{"componentChunkName":"component---common-build-tags-template-js","path":"/tag/ecs/","result":{"data":{"allArticle":{"edges":[{"node":{"id":"Article_2805-markdown","title":"Beyond the CB1 & CB2 Cannabis Receptors: TRPV1 & GPR55 ","slug":"beyond-the-cb1-and-cb2-cannabis-receptors-trpv1-and-gpr55","content":"If you’re familiar with cannabis science, you know about CB1 and CB2, the receptors located throughout the body that are triggered by cannabinoids like tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). It’s via these receptors that THC and CBD are able to bring about some of the therapeutic effects that cannabis is known for. \n\nWhile CB1 and CB2 get the most attention—likely because we know the most about them—there are other receptors in the body that also respond to cannabinoids, like TRPV1 and GPR55. These receptors are influenced by THC and CBD, as well as [anandamide](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/5a949d06f24d1300077ccb66/eating-anandamide-the-bliss-molecule) and 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG), endocannabinoids made by our bodies. \n\nWe’re beginning to gain a better understanding of TRPV1 and GPR55. Both hold much therapeutic promise, and CBD may be one of the ways to unlock this potential.\n\nFOLLOW US ON [FACEBOOK](https://www.facebook.com/pg/hellomdcompany/posts/) & [INSTAGRAM](https://www.instagram.com/hellomd_com/?hl=en)\n\n### The TRPV1 Receptor Controls Our Pain Response \n\nTRPV1, also called vanilloid receptor 1 or the capsaicin receptor, helps control our body temperature and plays a role in how we feel pain. This receptor can be activated via physical and chemical cues, including:\n\n* Temperatures above 109 degrees F\n* Capsaicin, the molecule responsible for the spicy sensation of chili peppers\n* Acidic conditions in the body\n* Anandamide\n* CBD\n\nIndeed, TRPV1 is one of the few receptors we know of that CBD directly influences; CBD doesn’t really bind to CB1 or CB2. CBD’s affinity for the TRPV1 receptor may be one of the ways it brings about therapeutic effects in the body, and some studies are beginning to shed light on this. \n\nA 2004 study on rats found that [CBD acts in a similar way to capsaicin]( https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1575333/#bib2). When we eat a chili pepper, capsaicin acts on the TRPV1 receptors in our brain cells, making us feel that burning sensation we associate with spicy foods. \n\nThese brain cells then become desensitized—they no longer signal that burning sensation to our brain when capsaicin acts on TRPV1. This is perhaps why some people have a higher tolerance for spicy foods: Their TRPV1 receptors have become desensitized. \n\nBut capsaicin does more than make our mouth burn when we eat spicy foods. It also has anti-inflammatory and anti-seizure properties. \n\nThe researchers in this study think that CBD behaves in a similar way to capsaicin—except without imparting that spicy sensation. Somehow CBD desensitizes TRPV1 receptors, thus reducing our pain response. And we already know that CBD has pain-relieving effects and can help those with epilepsy—as much anecdotal evidence suggests. \n\n### Researchers Focusing on TRPV1 in Epilepsy & Endometrial Cancer Studies\n\nIndeed, TRPV1 likely has something to do with CBD’s anti-seizure abilities. Rodents with epilepsy and some human epilepsy patients tend to have more TRPV1 receptors than their healthy counterparts. It’s possible that the body makes more of these receptors in response to the condition.\n\nKnowing this, researchers decided to test the effect of CBD on mice with and without TRPV1 receptors. They subjected the mice to electric currents high enough to produce seizures and found that [mice without the TRPV1 receptors were more susceptible to seizures](http://n.neurology.org/content/90/15_Supplement/S53.004). The results suggest that CBD was acting on TRPV1 to reduce seizures, since those without TRPV1 receptors were more likely to get them after being subjected to electrical currents.\n\nMost recently, research has suggested that substances that attach to [TRPV1 may be useful in treating endometrial cancer](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29441458), though this evidence is preliminary. In a petri dish, researchers exposed susceptible cells to high levels of estrogen to make them cancerous. They then monitored what happened in the presence of THC and CBD.