The Cannabinoid Connection
Why Cannabis Works So Well With Our Bodies
Cannabinoids - a long sciencey-sounding word that by itself doesn’t sound very cool or exciting. However, cannabinoids are the secret to understanding how cannabis can help your body with pain, stress, appetite, inflammation, and sleep.
What Makes Cannabis so Special?
Researchers have identified over 100 different cannabinoids in the cannabis plant. But the two cannabinoids that are changing the world of self-care and natural remedies are THC and CBD. Maybe you’ve heard of them? THC (short for tetrahydrocannabinol) and CBD (cannabidiol) are the main cannabinoids of the cannabis plant that everyone’s raving about. These two plant cannabinoids are able to interact within your body and do way more than just giving you a “high” feeling. THC and CBD can help ease chronic pain, stress, and anxiety. But in order to really understand why cannabis is one of the most beloved and oldest natural remedies, you first need to know about your own Endocannabinoid System (ECS). What is the endocannabinoid system? So glad you asked.
What’s This Endocannabinoid System You Speak Of?
Cannabis has been used for centuries, but it wasn’t until 1992 that researchers finally cracked the code of how THC and CBD work. In the middle of trying to understand the effects of cannabis on the body, researchers stumbled upon the Endocannabinoid System. It turns out, your body produces its own endogenous cannabinoids, or endocannabinoids (“endo” is a prefix meaning inner). The ECS is a cell signaling system whose main purpose is to help keep your body in balance, helping your body adjust to outside stressors and regulate things like sleep, appetite, and mood.
There are three major players of your Endocannabinoid System:
Endocannabinoids - chemical compounds (messengers”) that send signals throughout your body. Your body produces the “bliss” cannabinoid anandamide (AEA) and 2-Arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG). Their job is to unlock your ECS receptors and trigger responses within the body to bring you back to homeostasis.
Endocannabinoid receptors - CB1 and CB2 receptors that are located throughout the body. CB1 receptors are mostly found in your central nervous system and help regulate brain functions. CB2 receptors primarily hang out in your immune system and help regulate things like inflammation. When endocannabinoids bind to your CB1 and CB2 receptors, it signals your body to act against an internal or external stressor - like inflammation or an anxiety-inducing situation.
Enzymes - responsible for breaking down your endocannabinoids, triggering a bodily response to the stressor.
Phew! I know that’s a lot of science. Bear with me.
Just Tell Me How it All Works
What does all this science mean? Let's say you have a stressful moment or encounter a stressful situation, your ECS releases endocannabinoids that signal your CB1 and CB2 receptors to respond to that stress. Feeling some back pain? 2-AG endocannabinoids will bind to your CB1 receptors to help signal your body to alleviate the nerve pain. Sore from working out? Your AEA endocannabinoids will signal to your CB2 receptors that inflammation is happening in that part of your body. Feeling anxious? Your endocannabinoids are here to help counteract stress hormones.
What’s Cannabis Got To Do With It?
This is where things get really cool. It’s all about your ECS receptors. Cannabis cannabinoids are able to unlock your ECS receptors, mimicking your own endocannabinoids. In fact, CB1 receptors are also called “THC receptors.” When THC binds with your CB1 receptors it helps increase the release of dopamine in the brain. This can help calm the brain and dampen pain signals. This is also what causes that “high” experience.
CBD doesn’t directly bind to your CB1 and CB2 receptors like THC does, which is why it doesn’t produce the same psychoactive effect as THC. Instead, CBD acts more like a modifier, influencing the receptor system by increasing levels of serotonin and delaying the breakdown of Anandamide. This is why CBD can help you calm the mind, sleep better and ease certain types of chronic pain.
Finding Your Personal Balance
Cannabis is here to help when your own ECS system isn’t fitting the bill.
When you consume cannabis, you’re helping your body find its way back to homeostasis. Now you know a little more about the science behind the cannabis plant, the key is to find the right dose and balance of THC and CBD that works best for you. The beautiful truth is that cannabis interacts with everyone’s body differently. Nothing is ever truly one size fits all - especially when it comes to health and self-care. Luckily, now we have plenty of microdosing cannabis products designed to help you discover your perfect dose. And if your perfect “high” turns out to be no high at all, CBD-only products are here to still give you the benefits of mother nature’s cannabis plant.
The more you understand how the cannabis plant interacts with your body, the more empowered you’ll be to find quality products that truly fit your needs. Whether you need something to calm the mind, are worried about inflammation, or need a little help falling asleep - cannabis paired with other natural ingredients can serve as the all-natural remedy you’ve been looking for.