How and why CBD works!
The Endocannabinoid System
To understand how and why CBD and other cannabinoids work, we will try to explain it to you as simply as possible below.
Our bodies are built with all kinds of receptors for cannabinoids. These receptors are spread throughout our entire body.
You are probably wondering why our bodies have these receptors. Our bodies produce substances which are very similar to the various cannabinoids found in cannabis. This is why we call these substances endocannabinoids.
Endo means body.
The cannabinoids found in cannabis are called phytocannabinoids.
Because the endogenous substances and phytoncannabinoids are so similar, our bodies recognise the phytocannabinoids as endogenous when ingested. This is why our bodies respond so well to the various cannabinoids in cannabis.
In our own bodies, the receptors and the endocannabinoids together form the endocannabinoid system, or the body's own cannabinoid system.
Simply put, this is a kind of regulation system of our body.
The body's own cannabinoid system is responsible for many functions in our body including pain perception, memory, mood, immune system, appetite, digestion and many others.
How does it work?
Our body is made up of many different cells and each cell is surrounded by a cell wall or cell membrane. These cell walls and membranes contain receptors.
Receptors have a very specific structure and only substances that fit precisely into this structure can attach to them. Receptors can be influenced by a certain substance in different ways.
When a substance binds to the receptor on the cell wall, the cell will be stimulated and then prompted to perform a specific action.
When the body detects deviations from the natural balance (homeostasis) of body functions, the endocannabinoid system is activated and responds appropriately by producing endocannabinoids. These act as neurotransmitters (information conductors).
When the body produces neurotransmitters for the endocannabinoid system, they are then picked up by the receptors in the various cell walls and membranes.
To sum it all up simply, cannabinoids support the various cells in our body to function better and do their job more efficiently when needed.
Different types of receptors
We are often confronted with people who are afraid of losing control over their bodies by using CBD or other cannabinoids, or of getting high.
THC is the substance in cannabis that makes people high. Some of our products contain a very small percentage of THC but this is such a small amount that you will not notice it at all.
The reason why people feel this effect after ingesting THC is as follows. As explained earlier, cannabinoids bind to specific receptors. In our bodies we distinguish between 2 different receptors, namely cannabinoid binding receptor 1 (CB1 receptor) and cannabinoid binding receptor 2 (CB2 receptor).
CB Repectors
The CB1 receptors are found mainly in the central nervous system, or the brain and our spinal cord. CB1 receptors are most commonly found in the part of the brain responsible for pain perception, appetite, memory, various emotions, sleep, coordination, movement and body temperature regulation.
For example, THC binds to the CB1 receptors, causing a certain effect and, among other things, a feeling of being "high".
However,CBD cannot bind to the CB1 receptors. This could explain why CBD is not psychoactive while THC is.
To give you an even better idea of how the endocannabinoid system works and what body functions it affects, we have included a picture above showing where the receptors are distributed throughout our bodies.
As you can see, there are receptors in many different places. This could be one explanation why there are so many positive experiences with CBD products.
New applications are regularly discovered for the various cannabinoids and what functions they might support.
We are on top of this with our team and of course we try to be innovative with our products so that we can provide you with the best possible service with the various options that hopefully can support you with specific complaints.
