , and then attach to specific receptors located on a nearby neuron postsynaptic cell.
This spurs the receiving neuron into action, triggering a set of events that allows the message to be passed along. Then they are released from that cell and travel backward to the presynaptic neuron, where they attach to cannabinoid receptors.
So why is this important? Since cannabinoids act on presynaptic cells, they can control what happens next when these cells are activated. When a person smokes marijuana, THC overwhelms the EC system, quickly attaching to cannabinoid receptors throughout the brain and body.
This interferes with the ability of natural cannabinoids to do their job of fine-tuning communication between neurons, which can throw the entire system off balance. Refer to Figure 2 to see areas of the brain with cannabinoid receptors , then locate those areas on the chart to study some of the different effects of THC on the user.
Figure 2: Locations of Cannabinoid Receptors in the Brain. Department of Health and Human Services. Skip to main content.
Heads Up teacher site.
What's unique about CBD, unlike it's counterpart THC, is how it interacts with the Endocannabinoid system. Unlike traditional marijuana (THC). How Does CBD Affect the Endocannabinoid System? CBD and Cannabinoid Receptors; Cannabinoid Receptor Type 1 (CB1); Cannabinoid Receptor Type 2.
Nothing Found for " ". Cannabidiol CBD may be the second-most-prominent compound of the cannabis plant, but these days, it's certainly the most talked about among the general population. Though slightly less dominant and historically less sought after than its high-inducing counterpart, THC , CBD has become a major trend not just in the cannabis industry, but also in health and wellness, food, and even cosmetic products. Budding mainstream interest in CBD, combined with mounting evidence detailing its therapeutic benefits, has made us all curious about this non-intoxicating cannabinoid and what it can do for us.
Powered by Shopify.
Superfoods Immune Energizer. A Immune Support Advanced Diet a
The Endocannabinoid System – An Overview
After several decades of research, scientists studying the effects of marijuana made several important discoveries. Not only did they identify the active ingredient in marijuana, they also discovered where and how it works in the brain—via a new system they called the endocannabinoid EC system. The EC system—named after the marijuana plant Cannabis sativa and its active ingredient deltatetrahydrocannabinol THC —is a unique communications system in the brain and body that affects many important functions, including how a person feels, moves, and reacts. The natural chemicals produced by the body that interact within the EC system are called cannabinoids, and like THC, they interact with receptors to regulate these important body functions. Review Figure 1 and the steps below to take a closer look at the components of the EC system, how it works, and the effects of THC.
The Endocannabinoid System:
JavaScript seems to be disabled in your browser. For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. By using our site, you agree to our privacy policy. Click Continue or just keep browsing to accept. Learn more. Charlotte's Web Basics. Healthy relationships play an influential role in the quality of our everyday existence. From our family bonds, the environments in which we live, the food we eat, how we physically feel, to how we see ourselves.
We've reopened our online seed store.
Cannabis has been at the center of one of the most exciting—and underreported—developments in modern science. The discovery of receptors in the brain that respond pharmacologically to cannabis—and the subsequent identification of endogenous cannabinoid compounds in our own bodies that bind to these receptors—has significantly advanced our understanding of human biology, health, and disease.
The Endocannabinoid System
Recent science has found that the endocannabinoid system does not just respond to the endocannabinoids produced in the body, but also respond to external cannabinoids like the phytocannabinoid cannabidiol, or CBD. Introducing CBD to the body can help reduce the symptoms of a wide range of illnesses including epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, chronic inflammation, depression, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, anxiety, and opioid withdrawal. CBD does not bind directly to either of these receptors but instead impacts them indirectly. These indirect actions include activating TRPV1 Receptors that work to control important functions like pain perception, body temperature, and inflammation. CBD can also increase the amount of anandamide in the body. By stimulating the endocannabinoid system, CBD promotes homeostasis, reduces pain sensation and decreases inflammation. Your endocannabinoid system plays a role in regulating everything from mood to inflammation. The endocannabinoid system's purpose is to respond to endogenous cannabinoids produced within the human body. During their research, scientists have learned that the system will also recognize and respond to cannabinoids from external sources, including the phytocannabinoid cannabidiol CBD. According to the National Institute of Health , manipulating the endocannabinoid system by introducing external cannabinoids like CBD could be useful in treating a variety of medical ailments, including:.
The Science of the Endocannabinoid System: How THC Affects the Brain and the Body
The following information is presented for educational purposes only. Medical Marijuana Inc. Links to third party websites do not constitute an endorsement of these organizations by Medical Marijuana Inc. Have you ever wondered how cannabinoids interact with your body? The answer is through the endocannabinoid system and natural cannabinoid receptors in the human body.
