The medicinal benefits of CBD, or cannabidiol, have been known for centuries, yet science is just now beginning to unravel the mystery of how CBD works in the body. While research is still in its infancy, recent studies have begun to shed light on the ways in which CBD interacts with the human body, offering potential relief from a wide range of conditions. In this article, we will explore the current body of research on CBD and its potential health benefits.
How does CBD affect the body’s serotonin and dopamine levels?
CBD is known to interact with a number of different neurotransmitter systems, including serotonin and dopamine. Studies have shown that CBD can increase the availability of serotonin and dopamine in the brain, which can have a positive effect on mood and emotion. Additionally, CBD has been shown to reduce levels of stress hormones like cortisol, which can also help to improve mood.
Cannabidiol CBD , a non-intoxicating component of the cannabis plant, has generated significant interest among scientists and physicians in recent yearsbut how CBD exerts its therapeutic impact on a molecular level is still being sorted out. Cannabidiol is a pleiotropic drug in that it produces many effects through multiple molecular pathways. The scientific literature has identified more than 65 molecular targets of CBD. Although CBD has little binding affinity for either of the two cannabinoid receptors CB1 and CB2 , cannabidiol modulates several non-cannabinoid receptors and ion channels. Here are some of the ways that CBD confers its manifold therapeutic effects. At high concentrations, CBD directly activates the 5- HT1A hydroxytryptamine serotonin receptor, thereby conferring an anti-anxiety effect. This G-coupled protein receptor is implicated in a range of biological and neurological processes, including but not limited to anxiety, addiction, appetite, sleep, pain perception, nausea, and vomiting. Found in both the central and peripheral nervous systems, 5- HT receptors trigger various intracellular cascades of chemical messages to produce either an excitatory or inhibitory response, depending on the chemical context of the message. CBD directly interacts with various ion channels to confer a therapeutic effect. TRPV1 is known to mediate pain perception, inflammation and body temperature. Vanilla contains eugenol, an essential oil that has antiseptic and analgesic properties it also helps to unclog blood vessels. Historically, the vanilla bean has been used as a folk cure for headaches. Capsaicinthe pungent compound in hot chili peppersactivates the TRPV1 receptor. Anandamide, the endogenous cannabinoid, is also a TRPV1 agonist. GPR55 is widely expressed in the brain, especially in the cerebellum. It is involved in modulating blood pressure and bone density, among other physiological processes. GPR55 promotes osteoclast cell function, which facilitates bone reabsorption. Overactive GPR55 receptor signaling is associated with osteoporosis. GPR55 , when activated, also promotes cancer cell proliferation, according to a study by researchers at the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Shanghai. This receptor is expressed in various types of cancer. Activation of the receptor known as PPAR -gamma has an anti-proliferative effect as well as an ability to induce tumor regression in human lung cancer cell lines. PPAR receptors also regulate genes that are involved in energy homeostasis, lipid uptake, insulin sensitivity, and other metabolic functions. Diabetics, accordingly, may benefit from a CBD -rich treatment regimen. How does CBD , an exogenous plant compound, get inside a human cell to bind to a nuclear receptor? CBD and THC both modulate receptors on the surface of the nucleus, which regulate gene expression and mitochondrial activity. Cannabidiol, it turns out, has a strong affinity for three kinds of FABP s, and CBD competes with our endocannabinoids, which are fatty acids, for the same transport molecules. Once it is inside the cell, anandamide is broken down by FAAH fatty acid amide hydrolase, a metabolic enzyme, as part of its natural molecular life cycle. Enhancing endocannabinod tone via reuptake inhibition may be a key mechanism whereby CBD confers neuroprotective effects against seizures, as well as many other health benefits. By delaying the reuptake of this neurotransmitter, CBD boosts adenosine levels in the brain, which regulates adenosine receptor activity. A1A and A2A adenosine receptors play significant roles in cardiovascular function, regulating myocardial oxygen consumption and coronary blood flow. These receptors have broad anti-inflammatory effects throughout the body. CBD also functions as an allosteric receptor modulator, which means that it can either enhance or inhibit how a receptor transmits a signal by changing the shape of the receptor. CBD is a non-intoxicating part of the cannabis plant with enormous healing potential. Reported initially in , the discovery that CBD interacts directly with these and other 5-HT receptors hints at a broader relationship between the endocannabinoid and serotonergic systems that scientists are still uncovering. Buy Book. Skip to main content. How CBD Works. Vanilloid Receptors CBD directly interacts with various ion channels to confer a therapeutic effect. CBD non-psychoactive allosteric modulator. Recommended reading. What is CBD? Thanks to our sponsors and supporters. More conditions Top conditions. Sleep Problems.
The human body is a complex machine, and the way it interacts with any compound, including Cannabidiol CBD can be even more so. CBD Cannabidiol is one of over compounds found in hemp and marijuana. CBD belongs to a class of molecules called phytocannabinoids and is not intoxicating. This is the part of the plant that keeps you healthy, not high. CBD is extracted as an oil from cannabis through a number of different extraction processes.