There is a very good chance that you have heard a lot about the benefits of CBD. It’s said to help with the natural relief of pain as well as assisting with immunity, inflammation and mood issues.
However, did you know that discoveries around CBD are also helping to uncover more information about one of the most important systems in the human body: the Endocannabinoid System (ECS).
In fact, when you are looking at reviews of CBD products, it helps if you understand how the choices you make affect your ECS.
What is the Endocannabinoid System (ECS)?
This is one of the most important questions that you need to answer, in order to fully understand just how important your ECS is. Its existence was first discovered during the 1960s and 1970s as a result of research into the effects of cannabis.
Since then, scientists have discovered a lot more information about this system which helps to control several functions throughout the human body. For instance, they have found that the body produces its own cannabinoids. They are called endocannabinoids and are similar to the cannabinoids which are produced by cannabis and are known as phytocannabinoids.
It’s also become clear that the system is shared throughout the animal kingdom and has developed over millions of years. It’s a system which is associated with many vital physiological and neurological functions.
Parts of the ECS
There are several parts that make up the ECS:
- Endocannabinoids (eCBs).
These are the messengers of the ECS. There are two of them; Anandamide which is involved with functions such as appetite and memory and 2-arachidonoylglycerol which has been linked with emotion and cardiovascular health.
- Cannabinoid receptors (CB receptors)
These receptors are positioned on the surface of cells and wait for the messages from the eCBs. Depending on which cells are involved, the interaction affects functions such as mood and sensations. The two main receptors that are present in the ECS are CB1 and CB2. CB1 receptors are important in maintaining a healthy brain whereas CB2 receptors play an important part in the immune system of the body.
- Enzymes which are responsible for breaking down and synthesizing eCBs.
Having an understanding of these parts of the ECS helps you realize how important it is.
The effect of CBD on the ECS
Given the importance of the ECS, it’s vital to pay attention to the effect that CBD can have on it. It reacts differently than other cannabinoids. In most cases, both endocannabinoids and phytocannabinoids bind with both types of ECS receptors.
However, this is not the case where CBD is concerned. It actually has an effect on the way that receptors bind with cannabinoids. It can also have a positive effect on the number of natural endocannabinoids in the body. This is how it can help with issues such as chronic pain, stress and anxiety.
You can see that ECS is an extremely important system within the human body. It helps to control functions such as mood, appetite and pain levels. Using CBD can help to improve the performance of the ECS, thereby assisting with problems such as pain and inflammation.