You’ve probably heard of cannabinol (CBD) before, but you might be wondering what exactly is CBD and how it works inside your body?

The property, CBD, is called a cannabinoid. Many believe there around or over one hundred cannabinoids within the cannabis plant. Another popular cannabinoid is tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the cannabinoid that gets you “high.” This is one reason for CBD’s recent popularity, CBD doesn’t intoxicate.

CBD is ideal for people looking for health and wellness benefits from cannabis, but don’t want to be “high.” It has many properties that make it a great natural remedy for a variety of reported ailments. The way CBD works with your body is by linking up to your endocannabinoid system.

What is the Endocannabinoid System?

“For most of history, the effects of cannabis on the human body were little understood. Then, in the 1990’s, scientists discovered endocannabinoids, the natural cannabis-like molecules produced by the human body. Scientists began to realize cannabis exerted its effects, in part, by mimicking our endocannabinoids. It appears the main function of the endocannabinoid system is to maintain bodily homeostasis—biological harmony in response to changes in the environment. Taxonomic investigation pevealed that the endocannabinoid system is incredibly old, having evolved over 500 million years ago. Moreover, it is present in all vertebrates—mammals, bird, reptiles, amphibians, fish, etc, all produce endocannabinoids!

Research initially suggested endocannabinoid receptors were only present in the brain and nerves, but scientists later found that the receptors are present throughout the body, including our skin, immune cells, bone, fat tissue, liver, pancreas, skeletal muscle, heart, blood vessels, kidney, and gastrointestinal tract. We now know the endocannabinoid system is involved in a wide variety of processes, including pain, memory, mood, appetite, stress, sleep, metabolism, immune function, and reproductive function. Endocannabinoids are arguably one of the most widespread and versatile signaling molecules known to man.”

How CBD Connects with the Body

“The endocannabinoid system’s purpose is to respond to endogenous cannabinoids produced within the human body.

During their research, scientists have learned that the system will also recognize and respond to cannabinoids from external sources, including the phytocannabinoid cannabidiol (CBD).

According to the National Institute of Health, manipulating the endocannabinoid system by introducing external cannabinoids like CBD could be useful in treating a variety of medical ailments, including:

• Pain
• Epilepsy
• Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
• Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)
• Parkinson’s
• Inflammation
• Acne
• Dyskinesia
• Psoriasis
• Broken Bones
• Mad Cow Disease
• Depression
• Bacterial Infections
• Diabetes
• Rheumatoid Arthritis
• Nausea
• Anxiety
• ADHD
• Schizophrenia
• Substance Abuse/Withdrawal
• Heart Disease
• Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)”