Considering purchasing CBD oil? We believe it’s important that all our valued customers are informed and familiar with the various benefits that cannabinoids have on the human body. Of course, understanding how CBD works inside the human body is a complex process. Let’s explore that…
Cannabidiol – otherwise known as CBD – is little-known among the general public and is best recognised as the main active compound in hemp. However, it’s important to stress that, unlike THC, it doesn’t have psychoactive qualities and won’t make you “high”.
CBD’s action inside the body
Your body has a wider endocannabinoid system, connecting a series of receptors which spread from your brain to various other parts of the body. CBD and THC often work separately within this system: the latter activates your cannabinoid receptors, whereas the former doesn’t directly stimulate them. In order to differentiate between the two, let’s first take a look at how THC affects these types of receptors.
The CB1 and CB2 receptors
Cannabinoid receptors can influence your moods, ability to feel pain, appetite and memory functions, among other things. They can be activated by the endocannabinoids your body produces or plant cannabinoids, such as those found in hemp or cannabis.
These receptors can be split into CB1 and CB2 categories. The former are mostly found in the central nervous system, as well as the kidneys, liver and lungs. The latter are found in hematopoietic blood cells.
So what do they do? CB1 receptors influence the production and release of neurotransmitters; play a part in the lipogenesis process within your liver; appear to help maintain your homeostasis; and may possibly influence other factors such as pleasure, concentration, pain tolerance and memory.
Alternatively, CB2 receptors are involved in various functions related to your immune system, including apoptosis and immune suppression.
That’s what THC stimulates; now let’s take a look at CBD by means of comparison.
CBD’s effects inside the body
CBD instead activates a variety of other receptors, including adenosine, serotonin and vanilloid. Take the TRPV-1 receptor, for example: once activated, it can affect your body temperature, inflammation and perception of pain.
To use another example, activating the adenosine receptors provides anti-inflammatory and anti-anxiety effects. The same receptors also affect the body’s release of dopamine and glutamate, the former of which plays a part in your levels of motivation, reward mechanisms and motor control. The latter has a major impact on learning, cognition, memory and excitatory signals.
The amount of CBD used can impact the receptors it’s able to activate. For instance, high concentrations can activate the 5-HT14 serotonin receptor responsible for producing anti-depressant effects as well as influencing appetite, nausea, anxiety to sleep, pain perception and addiction mechanisms.
Finally, it can also block CPR55 signalling, a factor linked to your blood pressure and the modulation of your bone density.
The THC connection
Earlier, we said that CBD and THC often work separately within the system, leaving some leeway for exceptions.
The way CBD affects the FAAH enzyme is one such case. Through it, the cannabinoid activates the CB1 receptor, thereby minimising how far THC can activate it in turn. The whole process ends up reducing the psychoactive affects of the latter.
This ability to keep THC in check is why both compounds are often combined together when used for treatment purposes. Yet ultimately, CBD can be advantageous without its THC cousin, purchasing products which only label “non-psychoactive CBD” in their list of ingredients have huge potential for improving your wellbeing.
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