\n\nThe researchers found that CBD, but not THC, caused these cancerous cells to die. They believe that CBD was doing this by acting on the TRPV1 receptor. While these results are promising, much more research is needed. \n\nRELATED: [CAN CANNABIS HELP DEFEND AGAINST ENDOMETRIAL CANCER?](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/5adfa21c049b4f000a64e8d5/can-cannabis-help-defend-against-endometrial-cancer)\n\n### GPR55 Plays a Role in the Development of Cancer \n\nGPR55 is what’s known as a G-protein coupled receptor—the same type of receptor as CB1 and CB2. GPR55 is a likely contributor to many of cannabis’s health benefits, though we still don’t have the whole picture. \n\nThis receptor can be activated by both anandamide and 2-AG, as well as THC. Because GPR55 seems to interact with many cannabinoids, some researchers think that it could be the much-speculated-about third cannabinoid receptor, or CB3, but this hasn’t been confirmed yet. \n\nInterestingly, CBD doesn’t activate this receptor. Rather, it prevents other substances from attaching to it. Researchers think that this special quality may be one of the reasons behind CBD’s therapeutic effects, and they think it could have applications in many conditions including cancer, gastrointestinal inflammation and certain seizures. \n\nResearch links [GPR55 activation with tumor activity]( https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28029647). Thus, something that prevents substances from binding to this receptor, like CBD, could have an anti-tumor effect, though the molecule’s capacity to do this hasn’t been tested yet. \n\nSo far, researchers have tested the ability of substances that block GPR55 in the following cancers: \n\n* Brain\n* Breast\n* Colorectal\n* Pancreatic \n\nThe results have been positive, though it’s important to remember that these studies were preliminary.\n\n### How GPR55 Impacts Inflammatory Bowel Disease & Dravet Syndrome \n\nWe know that CBD has anti-inflammatory properties. Yet we don’t know why it tends to provide relief for folks who suffer from inflammation of the colon and intestines, commonly known as inflammatory bowel disease. Here, GPR55 may again be part of the answer.\n\nPeople with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis tend to have more GPR55 receptors in their bodies than their healthy counterparts do. And studies on mice where molecules block GPR55 lead to [a reduction in intestinal inflammation]( https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nmo.12639). We’ll have to wait and see whether or not CBD has similar effects in future studies. \n\nThough it’s likely that TRPV1 has something to do with CBD’s anti-seizure properties, GPR55 may be doing something as well. In order to better understand why patients with Dravet syndrome, a severe form of epilepsy, tend to respond favorably to CBD, researchers tested the effect of CBD in a mouse model of this condition.\n\nThey found that [CBD reduced seizure activity by binding to GPR55 receptors]( http://www.pnas.org/content/114/42/11229) in the hippocampus, a part of the brain that seems to play an important role in seizure activity. \n\nThe anti-seizure activities that can be credited to both GPR55 and TRPV1 highlight how many different factors must come together to produce cannabis’s therapeutic effects. CB1, CB2, TRPV1 and GPR55 are just some of the receptors in the body that THC and CBD interact with—there are many more that researchers are just beginning to understand. \n\nCannabinoid science is a field of study that’s still in its infancy. As research progresses, it’ll paint a clearer picture of the endocannabinoid system and how cannabis can be used to its full medical potential. \n\nIf you’re new to cannabis and want to learn more, take a look at our [Cannabis 101]( https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/56201c206430320006bb0000/cannabis-101-your-quick-guide-to-medical-marijuana) post. [HelloMD](https://www.hellomd.com/) can help you get your medical marijuana recommendation; it's easy, private and 100% online.  \n","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.3888888888888888,"src":"/static/8fb12afbb21296eeb48bdf453942b83a/14b42/f9596d6d523e2f3497565079ae40bc21.jpg","srcSet":"/static/8fb12afbb21296eeb48bdf453942b83a/f836f/f9596d6d523e2f3497565079ae40bc21.jpg 200w,\n/static/8fb12afbb21296eeb48bdf453942b83a/2244e/f9596d6d523e2f3497565079ae40bc21.jpg 400w,\n/static/8fb12afbb21296eeb48bdf453942b83a/14b42/f9596d6d523e2f3497565079ae40bc21.jpg 800w,\n/static/8fb12afbb21296eeb48bdf453942b83a/47498/f9596d6d523e2f3497565079ae40bc21.jpg 1200w,\n/static/8fb12afbb21296eeb48bdf453942b83a/19e6b/f9596d6d523e2f3497565079ae40bc21.jpg 1469w","srcWebp":"/static/8fb12afbb21296eeb48bdf453942b83a/58556/f9596d6d523e2f3497565079ae40bc21.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/8fb12afbb21296eeb48bdf453942b83a/61e93/f9596d6d523e2f3497565079ae40bc21.webp 200w,\n/static/8fb12afbb21296eeb48bdf453942b83a/1f5c5/f9596d6d523e2f3497565079ae40bc21.webp 400w,\n/static/8fb12afbb21296eeb48bdf453942b83a/58556/f9596d6d523e2f3497565079ae40bc21.webp 800w,\n/static/8fb12afbb21296eeb48bdf453942b83a/99238/f9596d6d523e2f3497565079ae40bc21.webp 1200w,\n/static/8fb12afbb21296eeb48bdf453942b83a/a7d4f/f9596d6d523e2f3497565079ae40bc21.webp 1469w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_2795-markdown","title":"Up Your Omega-3s to Get the Most Out of Your Marijuana  ","slug":"up-your-omega-3s-to-get-the-most-out-of-your-marijuana","content":"You’ve heard about the many benefits of cannabis. But did you know that the food you eat can alter how effectively your cannabis treatment works? \n\nScientists have uncovered that our bodies need omega-3 fatty acids to properly synthesize cannabinoids—the all-important compounds in the marijuana plant that are also made naturally by the human body.  