Benefits of regulating your endocannabinoid system
In a world where nearly all of the information ever collected by humans is available on the internet, many of us have an insatiable desire for self-improvement. One of the foundation blocks for this personal development drive is to be fully conscious about your body, so that you can strive to live as healthily as possible.
To live well, and feel good both mentally and physically, the body has numerous systems which must be kept balanced. One of these is the endocannabinoid system (ECS), which influences our mental health via the central nervous system, and also our physical health, with cannabinoid receptors strategically placed all over the body, including in immune tissues.
The ECS is so fascinating because we had no definite knowledge of its existence until the early 1990s, and because the compounds, called cannabinoids, which have the power to regulate this system are found in hemp and marijuana.
Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is a psychoactive cannabinoid that triggers the most intense effects of cannabis through the CB1 receptor. But cannabidiol (CBD) has a more nuanced effect on the ECS, supporting natural regulation by increasing activity among endocannabinoids and tweaking the binding affinity of cannabinoid receptors to cannabinoids and endocannabinoids.
Let’s look more closely at why you should regulate your ECS with wholesale CBD products.
Improved immune system health
There is great value in having an immune system that is strong, without overreacting to threats. This helps strike a balance where virus and bacteria can easily be defeated, so you don’t experience as many bugs and illnesses, but without the system being prone to triggering so much inflammation that it causes an autoimmune disease.
Regulating the ECS is extremely helpful for the immune system. CB2 receptors are linked to the system, and when endocannabinoids bind with them, inflammation is reduced. THC also helps to relieve inflammation, as a CB2 receptor agonist, but CBD has the opposite effect at this receptor so produces a different anti-inflammatory effect. CBD’s benefits come from restricting the FAAH enzyme, which elevates anandamide levels. Extra anandamide in the body means more can be used to regulate inflammation at the CB2 receptor.
ECS regulation helps balance mood
There are multiple neurotransmitters and receptors involved with mood regulation in the human body: anandamide and the CB1 receptor is just part of the puzzle, but an important one.
Anandamide has antidepressant properties by virtue of being a CB1 receptor agonist, and in the correct levels, the compound helps ensure that mood stays balanced, so as not to cause volatile swings, or a more severe condition like bipolar disorder.
Taking CBD often promotes a consistently higher level of anandamide in the body, which is helpful for mood regulation in those who may not generate enough of the endocannabinoid naturally.
Manage Clinical Endocannabinoid Deficiency (CECD)
One way of avoiding Clinical Endocannabinoid Deficiency (CECD) and a dysfunctional ECS is by regulating the system with CBD products. CECD is a theoretical condition that is perhaps behind more well-known, but unusual illnesses such as migraines and fibromyalgia.
Medical experts have not reached consensus on a cause for either, but both have symptoms that are typical of ECS dysregulation. This has strengthened the concept that some people are deficient in anandamide, 2-AG and other endocannabinoids and that these imbalances are triggering more serious problems. It’s certainly possible that the causes for fibromyalgia and migraines are relatively simple and have been hiding in plain sight, since ECS research was non-existent until the late 20th century.
Using CBD or a whole-plant cannabis product with a balanced ratio of THC to CBD will provide the most benefit if you are suffering from CECD. THC works as a more potent version of anandamide, while by stopping anandamide reuptake, CBD promotes a healthy level of the endocannabinoid in the ECS.
ECS regulation is great for the bones
Bone health is greatly improved by ECS regulation, which is particularly useful information for senior citizens, who are at an increased risk of bone breakages and fractures, and conditions like osteoporosis, which causes brittle bones. A 2018 survey also found that more than 10 percent of CBD users took products to relieve arthritis and joint pain.
Cannabinoid receptors are involved with the stimulation of bone formation, as shown by a 2015 study. This research revealed that CBD wholesale speeds up the healing process of mid-femoral fractures in rats, an effect which CBD was unable to replicate. An earlier study showed that CB2 receptors help to balance bone metabolism.