How can a single plant address so many different conditions while remaining both safe and highly effective? In seeking answers to this, scientists in the 1990s uncovered a previously unknown physiological system: the endogenous cannabinoid system, more commonly known as the endocannabinoid system, or ECS. This discovery has been key to understanding how cannabinoids from the hemp and cannabis plants like CBD can impact our health in profound ways.
Italian scientist Vincenzo DiMarzo explained that the endocannabinoid system (ECS) plays a crucial role in supporting our health by helping us "eat, sleep, relax, protect, and forget" (The Editors of Readers Digest and Project CBD, 2022, p. 1). Let’s dive deeper into these five essential functions to better understand how the ECS influences our well-being.
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Eat: The ECS plays a key role in regulating appetite and signaling when you're full.
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Sleep: It helps you unwind and supports a restful night’s sleep.
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Relax: The ECS contributes to both physical and mental wellness by reducing stress.
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Protect: It supports brain health by generating new brain cells, helps maintain a healthy metabolism, and keeps your immune system strong to fight off threats.
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Forget: While it might seem unusual, forgetting is vital for healthy living. If you remembered every detail of every moment, functioning would become overwhelming. The ECS helps balance memory by letting go of unnecessary information.
CBD's Influence on the Endocannabinoid System
The Endocannabinoid System (ECS) is a network of receptors, primarily CB1 and CB2, distributed throughout the body. CB1 receptors are primarily concentrated in the brain and central nervous system, while CB2 receptors are abundant in the immune system. Our bodies naturally produce endocannabinoids, which communicate with these receptors to help restore balance where needed. However, people can be deficient in endocannabinoids, often due to factors like chronic stress and environmental factors (Dr. Dustin Sulak, p. 1). That is where CBD comes in. Phytocannabinoids, plant-based cannabinoids like CBD, can supplement this deficiency. CBD functions a lot like our body’s own endocannabinoids, supporting the ECS in its role of promoting balance and wellbeing.
Now let's dive deeper into the ECS and discover how supporting this system can potentially benefit you.
Master Regulator
The ECS is known as the body's master regulator, as this system controls a broad range of physiological processes including ...
Core bodily functions:
- Appetite and digestion
- Metabolism
- Temperature control
- Sleep
- Stress
Physical structure and movement:
- Motor control
- Muscle formation
- Bone remodeling and growth
Immune and pain response:
- Chronic pain
- Inflammation and other immune system responses
Mental and emotional health:
- Mood
- Learning and memory
Organ system function:
- Cardiovascular system function
- Reproductive system function
- Liver function
External and sensory function:
- Skin and nerve function
The U.S. National Institutes of Health scientists Pal Pacher and George Kunos declared that "modulating endocannabinoid system activity may have therapeutic potential in almost all diseases affecting humans" (Pacher and Kunos, 2014, p.2).
Components of ECS
The ECS has four basic components: endocannabinoids, cannabinoid receptors, enzymes that produce and breakdown endocannabinoids, and transport molecules.
Endocannabinoids
Endocannabinoids, also called endogenous cannabinoids, are molecules made by your body. They are similar to phytocannabinoids, but they are produced by your body! These molecules attach to cannabinoid receptors and activate them like a key turning a lock. Scientists have identified several endocannabinoids in our bodies, with two being the most prominent: 2-Arachidonoylglycerol (2AG) and anandamide. Anandamide, named after the Sanskrit word "ananda," meaning "bliss," is well-known for its role in boosting mood (Ashton and Moore, 2011, p.1).
Endocannabinoid Receptors
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CB1 receptors, which are concentrated in your brain and central nervous system
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CB2 receptors, which are concentrated in your immune system
Endocannabinoids can bind to either receptor. The effects that result are dependent on where the receptor is located. For example, endocannabinoids might bind to a CB2 receptor in your immune cells to signal that your body's experiencing inflammation. Others might target CB1 receptors in a spinal nerve to relieve pain (Raypole, 2019).
Metabolic Enzymes
These enzymes are proteins that are involved in both creating endocannabinoids when needed and breaking them down and destroying them once the endocannabinoids have carried out their function.
Transport Molecules
Recently, scientists found a new part of the endocannabinoid system (ECS) called transport molecules. These molecules act like tiny shuttles that move natural cannabinoids, or "endocannabinoids," to where they’re needed. Known as fatty acid binding proteins, these transport molecules also help CBD work in the body. When you take CBD, it "cuts in line" and takes a spot on the shuttle, pushing aside natural cannabinoids like 2AG and anandamide (The Editors of Readers Digest and Project CBD, 2022, p. 3). This allows those natural cannabinoids to stick around longer on the surface of your cells, activating your CB1 and CB2 receptors for an extended period before they’re moved inside the cell to be broken down.
In simple terms, CBD acts like a “reuptake inhibitor,” making your natural cannabinoids last longer and allowing them to have more effects on the body. Just like exercising strengthens your muscles by giving them more time under tension, CBD improves the "tone" of your endocannabinoid system by keeping it active longer. This process may be one of the ways CBD helps protect the brain, reduce stress, and support overall health.
Unlocking Vitality from Within
The discovery of the endocannabinoid system has revolutionized our understanding of how a single plant compound like CBD can influence so many aspects of human health. As the body’s master regulator, the ECS plays a vital role in maintaining balance across nearly every major physiological system - from sleep and stress to immune function and inflammation. By supporting this intricate network with plant-based cannabinoids like CBD, we’re not introducing something foreign to the body, but rather enhancing a system that already exists to keep us healthy and resilient. As research continues to unfold, one thing is clear: nurturing the ECS may be a key to unlocking greater vitality and well-being for many.
To good health,
Founder - Bridget Hoppe
References
Ashton, C. H., & Moore, P. B. (2011). Endocannabinoid system dysfunction in mood and related disorders. Acta psychiatrica Scandinavica, 124(4), 250–261. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0447.2011.01687.x
Dr. Sulak, D. The Endocannabinoid System: How and Why Cannabis Works. Retrieved November 7, 2024. https://healer.com/cannabis-education-training-course-and-certification-program/#module-5
Kilaru, A., & Chapman, K. D. (2020). The endocannabinoid system. Essays in biochemistry, 64(3), 485–499. https://doi.org/10.1042/EBC20190086
Kobylewski, S., & Jacobson, M. F. (2012). Toxicology of food dyes. International journal of occupational and environmental health, 18(3), 220–246. https://doi.org/10.1179/1077352512Z.00000000034
Pacher, P., & Kunos, G. (2013). Modulating the endocannabinoid system in human health and disease--successes and failures. The FEBS journal, 280(9), 1918–1943. https://doi.org/10.1111/febs.12260
The Editors Of Readers Digest and Project CBD (Ed.). (2023, April 13). CBD & the Endocannabinoid System. Project CBD. https://projectcbd.org/science/cbd-the-endocannabinoid-system/