Making sure you ingest enough omega-3 fatty acids can help your body better process cannabis. Omega-3s can also help your body produce more cannabinoids naturally, and this may help improve the health conditions you’re treating. \n\nFOLLOW US ON [FACEBOOK](https://www.facebook.com/pg/hellomdcompany/posts/) & [INSTAGRAM](https://www.instagram.com/hellomd_com/?hl=en)\n\n### Omega-3s Keep Your Endocannabinoid System in Balance \n\nOmega-3 fatty acids can help your body process marijuana, but how does this work? \n\nIt all revolves around the endocannabinoid system (ECS). This crucial system of neurotransmitters is found all over the body and controls or affects some of its most important functions, such as:\n\n* Hunger\n* Pain\n* Stress response\n* Memory building \n* Inflammation\n* Sleep\n* Muscle control\n* Energy\n* Mood\n\nThe ECS both produces and is activated by the body’s natural endocannabinoids. But plant cannabinoids, the medicinally potent chemicals in cannabis, also activate the ECS. [When the ECS is out of balance, all of the system’s functions work less effectively](https://www.nature.com/articles/nn.2736). \n\nAs it turns out, omega-3s are essential for maintaining this crucial internal system. In fact, the ECS literally creates its own endocannabinoids out of these fatty acids (along with another fatty acid, omega-6). Researchers conducting a study on animal tissue recently discovered that [omega-3s themselves convert into an anti-inflammatory endocannabinoid](https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/07/170718142909.htm). \n\nThis means that patients who lack omega-3s in their bodies may have problems with issues like: \n\n* Increased inflammation\n* Pain\n* Mood disorders \n* Sleep imbalances \n\nThe ECS feeds on these fatty acids. So, without a well-fed ECS, it becomes unbalanced and problems can arise. \n\nThese fatty acids also work to better regulate the ECS, allowing it to process plant cannabinoids like tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) or cannabidiol (CBD). In fact, previous research has shown how important fats are for getting the most out of your cannabis.\n\nBecause cannabis’s active ingredients are fat-soluble, not water-soluble, they need fat to be metabolized. Adding more fatty foods to your diet can help your body process plant cannabinoids more easily, in addition to helping your body make more endocannabinoids of its own. \n\nRELATED: [WHY YOU NEED TO EAT FAT WITH YOUR CANNABIS](https://hellomd.com/articles/why-you-need-to-eat-fat-with-your-cannabis)\n\n### How to Increase Your Intake of Omega-3s \n\nIf you’re interested in adding omega-3 to your health regimen, you can do so in a few easy ways. The simplest way may be adding foods to your diet that are high in omega-3. Fish and seafood have the highest levels of omega-3s. So, eating seafood at least twice a week may be the best way to get in the recommended amount.\n\nOf course, you can also get this fatty acid in other foods, such as:\n\n* Grass-fed meat and dairy\n* Eggs from pasture-raised chickens\n* Flax seeds\n* Chia seeds\n* Hemp seeds\n* Walnuts\n* Brussel sprouts \n* Dark leafy greens \n\nOr, if none of these foods sound appetizing, you can use supplements like fish oil capsules to get in these essential nutrients. \n\n### Make Sure to Balance Omega-3s With Omega-6s\n\nJust increasing your omega-3s shouldn’t be your only focus. Health experts caution that omega-3 actually needs to be balanced with that other important fatty acid, omega-6. Omega-6 is found in many vegetable oils and so is common in processed foods. It’s also found in conventionally raised animal products like meat, eggs and dairy. \n\nUnlike grass-fed animals, conventionally raised livestock are fed only grains, and this leads to more omega-6 than omega-3 in the final product. Because of this, most people already have diets high in omega-6, and low in omega-3. The average ratio is about 10:1 for most people’s diets today. Our ancestors evolved on a diet that was much more balanced. They had a ratio closer to 1:1. \n\nScientists report that maintaining a more balanced ratio, like the 1:1 ratio our ancestors enjoyed, can help get your ECS back into balance as well. It’s not just about increasing omega-3s; it's about getting them in balance with omega-6 fatty acids.