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How Does CBD Work?

CBD — or cannabidiol — is a chemical found in the cannabis plant. Research suggests that it has a range of benefits for the body and mind. But how does CBD work?

What is CBD?

The Cannabis sativa plant is known to contain hundreds of different chemicals. The most widely known chemical is THC or Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol.

Tetrahydrocannabinol is the psychoactive compound found in marijuana; in other words, it’s what gives people a high or euphoric feeling.

However, another chemical in the Cannabis sativa plant has gotten a lot of attention over the last few decades. Cannabidiol comes from hemp, which is a version of the Cannabis sativa plant. It contains small amounts of THC, but it acts differently in the body and the brain.

CBD has several anecdotally reported health benefits, such as:

  • Anti-inflammatory
  • Treating epilepsy and seizures
  • Treating Glaucoma
  • Treating IBS
  • Slowing down cancer

These are just some of the purported benefits which have been linked to using cannabidiol. As the stigma around these substances goes away, more research is being funded, leading to some exciting discoveries.

CBD bottle with Chemical structure of CBD on a little blackboard

RELATED: Check out our great blog post, 10 Little-Known Facts About CBD.

How Does CBD Work?

There has been an enormous growth in the amount of CBD oils and other hemp extract products in recent years due to people seeing positive effects in both their health and wellbeing from using cannabidiol products as part of their regular health supplement routine.

Some of the most effective CBD products are derived from the entire hemp plant. However, CBD Isolate only uses a crystalised form of cannabidiol. Full-Spectrum CBD, on the other hand, uses the whole hemp plant and includes beneficial compounds like terpenes and flavonoids.

Some research suggests that using the “full-spectrum” of the plant helps because of something called the “entourage effect”. Simply put, this process occurs when all of the compounds in CBD act together and effects become greater than the sum of their parts.

Perhaps the best way to think about it is that the various compounds work together as a team and achieve more than they could individually.

This effect is achieved when phytocannabinoids (CBD) enhance the Endocannabinoid System (ECS).

Which leads us to our next question: What is the Endocannabinoid System or ECS?

What is the Endocannabinoid System (ECS)?

The Endocannabinoid System — or ECS — was first discovered in the 1990s. It is considered to be one of the most significant and most vital receptor systems for maintaining health and wellbeing.

The ECS has three main parts:

  • endocannabinoids
  • receptors
  • enzymes

Let’s take a look at each component and explain its significance.

CBD BALM

Endocannabinoids

Endocannabinoids — also known as endogenous cannabinoids — are molecules that are made in your body. Endogenous is a biological term for something that originates in the human body. 

Simply put, endocannabinoids are similar to the cannabinoids you would find in CBD; however, they form naturally in our bodies.

Two endocannabinoids that we know a lot about are:

  • anandamide aka AEA 
  • 2-arachidonoylglyerol aka 2-AG

Essentially, these chemicals work to achieve homeostasis, which is the maintenance of a stable internal environment despite fluctuations in the external environment.

Endocannabinoid receptors

Endocannabinoid receptors can be found all throughout the body, in places like:

  • the brain 
  • organs
  • connective tissues
  • glands
  • immune cells

Endocannabinoids bind to these receptors to tell the ECS that it needs to take action to maintain homeostasis.

The two primary endocannabinoid receptors are:

CB1 Receptors: Typically found in the central nervous system (CNS)

CB2 Receptors: Found in the peripheral nervous system (PNS)

Endocannabinoids are able to bind to both CB1 and CB2 receptors. The effects that occur from this process depend on where the receptor is located in the body and which kind of endocannabinoid it binds to.

For example, endocannabinoids might bind to CB1 receptors in the spine to help relieve pain. In contrast, a CB2 receptor might target a receptor in your immune cells to signal that your body is encountering inflammation, which is a frequent sign of an autoimmune disorder.

Enzymes

Once endocannabinoids have carried out their job, they need to be broken down. The ECS uses enzymes to perform this process. 

