Endocannabinoid System - Huh?
Back in the day, we never studied the Endocannabinoid System (ECS) in human anatomy & physiology class, what is it… and for most of us, this lingering statement holds true. The study of the Endocannabinoid system is still in its infancy, however with research we have come a long way in our understanding of just how it works. In the 1980s, President Ronald Reagan allocated tens of millions of dollars to prove that marijuana caused brain damage… remember the slogan, “Just Say No,” that’s where it all started. However, these government directed studies proved just the opposite, and prompted the administration to subsidize another series of studies, which led to the discovery of the endocannabinoid system. Today, we understand that the ECS is a network of receptors and messengers that create the communication system between your body and your brain. Think of it as a system of locks and keys.
Throughout the human body, there are receptors (CB1 & CB2), these are the locks. Cannabinoids function as keys that create a bodily response when the lock is activated. The human body makes two different types of cannabinoids naturally. They are called endocannabinoids because they are generated within the system. 2-AG and anandamide are the two endocannabinoids the body naturally produces within the Endocannabinoid system. Through scientific research, we now know that the ECS is responsible for regulating many important biological functions, including but not limited to…
- Immune System Responses
- Memory & Learning
- Stress Responses
- Neuroprotection
- Muscle Movement
- Pain Regulation
- Moods
- Social Behavior
- Digestion
- Circulatory Responses
- Sleep Regulation
In the perfect world, our Endocannabinoid System would remain in perfect balance and harmony. Unfortunately, this is not the reality for most of us. Our bodies are put under the assault of stress, injury, and illness daily. What happens if your body does not produce enough endocannabinoids to satisfy all of the communication required to maintain balance within your body’s systems? The ECS becomes unbalanced and leaves the body susceptible. Through many years of laboratory research, some scientists believe that many medical conditions and diseases may actually stem from Endocannabinoid deficiencies. If you think about how many systems in the body need to communicate to remain healthy and balanced, it makes sense that if you take away some of this communication, bodily functions may go haywire. Fibromyalgia may be potentially caused by ECS deficiencies. So, how do we restore balance within our body? What can we do to help stabilize our health? Is there a way to replace the endocannabinoids if my body is deficient?
Yes. That is your simple answer. The exogenous cannabinoids in CBD, whether they come from the cannabis plant marijuana or from the cannabis plant hemp, mimic the actions of your body’s naturally occurring cannabinoids. Thus, CBD has the ability to help supplement and restore balance to your ECS system. So, the next time your body is out of sync… think twice about what you can do to reestablish homeostasis and if CBD therapy is right for your lifestyle.