\n\nA diet too high in omega-3s could also cause problems with the ECS. For most, this means eating more omega-3s and less omega-6s, but the ratio is what’s most important. \n\nTo get your diet back in balance, pay attention to the fatty acids in the foods you eat. It may be as simple as adding more fish into your meal plan or cutting back on processed foods. Whatever shifts you need to make, try it out and see how you feel. Your ECS will thank you. \n\nPhoto credit: [Malidate Van](https://www.pexels.com/@vanmalidate)\n\nIf you’re new to cannabis and want to learn more, take a look at our [Cannabis 101](https://hellomd.com/articles/cannabis-101-your-quick-guide-to-medical-marijuana) post. [HelloMD](https://www.hellomd.com/) can help you get your medical marijuana recommendation; it's easy, private and 100% online. \n","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.3888888888888888,"src":"/static/0783a4fb26fcd104cbb401988939436d/14b42/217b1e299f24bcbbd226e1b193e22cf4.jpg","srcSet":"/static/0783a4fb26fcd104cbb401988939436d/f836f/217b1e299f24bcbbd226e1b193e22cf4.jpg 200w,\n/static/0783a4fb26fcd104cbb401988939436d/2244e/217b1e299f24bcbbd226e1b193e22cf4.jpg 400w,\n/static/0783a4fb26fcd104cbb401988939436d/14b42/217b1e299f24bcbbd226e1b193e22cf4.jpg 800w,\n/static/0783a4fb26fcd104cbb401988939436d/47498/217b1e299f24bcbbd226e1b193e22cf4.jpg 1200w,\n/static/0783a4fb26fcd104cbb401988939436d/0e329/217b1e299f24bcbbd226e1b193e22cf4.jpg 1600w,\n/static/0783a4fb26fcd104cbb401988939436d/02768/217b1e299f24bcbbd226e1b193e22cf4.jpg 3662w","srcWebp":"/static/0783a4fb26fcd104cbb401988939436d/58556/217b1e299f24bcbbd226e1b193e22cf4.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/0783a4fb26fcd104cbb401988939436d/61e93/217b1e299f24bcbbd226e1b193e22cf4.webp 200w,\n/static/0783a4fb26fcd104cbb401988939436d/1f5c5/217b1e299f24bcbbd226e1b193e22cf4.webp 400w,\n/static/0783a4fb26fcd104cbb401988939436d/58556/217b1e299f24bcbbd226e1b193e22cf4.webp 800w,\n/static/0783a4fb26fcd104cbb401988939436d/99238/217b1e299f24bcbbd226e1b193e22cf4.webp 1200w,\n/static/0783a4fb26fcd104cbb401988939436d/7c22d/217b1e299f24bcbbd226e1b193e22cf4.webp 1600w,\n/static/0783a4fb26fcd104cbb401988939436d/83969/217b1e299f24bcbbd226e1b193e22cf4.webp 3662w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_2788-markdown","title":"Can You Really Overdose on Marijuana?","slug":"can-you-really-overdose-on-marijuana","content":"Can you overdose on marijuana? It’s a frequent question that cannabis newbies ask. And the common response has been: “No one has ever died from taking too much cannabis.” This answer so far has proven to be true.\n\nYou can certainly overdo it when it comes to cannabis, but it won’t be the end of you. How do we know this? Well, in 1988, a judge from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) sought to reschedule marijuana. In his ruling, he stated that you’d have to smoke about [1,500 pounds of cannabis in 15 minutes](http://www.ccguide.org/young88.php) to induce a lethal response—a feat no one could ever even attempt, let alone complete. \n\nFOLLOW US ON [FACEBOOK](https://www.facebook.com/pg/hellomdcompany/posts/) & [INSTAGRAM](https://www.instagram.com/hellomd_com/?hl=en)\n\n### Overdosing vs. Overconsuming Marijuana \n\n“Overdosing in the traditional narcotic sense is when someone uses an opioid to the point where their respiratory rate decreases. This decrease in respiration can be accompanied by vomiting and choking, which can also lead to death,” says [Dr. Perry Solomon](https://www.hellomd.com/people/54cc02df6465320003000000/perry-solomon-md/articles), HelloMD’s chief medical officer. \n\nA decrease in respiration can ultimately lead to: \n\n* Brain damage\n* Cardiac arrest\n* Respiratory arrest\n* Coma or death\n\n“Cannabis doesn't cause this type of traditional overdose,” says Dr. Solomon. “People who have too much cannabis are having cannabis with tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) content that’s too high for them, specifically,” he says. \n\nRELATED: [5 TIPS TO REDUCE THE EFFECTS OF HAVING TOO MUCH CANNABIS](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/5a5cfdb5c7e0180007a78273/5-tips-to-reduce-the-effects-of-having-too-much-cannabis)\n\nMost folks who’ve consumed cannabis are familiar with the symptoms of consuming too much THC. These symptoms include: \n\n* Anxiety\n* Paranoia\n* Increased respiration \n* Increased heart rate\n\nYou may be wondering about THC’s cousin, cannabidiol (CBD)—can you take too much of this molecule? “People are taking hundreds of milligrams of CBD, and I've never read or heard about any side effects that would be classified as an over usage or overdose of CBD products,” he says. \n\nDr. Solomon adds that you can take too much of anything, and that if you did somehow overdo it with CBD, you’d probably just be knocked out for a few hours. \n\nThis doesn’t mean that consuming large amounts of marijuana is completely harmless for everyone. Some research suggests that the plant can cause [complications in those with cardiac issues](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29218644) due to THC’s ability to increase heart rate. However, if marijuana were the cause of death in this circumstance, it wouldn’t qualify as an overdose in the traditional sense. \n\n### Why You Can’t Overdose on Cannabis, Scientifically Speaking \n\nCannabis and opioids bring about effects in our bodies by attaching to specific receptors located on our cells. The network of receptors that cannabis works on is called the endocannabinoid system (ECS). And while this system’s receptors can be found in the brain, they’re also found throughout the body in places like our gut, skeleton and immune cells.