When learning about CBD, the word anandamide may have come up. But what does it mean? What is this chemical that keeps popping up everywhere? One interesting thing about this chemical is that is our bodies THC. Cannabidiol elevates this chemical but still doesn’t get us high. How?
Cannabidiol interacts with our endocannabinoid system which is why it has such a wide range of healing capabilities. CBD can communicate with many systems in our body that help us stay functional. One of the ways it does this is by elevating endocannabinoids, one of the main ones being anandamide.
What Are Endocannabinoids
Cannabinoids are the chemicals like CBD and THC that we find in cannabis, while endocannabinoids are the chemicals involved with the endocannabinoid system that our body makes. We have metabolic enzymes that synthesize endocannabinoids when needed and degrade them when they are no longer in use. These endocannabinoids control the conversations between neurons through a process called retrograde signaling.
What Is Retrograde Signalling
Usually, neurotransmitters travel from the sending cell, or presynaptic cell, to the receiving cell, or postsynaptic cell. The endocannabinoids move backward from the postsynaptic cell and bind to the presynaptic cells to give them information. This information tells the cell whether to send more chemicals and information or less.
Anandamide And CB1 Receptor
Anandamide binds to the cannabinoid receptor CB1. This cannabinoid receptor is in charge of your mood, appetite, pain sensitivity, and sleep cycle. Anandamides purpose is to make sure that there isn’t any overactivity or under production. Because THC is so similar to anandamide, it can also bind to the CB1 receptor, making your mood elevated, giving you the munchies, reducing your sensitivity to pain, and make you feel sleepy.
Where CBD Comes In
CBD can be so useful for pain and mood disorders because of its relationship with anandamide. This chemical can help calm down the over anxious and make extreme pain seem distant and irrelevant. This chemical isn’t only elevated through CBD; you also get a boost of it when you are working out. This is why when you take CBD, you can sometimes feel like you’ve achieved the runner’s high without doing anything at all.
Why CBD Doesn’t Get You High
Anandamide is a naturally occurring substance, and elevating it won't cause any intoxicating effects. Because CBD only elevates this chemical and doesn’t bind to cannabinoid receptors, it doesn’t get you high. Many doctors, scientists, and patients have taken a close look at CBD because of this ability to heal without intoxicating the user.
Raising your anandamide levels can help with many different ailments that involve your mood, sleep, appetite, and pain. By taking CBD, you can take control of your body and mind again. Check out our shop today and get a high-quality CBD product that could change your life for the better.
