In today’s world, stress is not a minor issue anymore. On the contrary, it has become one of the leading health problems with sufferers in every household of all ages, genders, and shapes, almost like an epidemic nowadays.
We cannot call it a disease with a time span and can hardly reason a sick leave. However, it messes with our work, success, happiness, and wellbeing, building up little by little through everyday stressors like heavy traffic, increased demand, excessive work-load, and so on. Moreover, climate change and our polluted environment also create stressful impacts that we suffer.
Therefore, people take it seriously and try different methods to treat it or keep it under control. With science development, now we know what we should trigger our body to fight with stress-related fatigue successfully and how. And here comes the knowledge of the endocannabinoid system.
What Is The Endocannabinoid System?
The endocannabinoid system was first identified in the 1990s by exploring THC, a prominent cannabinoid present in Cannabis. Anyone who would learn about the endocannabinoid system for the first time would possibly think that this is something about the marijuana tree. In fact, this is a complex system responsible for cell-signaling in our body, and it actively exists in our system even if we don’t use cannabis.
However, the endocannabinoid system can be regulated using medical marijuana. Thus, it can be used for treating health issues like burn-out and fatigue, and the implication of CBD oil here can be very practical. But make sure to buy only the authentic ones like CBD oil UK.Â
ECS consists of three major components. They are:
1. Endocannabinoid
2. Receptor
3. Enzyme
Though experts are yet to understand ECS fully, we already know its presence regulates a range of body functions such as mood, sleep, metabolism, appetite and digestion, cardiovascular system, and liver function. The ECS also regulates functions like fertility and reproduction, learning and memory, skin and nerve function, stress, and many more. All of these are the functions that contribute to homeostasis, which keeps our internal environment stable. Therefore, it’s believed that the critical role of the ECS is to maintain homeostasis.
How The Endocannabinoid System Works?
Before exploring how ECS works, we first need to understand the function and characteristics of its three core components:
Endocannabinoids
They are molecules similar to cannabinoids. But unlike them, they get produced in our body, not in a hemp tree.
So far, there are two key endocannabinoids have been detected, Anandamide (AEA) and 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-ag)
The role of these endocannabinoids is to help retain our body functions smoothly, and our body produces them as much as it needs. However, the production ratio of these two is still unknown.
Receptor
We have endocannabinoid receptors everywhere in our body. With them, endocannabinoids bind and send the signal; therefore, the ECS gets the message to take action.
Endocannabinoid receptors are mainly of two types
- CB1 receptors: Predominantly present in the central nervous system
- CB2 receptors: Especially immune cells of our peripheral nervous system are the places they are mostly found.
Endocannabinoids can bind to any of these receptors. However, the after-effects of the ECS’s action will depend on two things:
- Location of the receptor Â
- The particular endocannabinoid that will bind to it.
For example, to cure a specific pain, endocannabinoids can be targeted to CB1 receptors in a spinal nerve. While binding to a CB2 receptor, other endocannabinoids may cause your immune cells to signal about the inflammation your body is experiencing, which commonly occurs in autoimmune disorders.
Enzymes
There are two main enzymes in the endocannabinoid system. Enzymes here work as the objects that are meant to break down endocannabinoids once they’re done with their function. These two enzymes are:
- fatty acid amide hydrolase
- monoacylglycerol acid lipase
Of the two, fatty acid amide hydrolase is responsible for breaking down AEA, while monoacylglycerol usually breaks down 2-AG.
The ECS is a complicated system, and how it works to help different health conditions is not fully known. However, since as stated before, it primarily contributes to homeostasis. Suppose your body’s homeostasis is shaken off by an external force, such as an injury causing pain or fever, as per getting the signal. In that case, the ECS then takes action to return stability to our body to carry on its regular operation.
How Does CBD Regulate the ECS?
CBD or cannabidiol is one of the major cannabinoids present in cannabis. It is widely used in medical marijuana because CBD is not a cannabinoid that makes you “high†like THC, and generally, it doesn’t contribute to any harmful effects.
The Experts are not yet fully convinced of the way CBD and the ECS interact. However, as per research, they have admitted that it is different for CBD and TCH, and they don’t bind to receptors, CB1 or CB2, alike.
In fact, according to a popular belief, CBD prevents the breaking down of endocannabinoids, and thus it works, allowing them to remain and causing its effect on our body for a longer time. On the contrary, it is also believed that CBD doesn’t bind to any of these CB1 or CB2 receptors; it binds to a receptor that is yet to be discovered.
But, even with all the confusion related to its functioning method, it is proven that CBD has its positive impacts on multiple health conditions, including the remission of nausea and fatigue.
How to Use CBD for Medical Purpose
There are many forms and ways to take CBD to our body. However, before using, make sure to consult with an expert and take the opinion. And also, remember to have it in a measured dose following your prescription.Â
Conclusion
Many people tend to avoid using cannabis for medical treatment due to fear of addiction, stigma, and many other misconceptions. However, marijuana is not entirely seductive if you know how to use it to benefit your body. So use them well and live a stress-free life.
Feature photo by Keenan Constance