\n\nOpioids, in contrast, work on a set of receptors confined to the brain, spinal cord and digestive system. These opioid receptors are particularly plentiful in the brainstem, an area of our brain that controls key life functions like breathing, heart rate and consciousness. \n\nWhen a person takes an opioid, the drug’s molecules attach to these receptors to bring about effects like pleasure and pain relief. However, when consumed in large amounts, these drugs can overwhelm these areas, which are responsible for important life processes. Ultimately, this disruption can have deadly consequences, like slowing or even stopping breathing. \n\nOn the other hand, ECS receptors are notably lacking in the brainstem. The absence of these receptors from this key area of the brain likely contributes to why it’s impossible to overdose on cannabis. \n\nIf you’re new to cannabis and want to learn more, take a look at our [Cannabis 101](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/56201c206430320006bb0000/cannabis-101-your-quick-guide-to-medical-marijuana) post. [HelloMD](https://www.hellomd.com/) can help you get your medical marijuana recommendation; it's easy, private and 100% online.  ","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.3605442176870748,"src":"/static/dd10ab1bee394a512f0bda4361dcb2e6/14b42/b1452eec7584ab0630f8a8ff2b24c1e3.jpg","srcSet":"/static/dd10ab1bee394a512f0bda4361dcb2e6/f836f/b1452eec7584ab0630f8a8ff2b24c1e3.jpg 200w,\n/static/dd10ab1bee394a512f0bda4361dcb2e6/2244e/b1452eec7584ab0630f8a8ff2b24c1e3.jpg 400w,\n/static/dd10ab1bee394a512f0bda4361dcb2e6/14b42/b1452eec7584ab0630f8a8ff2b24c1e3.jpg 800w,\n/static/dd10ab1bee394a512f0bda4361dcb2e6/d708f/b1452eec7584ab0630f8a8ff2b24c1e3.jpg 1141w","srcWebp":"/static/dd10ab1bee394a512f0bda4361dcb2e6/58556/b1452eec7584ab0630f8a8ff2b24c1e3.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/dd10ab1bee394a512f0bda4361dcb2e6/61e93/b1452eec7584ab0630f8a8ff2b24c1e3.webp 200w,\n/static/dd10ab1bee394a512f0bda4361dcb2e6/1f5c5/b1452eec7584ab0630f8a8ff2b24c1e3.webp 400w,\n/static/dd10ab1bee394a512f0bda4361dcb2e6/58556/b1452eec7584ab0630f8a8ff2b24c1e3.webp 800w,\n/static/dd10ab1bee394a512f0bda4361dcb2e6/6abf0/b1452eec7584ab0630f8a8ff2b24c1e3.webp 1141w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_2690-markdown","title":"Is Mixing Cannabis & Coffee a Good Idea? ","slug":"is-mixing-cannabis-and-coffee-a-good-idea","content":"How do you start your morning? For so many Americans, the answer is the same: with a hot cup of coffee. We’re a caffeine-loving nation, where [83% of adults drink coffee regularly](https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2013/04/09/coffee-mania/2069335/).\n\nStill, while a good, old cup of joe is the norm, a new morning trend is emerging—a coffee and cannabis blend. This pairing makes a lot of sense to those who enjoy both regularly: While coffee energizes, cannabis relaxes. People report cannabis mellows out the buzz and jitters that sometimes come with coffee. And it adds something extra, helping them focus even more than with just java alone. \n\nBut what do we really know about this potent combination? New research suggests that these two substances may have unexpected interactions. And instead of complementing each other, coffee and cannabis may actually be working in opposition. \n\nFOLLOW US ON [FACEBOOK](https://www.facebook.com/pg/hellomdcompany/posts/) & [INSTAGRAM](https://www.instagram.com/hellomd_com/?hl=en)\n\n### Endocannabinoids: The Coffee & Cannabis Connection \n\nA new study published in the _Journal of Internal Medicine_ [looked more closely at the chemical effects of drinking coffee](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29044854) and found a surprising result. Coffee affects the same system as cannabis does: the endocannabinoid system (ECS). But [marijuana and coffee have opposite effects on the ECS](https://www.livescience.com/62034-coffee-cannabis-opposite.html).