Endocannabinoid Tone and CBD
One crucial way that CBD influences health and wellbeing is by improving the tone of your endocannabinoid system (endocannabinoid tone).
What is the Endocannabinoid System?
The endocannabinoid system is a collection of receptors, signalling molecules and enzymes in the body's central and peripheral nervous system.
CB1 and CB2 – These are the most common endocannabinoid receptors. CB1 is found in the central nervous system. CB2 is present in the central nervous system, the peripheral nervous systems and in immune cells throughout the body.
Anandamide (AEA) and 2-Arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) – These are endocannabinoid signalling molecules present in humans and animals. They can interact with a range of chemical receptors including CB1 and CB2.
Fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) and Monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL) – These are the enzymes responsible for breaking down cannabinoids in our body’s.
The actions of the endocannabinoid system assist in the regulation of many processes such as pain, pleasure, mood, immune response and stress.
What is my Endocannabinoid Tone?
Your endocannabinoid tone refers to the level of potential endocannabinoid activity in your body and the ability of your endocannabinoid system to respond to any problems.
The number of active receptors, endocannabinoids and enzymes in your body, determines the level of your endocannabinoid tone.
Your endocannabinoid tone can be naturally influenced by several factors, including:
- Your genes
- Your diet
- Exercise
- Chemicals
- Pollution
- Stress
- Viruses
- Disease
Low Endocannabinoid Tone
If your endocannabinoid tone is low, your endocannabinoid system is unlikely to be able to restore your body's systems to a state of healthy balance (feedback messages are not effectively being communicated in your body).
As a result, your health is not being maintained. You may experience symptoms of illness or increases in medical-related conditions.
Balanced Endocannabinoid Tone
When your endocannabinoid tone is at a medium level, it’s in a state of balance (feedback messages are being communicated well).
Therefore, you will likely feel healthy, your body's systems are running well, but small changes could quickly change the tone higher or lower.
Naturally High Endocannabinoid Tone
A naturally high endocannabinoid tone is an optimal state of health and vigour (feedback messages are communicated exceptional well).
In this state, you should feel great, have little or no health issues and find it easy to stay active. In addition, any health problems that do arise can be responded to quickly and efficiently, resulting in continued good health.
High Endocannabinoid Tone
You are able to exceed the limit of your natural endocannabinoid tone with the help from direct binding plant cannabinoids like THC (currently only available in the UK with a medical prescription).
THC will push your endocannabinoid tone past it's natural limit.
In this state, many processes in your body are working exceptional well.
For example your 5 senses will become enhanced, food tastes better, your hearing gains pin point accuracy and you'll even find improved brain creativity.
However this is like over clocking a computer for more performance.
It works well for a while, but if overused it can negatively affect your natural resting endocannabinoid tone.
How Does CBD Improve Endocannabinoid Tone?
If your endocannabinoid tone is low, you can naturally boost it with a good diet, regular exercise and by avoiding contaminants, pollution, illness and overindulgence.
A medium or naturally high tone can also be achieved by taking plant cannabinoids in the form of a CBD oil.
Regular consumption of CBD can stimulate the action of your endocannabinoid system (ECS) and raise your tone.
This happens when CBD binds with the enzymes that are responsible for breaking down the human cannabinoid anandamide.
When these enzymes are blocked, the levels of anandamide can increase, this prepares your body for greater ECS activity.
CBD is not a direct cannabinoid receptor binding molecule like THC, thus you cannot exceed your natural endocannabinoid tone limit with CBD.
There are many other interactions also occurring between the cannabinoids in CBD products and the chemicals in your body.
Still, the overall effect is that CBD raises your endocannabinoid tone in a natural manner similar to the effects produced by improved diet and exercise.