CBD, Health, and Wellness Info Lisa Egan

You may have noticed that people use CBD for a wide range of health concerns, including anxiety, depression, pain relief, insomnia and other sleep struggles, and digestive issues. People even give CBD to their animal companions for various ailments.

This might lead you to wonder...

Why does CBD work so well for so many different health concerns? How is this possible? How can a substance be so safe, yet so powerful?

The answer? We are hard-wired for CBD use!

To understand how CBD works in the body, let's explore the Endocannabinoid System.

This article continues below the video and podcast.

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You can also learn more about our CBD Health and Wellness podcast.

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What are endocannabinoids?
In the 1990s, scientists discovered endocannabinoids, which are natural cannabis-like molecules produced by the human body. They began to realize cannabis exerted its effects, in part, by mimicking our endocannabinoids. While trying to understand the effects of the cannabis plant, they discovered a complex cell-signaling system and named it the endocannabinoid system (more on that shortly).

The word "endocannabinoid" stems from endogenous (a substance or process originating from within an organism, tissue, or cell) and cannabinoid (named for the plant, cannabis).  The terms "endocannabinoid" and "endogenous cannabinoid" refer to the same thing and are used interchangeably.

It is believed that the endocannabinoid system, present in all mammals (and many other animals), evolved in primitive animals over 600 million years ago. Humans and animals naturally synthesize endocannabinoids, which are chemical compounds that activate the same receptors as delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the best-known active component of marijuana (Cannabis sativa).

Endocannabinoids help keep internal bodily functions running smoothly.

Several endocannabinoids have been identified so far, but the two key players are anandamide (AEA) and 2-arachidonoylglyerol (2-AG). These endocannabinoids are made from fat-like molecules within cell membranes, and are synthesized on-demand. This means that your body makes and uses them exactly when they’re needed, rather than packaged and stored for later use like many other biological molecules.

AEA and THC are similar, but AEA doesn't get you high like THC does (CBD does not cause a "high"). AEA does have a calming effect, though. In fact, it gets its name from ananda, the Sanskrit word for bliss.
What are cannabinoids?
Cannabinoids are chemical compounds that trigger cannabinoid (and other) receptors in the body. More than 100 cannabinoids have been identified in Cannabis sativa plants (hemp and marijuana belong to this plant family). The two most commonly studied (and used) cannabinoids are cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).

It is an established scientific fact that cannabinoids and other components of cannabis can modulate many physiological systems in the human brain and body. There is a massive (and rapidly growing!) body of evidence that supports the existence of the system and the therapeutic benefits of CBD.

In the brain, cannabinoids and endocannabinoids work as neurotransmitters (chemical messengers that deliver information from one cell to the next.) Neurotransmitters all interact with a lot of different receptors and thus have a lot of different effects.

Experts aren’t completely sure how CBD interacts with the ECS. But they do know that it doesn’t bind to CB1 or CB2 receptors the way THC does. Instead, many believe it works by preventing endocannabinoids from being broken down. This allows them to have more of an effect on your body. Others believe that CBD binds to a receptor that hasn’t been discovered yet. We will discuss receptors in more detail shortly.
What is the Endocannabinoid System?
The endocannabinoid sys