\n\n[The ECS is a crucial part of the human body, regulating things like our immune system, mood, memory and perception of pain](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/59b2191f214a9d000dd6a3fe/do-you-have-clinical-endocannabinoid-deficiency). We have natural chemicals in our bodies called endocannabinoids, which activate this system. Natural plant cannabinoids, like many of the compounds found in cannabis, can also activate this system of receptors. \n\nFor patients with endocannabinoid deficiencies, many issues can arise like problems with the immune system, chronic pain conditions or depression and anxiety. For these patients, cannabis can be a life-saver, boosting activation of the ECS and restoring its vital functions. \n\nRELATED: [DO YOU HAVE CLINICAL ENDOCANNABINOID DEFICIENCY?](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/59b2191f214a9d000dd6a3fe/do-you-have-clinical-endocannabinoid-deficiency)\n\nInterestingly, this new study found that coffee also exerts an effect on the ECS. Unfortunately, it’s in the other direction—coffee when consumed in large amounts was found to suppress the body's natural endocannabinoids. \n\nSpecifically, those in the study who drank four to eight cups of coffee per day saw their endocannabinoid levels drop. The specific endocannabinoids that were reduced were consistent with those that decrease during times of stress. \n\nWhile researchers didn’t look at how these chemical changes made participants feel, they hypothesized that the coffee might be leading to increased stress. Whether that stress is a direct result of the endocannabinoid suppression, or the endocannabinoid suppression is a result of the stress, is something that’s still in question. \n\n### Could Coffee Ruin the Positive Affects You Get From Cannabis?  \n \nResearchers are still questioning the implications of this study, as much more research is needed to fully understand the tie between these two substances. Still, they’re hypothesizing that there could be an interaction between coffee and cannabis—but what those effects might be are still unknown. \n\nGiven that drinking several cups of coffee can cause the suppression of endocannabinoids, those consuming cannabis should keep this in mind. It’s entirely possible that drinking coffee with your marijuana might be making the plant less effective. After all, marijuana works by increasing endocannabinoids. This is what provides its positive effects that we know and rely on.\n\nSince coffee can suppress those same endocannabinoids, it’s reasonable to worry that coffee and cannabis might be working against each other. Combining the two may decrease cannabis’s positive effects, or it could mean you need much more of the plant to create the same effects.\n\nIt’s also important to understand coffee’s suppressive role on the ECS if you’re consuming cannabis medicinally. If you already have symptoms or conditions that respond well to cannabis, it’s likely that you’re one of those who already has an underactive ECS. Drinking a lot of coffee could cause further problems by suppressing your endocannabinoids even more. \n\nOn the other hand, if you’re a big coffee drinker and don’t see yourself giving up your brew any time soon, adding cannabis to the mix could potentially help fight against the low endocannabinoid levels caused by your coffee habit. This may help ease the heightened stress response that’s all too common among coffee drinkers. \n\nWhile all of these possibilities make sense with what we know, chemical interactions are complicated. More research needs to be done to fully understand the possibilities. Until we look at what happens in the human body when these two substances are actually taken together, we can’t say for sure how they will interact. \n\nOne thing we do know is that coffee and cannabis can have opposite effects on the ECS. If you’re combining the two, proceed with caution and pay attention to how your coffee/cannabis combination makes you feel so you can tweak it to fit your needs. \n\nPhoto credit: [Nathan Dumlao]( https://unsplash.com/@nate_dumlao)\n\nIf you’re new to cannabis and want to learn more, take a look at our [Cannabis 101]( https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/56201c206430320006bb0000/cannabis-101-your-quick-guide-to-medical-marijuana) post. [HelloMD](https://www.hellomd.com/) can help you get your medical marijuana recommendation; it's easy, private and 100% online.\n","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,/9j/2wBDABALDA4MChAODQ4SERATGCgaGBYWGDEjJR0oOjM9PDkzODdASFxOQERXRTc4UG1RV19iZ2hnPk1xeXBkeFxlZ2P/2wBDARESEhgVGC8aGi9jQjhCY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2P/wgARCAAOABQDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFwABAQEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAwAEBf/EABUBAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAEA/9oADAMBAAIQAxAAAAHjrmYClo//xAAaEAEBAAIDAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABAgADEBIh/9oACAEBAAEFAp9a11x2cbWRz//EABYRAQEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABEf/aAAgBAwEBPwGNf//EABQRAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABD/2gAIAQIBAT8BP//EABsQAAEEAwAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAEAAhEgMUFR/9oACAEBAAY/AobtE8zX/8QAHBABAAIBBQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQARITFBUWFx/9oACAEBAAE/ISlReEQVl80ybQCupogPIoVbif/aAAwDAQACAAMAAAAQ5A//xAAWEQEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABABH/2gAIAQMBAT8QAFq//8QAFhEBAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAER/9oACAECAQE/ELGv/8QAGhAAAwEBAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAREhAEExUf/aAAgBAQABPxAFXQPM1YgEifkzlfWtEKmJrNWE+jgn4m//2Q==","aspectRatio":1.3888888888888888,"src":"/static/1c1acb8ad28194192997adafffd6092c/14b42/873d4b6cab42094335b9ba6037169405.jpg","srcSet":"/static/1c1acb8ad28194192997adafffd6092c/f836f/873d4b6cab42094335b9ba6037169405.jpg 