The two enzymes that the ECS uses for this purposes are:

  • fatty acid amide hydrolase, which breaks down AEA
  • monoacylglycerol acid lipase, which typically breaks down 2-AG

Young cannabis bushes in pot with hemp leaves and bottle of CBD oil, with sun shadow

What is the Function of the ECS?

The ECS is a vastly complex system, and scientists and researchers are still trying to understand more about how it works and what it does.

Some of the processes that the ECS is linked to are:

  • Appetite
  • Metabolism
  • Pain
  • Mood
  • Inflammation
  • Sleep
  • Memory
  • Muscle formation
  • Liver function
  • Stress 
  • Bone growth
  • Cardiovascular system function
  • Skin and nerve function
  • Immune response

All of these different functions contribute to homeostasis in the body. The body needs the internal environment to stay balanced to function well. External forces, such as pain or disease, can throw off this balance. Scientists believe the ECS is one of the mechanisms that helps your body return to its optimal state.

To recap, the body naturally produces endocannabinoids. When the body gets out of whack, these chemicals bind to receptors to tell them that something is wrong and trigger them to take action. Once they’ve sent their message, enzymes break down these endocannabinoids.

How Does CBD Work With the ECS?

Now that we understand a bit about what the ECS is and what it does, it’s time to understand how cannabidiol works with this system.

The three primary types of cannabidiol available on the market are:

  • CBD Isolate
  • Broad-Spectrum CBD
  • Full-Spectrum CBD

Isolate and Broad-Spectrum CBD don’t contain any THC.

However, Full-Spectrum CBD does contain THC, albeit in minute quantities. In the UK, Full-Spectrum CBD products can only contain up to 0.2% THC to be considered legal. 

So, to understand the effects that CBD products have on the body, we need to look at how THC and CBD work with the ECS.

cannabidiol (cbd) extract in a shopping cart

How THC Interacts with the ECS

Tetrahydrocannabinol — frequently shortened to THC — is one of the primary cannabinoids found in cannabis. As mentioned earlier, it’s the compound that is responsible for marijuana’s psychoactive properties.

When THC enters your system, it interacts with the ECS by binding to receptors. This process is similar to how endocannabinoids bind with the ECS. 

TCH can bind to both CB1 and CB2 receptors. Or, if you remember from the section above, the central and peripheral nervous systems.

This process allows THC to have a vast number of effects on the body and the mind. However, these effects are something of a mixed bag. While THC can relieve pain and provide users with a warm, pleasant sensation, it also has several negative side effects like anxiety and paranoia.

Legally sold CBD products in the UK don’t have these adverse effects because they use very small amounts of THC (below 0.2%).

CBD TEA

How CBD Interacts with the ECS

CBD — or cannabidiol — is the other significant cannabinoid found in hemp plants. It doesn’t give you a euphoric sensation (or, a “high”), and it hasn’t been linked to adverse effects unless taken in large quantities.

There is still a bit of mystery surrounding how cannabidiol interacts with the Endocannabinoid System. What researchers do know is that CBD doesn’t bind to CB1 or CB2 receptors in the same ways that THC does.

As mentioned above, once endocannabinoids have passed their message to the receptors, they are broken down by enzymes. However, some researchers suggest that CBD works by preventing endocannabinoids from being broken down. It’s thought that this helps the endocannabinoids to have a greater effect on your body.

Other popular theories suggest that we just haven’t discovered the receptors that bind to CBD yet.

However, despite the lack of clear details on precisely how cannabidiol works, it has still been strongly linked with relieving pain, nausea, and a number of symptoms associated with a wide range of conditions.

Another reason for CBD’s popularity is a theory called clinical endocannabinoid deficiency or CECD. The theory suggests that low levels of endocannabinoids or ECS dysfunction can cause the development of certain conditions.

A meta-analysis from 2016 suggests that poor functioning of the ECS could lead to migraines, IBS, and fibromyalgia. Interestingly, none of these conditions have well-understood underlying causes.

