Endocannabinoid System

Have you ever wondered why your pain or stress will gradually decrease on its own, or how your body heals itself while you’re asleep? The human body is a highly functioning machine with different systems working together to keep you as balanced as possible – one of these is the Endocannabinoid System, or ECS. While scientists did not discover this system until the late 1980s, it is believed that it has always played a role in maintaining balance and regulating biological processes. Today, scientists are studying the ability to manipulate this system to help restore balance more quickly and to relieve certain health issues by more natural means.

Understanding how the ECS works may give you insight into why you experience the benefits of CBD and other cannabinoids. Allow us to teach you the basics of the Endocannabinoid System, its components, and what makes it an invaluable part of your everyday life.

What Is The Endocannabinoid System?

The ECS is made up of cannabinoid receptors, endocannabinoids (chemical compounds made within the body) and enzymes that break down these endocannabinoids. Located in the brain, connective tissue, glands, organs and immune cells, the ECS effectively impacts the whole body to create a stable internal environment regardless of the changing outside elements. Research suggests that the ECS may have a hand in monitoring several biological processes:

Appetite
Pain
Memory
Sleep-Wake Cycle
Reproductive Processes (fertility, pregnancy, embryo implantation)
Cell Production
Oil Production and Secretion

More studies are still being conducted to solidify exactly how the ECS affects these processes, but the concentration and activation of endocannabinoids and their receptors during times of imbalance suggests that the system does play a role.

Receptors

The ECS makes changes in the body with the help of a network of receptors. These receptors sit on organs and nerves waiting for homeostatic imbalance to occur. Due to the recent discovery of the Endocannabinoid System, there could still be several undiscovered cannabinoid receptors. However, two primary cannabinoid receptors have been studied and are thought to be the most abundant:

CB1 Receptors

The most abundant of the endocannabinoid receptors, CB1s exist mainly in the brain and central nervous system; however, these receptors can also be found in some peripheral organs and tissues.

CB2 Receptors

While CB2 receptors are located throughout the body and in the brain, they concentrate mostly on the immune cells and peripheral nervous system.

Endocannabinoids

Endocannabinoids are compounds created on demand by fat-like molecules that interact directly with the cannabinoid receptors to restore homeostasis. Both 2-AG and anandamide act as agonists which means they bind to receptors and cause a response throughout the body.

Anandamide

Anandamide, the “bliss” molecule, plays a role in mental clarity, sleep, memory, fertility and more. The levels of this cannabinoid naturally increase in the body during physical activity, leading researchers to believe that it contributes to “runner’s high.” Generally, anandamide doesn’t bind to either the CB1 or CB2 receptors particularly well even though it has an influence on many processes, especially in the brain.

2-Arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG)

Found in the brain and peripheral tissue, 2-AG binds well with both CB1 and CB2 receptors. However, it focuses its efforts on the CB2 receptors, giving this endocannabinoid a vital role in the immune response.

Metabolic Enzymes

Unlike hormones and neurotransmitters, endocannabinoids do not linger and are not stored for use later. These metabolic enzymes make sure that the endocannabinoids are not around for longer than they’re needed by breaking them down quickly after they are used:

Fatty Acid Amide Hydrolase (FAAH) - This enzyme quickly breaks down anandamide in the synapses

Monoacylglyceride (MGL) - Responsible for the breakdown of 2-AG