How It Works
Unlike THC, CBD is unique in that it has a wide range of effects on many of the body’s most important systems that are responsible for regulating our health. CBD has an affinity for activating serotonin receptors , which control anxiety, calmness and mood; vanilloid receptors, which control and modulate how we experience pain; adenosine receptors, which control the quality and depth of our sleep; and indirectly influences endocannabinoid receptors, which control memory, energy levels, stress levels, pain tolerance, body temperature and appetite, among many others things . As such, it continues to be studied closely as a potential ‘wonder drug’ by both nutraceutical and pharmaceutical companies worldwide. Everyday it seems like a new study is being released confirming or singing the praises of a new range of benefits from CBD, which is being hailed in many scientific circles as one of the most remarkable new medicines discovered in decades
What is the Endocannabinoid System?
The ECS or Endocannabinoid System is composed out of cell receptors and their adjacent molecules. These receptors act pretty much like locks, as only specific keys can open them up or, in this case, make them react. In anatomy, the keys to these locks are called agonist, which are small chemical molecules capable of triggering a wide range of reactions in the body.
So, each time an agonist (CBD) meets a receptor cell, it will activate it, but it will also transmit a message as well, letting the receptor know what it has to do. Thus, when it comes to the ECS, there are two main types of receptors that make its body, and we are talking about Cannabinoid Receptor 1 or CB1 and Cannabinoid Receptor 2 or CB2. The efficiency of cannabinoids, such as CBD, lies in the endocannabinoid system of our own body. In other words, we were designed to have special receptors that bind with these compounds extracted from plants. And when they do, incredible things happen in our body, things that are not yet fully understood but manage to provide relief to so many people.
The keys or agonists of these receptors are the endocannabinoids. “Endo” can be translated as “within” and “cannabinoid” makes reference to a compound that is more than suitable for fit within the cannabinoid receptors. The health benefits of Cannabidiol are well established. We all have an endocannabinoid system (ECS)
The ECS system is a group of endogeneous cannabinoid receptors located in the brain and throughout the central and peripheral nervous system, neuromodulatory lipids and their recepors. CBD specifically interact with the CB1 and CB2 receptors that send signals to wake up and strengthen the immune system naturally.
This is because our endocannabinoid system is intricately linked to our nervous system and immune system, as well as our brain and digestive system.
Getting back to the endocannabinoid system, it is worth mentioning that each person has this system active in his or her body, as it is part of the way we are created. Its main role is to maintain a state of well-being at a physiological level, as it is spread throughout our entire body. Because our body is amazing, it knows when to make these cannabinoids and how to use them, to help us preserve a great state of health.
Of course, there are cases in which the ECS is not working as it should and we end up having difficulties managing the health problems we may be suffering from. Thus, we can all aid our ECS by adding the right dose of cannabinoids extracted from the cannabis plant, which has the same structure and purpose as those created by our own body.
Endocannabinoids and their receptors are found throughout the body: in the brain, organs, connective tissues, glands, and immune cells. The endocannabinoid system, with its complex actions in our immune system, nervous system, and all of the body’s organs, is literally a bridge between body and mind.