200w,\n/static/1c1acb8ad28194192997adafffd6092c/2244e/873d4b6cab42094335b9ba6037169405.jpg 400w,\n/static/1c1acb8ad28194192997adafffd6092c/14b42/873d4b6cab42094335b9ba6037169405.jpg 800w,\n/static/1c1acb8ad28194192997adafffd6092c/47498/873d4b6cab42094335b9ba6037169405.jpg 1200w,\n/static/1c1acb8ad28194192997adafffd6092c/0e329/873d4b6cab42094335b9ba6037169405.jpg 1600w,\n/static/1c1acb8ad28194192997adafffd6092c/017f4/873d4b6cab42094335b9ba6037169405.jpg 3630w","srcWebp":"/static/1c1acb8ad28194192997adafffd6092c/58556/873d4b6cab42094335b9ba6037169405.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/1c1acb8ad28194192997adafffd6092c/61e93/873d4b6cab42094335b9ba6037169405.webp 200w,\n/static/1c1acb8ad28194192997adafffd6092c/1f5c5/873d4b6cab42094335b9ba6037169405.webp 400w,\n/static/1c1acb8ad28194192997adafffd6092c/58556/873d4b6cab42094335b9ba6037169405.webp 800w,\n/static/1c1acb8ad28194192997adafffd6092c/99238/873d4b6cab42094335b9ba6037169405.webp 1200w,\n/static/1c1acb8ad28194192997adafffd6092c/7c22d/873d4b6cab42094335b9ba6037169405.webp 1600w,\n/static/1c1acb8ad28194192997adafffd6092c/ef33f/873d4b6cab42094335b9ba6037169405.webp 3630w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_2532-markdown","title":"How Acupuncture Interacts With the Endocannabinoid System","slug":"how-acupuncture-interacts-with-the-endocannabinoid-system","content":"To date, the opioid system—the network of receptors in the body that opioid drugs attach to—is most often credited with delivering acupuncture’s reported effects as an anti-inflammatory, analgesic and anti-emetic. However, studies in recent years have found another, less-studied, but equally important receptor network may be involved: the endocannabinoid system—the same system that’s responsible for cannabis’s myriad effects on the body.\n\nFOLLOW US ON [FACEBOOK](https://www.facebook.com/pg/hellomdcompany/posts/) & [INSTAGRAM](https://www.instagram.com/hellomd_com/?hl=en)\n\n### What Is Acupuncture, and What’s It Good for? \n\nThough acupuncture can trace its roots back to China 2,500 years ago, it only really gained traction in the United States in 1971 when the _New York Times_ columnist James Reston wrote about his appendectomy in a Chinese hospital. According to James, the doctors used acupuncture to control his post-operative pain and to his surprise, it worked. \n\nSince the publishing of James’ article, the use of acupuncture to manage pain and a host of other maladies has soared. Like cannabis, double blind clinical research on acupuncture’s benefits is lacking. However, preliminary studies on this ancient treatment’s mechanisms are beginning to reveal how it might work and why some people are seeing positive results. \n\nOne of the key tenets of traditional Chinese medicine is the existence of a life force called *qi* that circulates through channels in the body, known as meridians. Acupuncture involves the insertion of needles at certain “acupoints” in the body to influence the flow of *qi* and bring about a positive bodily response. Typically, the practitioner manipulates inserted needles by hand to further stimulate the points of interest. \n\nAcupuncture theory has evolved since ancient times—some practitioners no longer subscribe to the concept of *qi* and meridians, and new techniques such as electroacupuncture have emerged. Electroacupuncture is frequently used in clinical practice and involves the use of an electrical current to stimulate the needles. \n\nIn 1997, the National Institute of Health acknowledged acupuncture’s therapeutic effects for certain conditions like chronic pain and stroke. Since then, numerous anecdotal and scientific reports suggest that acupuncture can help ease back and neck pain; symptoms of chemotherapy, like nausea and vomiting; pain associated with osteoarthritis, especially in the knee; and the frequency of tension and migraine headaches. \n\nAcupuncture’s growing popularity has led scientists to investigate the mechanisms underlying this practice. So far, researchers’ most accepted hypothesis is that stimulating acupoints activates certain nerves, which in turn send signals to the brain and spinal cord via various nervous pathways in the body. These signals then lead to various physical effects like pain relief and the protection of brain cells.