Endocannabinoid system: How it works and what it is for
Relatively recently, it has been discovered that humans and animals have an endocannabinoid system, in other words, we have receptors for cannabinoids.
Although this discovery is new, throughout history and until 1937, the year in which cannabis was first criminalized in the USA, cannabis has been used to enhance health, wellness and as a beauty treatment. So much so that it is said that Queen Victoria used cannabis oil to relieve her menstrual cramps and that even JFK smoked cannabis to relieve his pain. And until this prohibition, pharmacies and apothecaries had a good arsenal of cannabis-based products.
And although in our minds "Cannabis" sounds like a stigma, our bodies love it. Such was the cases that we even have a whole system for using it: The endocannabinoid system.
How works the endocannabinoid system?
The endocannabinoid system in our bodies works like a lock and key. The locks are the receptors found in our brains, central nervous systems and throughout the body. They are called CB1 and CB2 receptors. And cannabis is the key. When we consume it, the medicinal compounds move through the bloodstream until they find and attach to the CB1 and CB2 receptors in our bodies, and it takes effect, our pain or stress disappears and makes us feel better. Everyone's endocannabinoid system is unique, that's why the dose of cbd everyone needs is different.
What is the endocannabinoid system for?
The endocannabinoid system helps maintain homeostasis throughout the body, but what is homeostasis? Well, it is a stable equilibrium in which every system in our body functions efficiently.
When we are sick, it is because there is an imbalance of homeostasis, that is, when there is something in our body that is out of control. What the endocannabinoid system does is that it identifies this imbalance and works to try to correct it.
There are studies that have shown that when we have problems such as pain, anxiety, arthritis, etc., the endocannabinoid system responds by creating more receptors to make us feel better and reduce the pain with the "keys" that we talked about before. Furthermore, there is a theory that many conditions are the result of a deficiency of cannabinoids in the body, and that maintaining a strong endocannabinoid system is as important as maintaining a strong immune system.
The human body's wisdom
But cannabis is not the only one that produces feel-good compounds. The human body itself produces many natural compounds, one of which is anandamide, which functions just like the compounds in cannabis.
Anandamide compounds regulate mood, sleep, pain, appetite and other functions, just like cannabis. What's more, breast milk contains anandamide compounds that help newborns breastfeed, while other compounds help regulate inflammation, immune function and thermoregulation.
And you, did you know about them? We hope we have helped you to understand the endocannabinoid system a little better, especially how it works and what it is used for. And if you have any more questions, we will read you in the comments!
*Disclaimer: The information listed, referenced or linked to in this post and all blog content is for general educational purposes only and does not provide professional medical or legal advice.