What is the Endocannabinoid System?

The benefits of medical marijuana and hemp are many and as every day passes, research deepens into how we can use this amazing plant to heal and help so many people around the world. How do the cannabis plant and the products made from it have an effect on the body? The effect of cannabis and its active components like THC and CBD works on the body through the endocannabinoid system or ECS. We take a look in more detail into what exactly the endocannabinoid system is. From here on out, we will call it the ECS.

The ECS is made up of a network of cannabinoid receptors, the main ones of which are cannabinoid receptor type 1 (CB1) and cannabinoid receptor type 2 (CB2). Our ECS has its own endocannabinoids as well as enzymes. Working together, this system regulates the functions we mentioned above.

When something happens to the body to disturb its homeostasis (balance), endocannabinoids are produced and released and bind to CB1 or CB2 receptors. The act of the endocannabinoids binding to receptors (like a key fitting into a lock, where the receptors are the lock) leads to bodily responses that seek to restore balance.

One of the main responses in the body regulated by the ECS is the stress response. When something happens to cause stress to the body, the ECS can help to reduce the effect of the stress and calm the body.

The compounds found in cannabis that include THC, CBD, and many other phytocannabinoids and terpenoids can help the ECS do its job by fitting into the CB1 and CB2 receptors in the same way that our endocannabinoids do. In this way, they can influence or enhance the function of the ECS.

Research is only just beginning to study the hundreds of compounds in the magical cannabis plant and how beneficial it can be for the human body.

Related posts:

The wind is slapping my ears. I hear nothing but the direction of air. My heavy panting cover the noise as I try to cope with the exhaustion of coming here. I stand near the edge, anxious of the…

Data structures are everywhere. Every developer should know how they work under the hood, starting from the most common ones. You should pick the data structure that is the most suitable for your…

Drones are revolutionizing the industrial landscape. Data from Grand View Research shows that the commercial drone market was valued at $5.80 billion in 2018 and is projected to grow at a CAGR of…