The Endocannabinoid System – Purality Health® Liposomal Products

Whether or not you enjoy the benefits of the cannabis plant, your body still produces and uses endocannabinoids as part of the human endocannabinoid system (ECS). It’s true! Humans are built with the ability to produce cannabinoid-like molecules that bind to receptors in our bodies, which affect our health in different ways.

If you’re feeling a bit confused, don’t worry, because in this blog we want to help you understand exactly what the endocannabinoid system is, how it works, and how it affects your health.

What is the endocannabinoid system?

The ECS is a system that exists naturally in all of us. In fact, it is believed to be an important part of our health. Indeed, the researchers discovered that the ECS could play a role in homeostasis. Homeostasis is the process that keeps all of our bodily systems in balance. So, for example, if your blood pressure increases, your heart rate will slow down to reduce blood pressure. If your blood pressure drops, the heart will pump faster to increase the pressure. No one has to tell it what to do, but homeostasis means that the body will automatically seek balance and adjust body systems to restore balance.

Back to endocannabinoids. This system is made up of endocannabinoid molecules that we produce internally, endocannabinoid receptors, and endocannabinoid enzymes that break down circulating endocannabinoid molecules. And of course we know that it interacts with all the cannabinoids that we can ingest from the cannabis plant.

Ultimately, there is a lot to discover about the ECS, but let’s review what is known about this fascinating part of our body!

Known endogenous cannabinoids

There are two endocannabinoids, also called endogenous cannabinoids, known to researchers. Endogenous means that they are molecules that we produce ourselves in the body. The two endocannabinoids are anandamide (AEA) and 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG).

AEA is often known as the “happiness molecule”. Anandamide is roughly translated from the Sanskrit word “ananda”, which means “happiness” or “joy”. It is known to help us maintain homeostasis, by regulating our inflammatory response and signaling neural pathways in the nervous system. [2] Additionally, AEA is also thought to play a role in improving mood, pain management, appetite, and fertility. [3-5]

2-AG has similar effects to AEA, but is found in much higher concentrations, especially in the brain. Like AEA, researchers have found that 2-AG may be involved in regulating inflammation, food intake, pain sensation, and mood, but it may also be linked to locomotor activity, learning and memory, dependence and reward. [6]

Endocannabinoid receptors

Researchers have identified two main endocannabinoid receptors. Cannabinoids, whether made by our body or ingested by us, bind to these receptors and cause action in the body. Let’s review the two receivers we currently know about:

• CB1 receptors are found in the brain and central nervous system, and are thought to be involved in mood, thought, emotion, pain, and movement.
• CB2 receptors are found throughout the immune system. These receptors may be more closely linked to inflammation. [1]

A quick note on cannabinoids and endocannabinoid receptors – while THC binds to both CB1 and CB2 receptors in our bodies, scientists believe that CBD interacts with the ECS in a slightly different way. A common theory is that CBD prevents circulating endocannabinoids, AEA and 2-AG, from breaking down, allowing them to work in our bodies for a longer period of time. Others think there might be other receptors we haven’t discovered yet. [8]

How endocannabinoids affect our health

The ECS is often thought to influence many different areas of our health. This includes learning and memory, executive function decision-making, sensory and motor reactivity and emotional reactions, as well as feeding and other homeostatic processes. It does this through the action of the endocannabinoids AEA and 2-AG.

However, there is preliminary evidence to suggest that an endocannabinoid deficiency can occur, known as clinical endocannabinoid deficiency (CECD). Researchers speculate that it may play a role in conditions like migraines, fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome, and more. [7] However, because our bodies make endocannabinoids according to our needs, scientists have struggled to determine what an “ideal level” of AEA and 2-AG would be.

While it is true that we have a basic understanding of the endocannabinoid system, it is clear that we still have a lot to learn. However, it is important to know how cannabinoids, both endogenous and cannabis-based, affect us (and how they can benefit us) on a deeper level.

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Quotes

1. Zou S, Kumar U. Cannabinoid receptors and the endocannabinoid system: signaling and function in the central nervous system. Int J Mol Sci. 2018;19(3):833. Published March 13, 2018. doi:10.3390/ijms19030833
2. Bennett, Patrick. “Discover the ‘Bliss Molecule’ anandamide, a cannabinoid produced by your body.” leafyJuly 28, 2020, https://www.leafly.com/news/science-tech/meet-bliss-molecule-anandamide-cannabinoid
3. Dincheva, I., Drysdale, A., Hartley, C. et al. FAAH genetic variation improves fronto-amygdala function in mice and humans. Nat Common 6, 6395 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms7395
4. Mona R. El-Talatini, Anthony H. Taylor, Justin C. Konje, Fluctuation in anandamide levels from ovulation to early pregnancy in in vitro fertilization-transfer of female embryos, and its hormonal regulation, human reproductionVolume 24, Number 8, August 2009, Pages 1989–1998, https://doi.org/10.1093/humrep/dep065
5. Dietrich A, McDaniel WFEndocannabinoids and exerciseBritish Journal of Sports Medicine 2004 ;38:536-541.
6. Marc P. Baggelaar, Mauro Maccarrone, Mario van der Stelt. 2-Arachidonoylglycerol: a signaling lipid with multiple actions in the brain, Progress in Lipid Research, Volume 71, 2018. Pages 1-17, ISSN 0163-7827, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.plipres.2018.05.002.
7. Russo, Ethan B. “Clinical Endocannabinoid Deficiency Reconsidered: Current Research Supports Theory of Migraine, Fibromyalgia, Irritable Bowel, and Other Treatment-Resistant Syndromes.” Cannabis and cannabinoid research volume 1.1 154-165. July 1, 2016, doi:10.1089/can.2016.0009
8. Raypole, Crystal. “Endocannabinoid system: a simple guide to how it works.” Health lineHealthline Media, May 17, 2019, https://www.healthline.com/health/endocannabinoid-system#cbd.