RELATED: Check out our excellent article on How to Use a CBD Cartridge: 3 Easy Steps to CBD Vaping.

Additional Ways that CBD Works with the Body

As we mentioned earlier, cannabidiol does not bind with the CB1 or CB2 receptors. However, this isn’t the only way that it can work with our bodies.

CBD is what is known as a pleiotropic drug. In layman’s terms, this means that it can produce a range of different effects through several molecular pathways, including:

  • non-cannabinoid receptors 
  • ion channels
  • receptor-independent pathways

Here are a few of the interesting ways that cannabidiol works in the body.

Serotonin Receptors

One of the most popularly cited reasons as to why CBD has become so widespread is its reported ability to reduce anxiety. When taken at high doses, CBD activates the hydroxytryptamine serotonin receptor, which can alleviate depression and anxiety.

The 5-HT1A serotonin receptor can reduce blood pressure and heart rate. Activating this receptor is a considerable part of the mechanism of anti-anxiety, anti-depression, and antipsychotic medications. 

5-HT1A is found in the CNS and the PNS. For many people, this makes CBD a great alternative to prescription medicine. However, it goes without saying that you should always consult your doctor before transitioning away from any medication you have been prescribed.

Vanilloid Receptors

Another way that cannabidiol acts within the body is through its interactions with a variety of ion channels. Ion channels work by providing a pore in the membrane to allow specific ions to pass into the cell.

For example, if the cell is low on sodium, but there is lots of sodium outside the cell, ion channels can open up and let the sodium pass through.

CBD interacts directly with ion channels to provide a therapeutic effect. For example, it binds to TRPV1 receptors — which also work as ion channels. 

TRPV1 helps moderate:

  • Body temperature
  • Pain perception
  • Inflammation

In short, cannabidiol binds with TRPV1 and can alter how we perceive pain. Pain management is one of the most frequently cited benefits of CBD.

GPR55 Receptors

GPR55 is responsible for various physiological processes, like modulating blood pressure and bone density. 

This receptor is involved in bone absorption, and an overactive GPR55 has been linked to osteoporosis. Additionally, it has been demonstrated to promote cancer cell proliferation.

Interestingly, CPB can block GPR55. As a result, it can slow down the effects of cancer and osteoporosis.

PPARS

But that’s not the only anti-cancer effect of CBD. It can also activate peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors or PPARs. Activating these receptors can help slow down cancer and reduce tumours in lung cancer.

Additionally, PPAR activation can attack amyloid-beta plaque, which is one of the primary molecules that are linked to Alzheimer’s disease.

Finally, PPAR receptors are also involved in regulating genes that are linked to lipid uptake and insulin sensitivity, alongside other metabolic functions. As a result, cannabidiol-rich treatments can help those with diabetes.

Reuptake Inhibitor

CBD also raises endocannabinoid levels in the brain. This process offers several health benefits, such as providing neuroprotective effects against seizures. CBD has anti-anxiety and anti-inflammatory effects partly because it inhibits adenosine reuptake.

CBD oil dropping from cannabis plant

Conclusion

There are several different ways that CBD works in the body. While scientists are still making discoveries about the Endocannabinoid System (ECS), it is thought that cannabidiol mimics the endocannabinoid molecules to confer several health benefits. 

Of course, much of these effects depend on the type of CBD you take. Full-spectrum, broad-spectrum, and CBD Isolate all have different makeups.

  • CBD Isolate is 99% cannabidiol with no THC
  • Broad-spectrum contains a lot of the compounds in the hemp plant, but no THC
  • Full-spectrum CBD has all of the compounds of the hemp plant, including low amounts of THC

Understanding how cannabidiol and THC interact with the ECS and other bodily functions can help users decide on the right type of product for them.

The “entourage effect” — in essence, a synthesis of the numerous health benefits associated with CBD — requires more than just CBD isolate.

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