\n\n### Acupuncture Stimulates the Endocannabinoid System\n\nBecause nerve signaling likely plays a key role in acupuncture’s benefits, it should come as no surprise that the endocannabinoid system—whose receptors are located throughout the body, but are most concentrated in the brain—may play a role in acupuncture’s reported effects. \n\nRELATED: [WHAT IS THE ENDOCANNABINOID SYSTEM?](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/5751cbd970410e000b00003a/what-is-the-endocannabinoid-system)\n\nFor example, a landmark study conducted on rats in _Chinese Medicine Journal_ showed that [electroacupuncture could reduce brain injury in strokes caused by lack of oxygen to the brain](http://europepmc.org/abstract/med/12667400). In 2012, the finding that [endocannabinoid receptors could play a role in protecting the brain from the same type of stroke](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22577257) led some scientists to speculate that the endocannabinoid system could be involved in acupuncture’s previously reported benefits.\n\nFurther studies in rats have shown that [electroacupuncture increases the amount of the endocannabinoids AEA and 2-AG in the brain](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19372445), meaning that electroacupuncture somehow activates endocannabinoid receptors in the central nervous system. \n\nStudies involving acupuncture and pain have found further links with the endocannabinoid system: By inducing arthritis in rats and then performing electroacupuncture at certain acupoints, scientists determined that there was an increase in CB1 and CB2 receptors—the main receptors of the endocannabinoid system. \n\nInterestingly, by adding or subtracting compounds that affect the CB1 and CB2 receptors, researchers have determined that the receptors work independently: CB1 is primarily responsible for the perception of pain, while CB2 moderates the anti-inflammatory effects of acupuncture. \n\n### The Endocannabinoid System & Opioid System Are Linked \n\nTo further complicate matters, consider that the endocannabinoid and opioid systems are linked: They share space on the brain and spinal cord, and receptors from both can be found in areas of the brain that control sensations of pleasure, reward and pain. This is why cannabis and opioid drugs are able to produce similar effects like feelings of euphoria, relaxation and pain relief. \n\nHaving these two systems so close together means that they’re often able to influence each other—this phenomenon has already been noted in animal studies involving pain. It’s also the reason why cannabinoids like tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) found in cannabis can boost the pain-relieving properties of opioids like morphine. \n\nThe overlap between these two systems may also contribute to acupuncture’s pain-fighting effects. In 2003, researchers found that electroacupuncture at particular frequencies stimulated the release of endorphins, a type of opioid made by the body. \n\nA 2011 study involving the inflamed skin tissues of rats went even further: Scientists found that [electroacupuncture at a particular acupoint stimulated the release of endorphins](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3281798/), and through a series of tests, they also found that the endocannabinoid receptor CB2 was responsible for reducing inflammation and stimulating the release of the endorphins in these skin tissues.\n\n### Pain Relief With Acupuncture & the Endocannabinoid System \n\nPain is one of the most common reasons people seek out acupuncture, and recent studies may give us some insight on why people continue to use it for pain management. A 2010 study involving mice found that [acupuncture triggered the release of adenosine](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3467968/), a chemical that delivers messages between nerves cells and that also has pain-relieving properties. The researchers found a 24-fold increase in adenosine concentration in the blood of the mice after acupuncture along with an overall reduction in pain in their test subjects.  \n\nThe researchers then injected the mice with compounds similar to adenosine and found a similar reduction in pain levels. They then injected more compounds that slowed the breakdown of adenosine in the body—thus boosting acupuncture’s effects by making adenosine available for a longer period of time. \n\nThis study becomes more compelling when we consider the finding that endocannabinoids regulate adenosine concentrations in the brain. Scientists have found that [AEA increases adenosine levels in the brains of rats and that this mechanism is overseen by the CB1 receptor](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14746372). This study, like most studies looking at the relationship between acupuncture and the endocannabinoid system, suggest that [acupuncture stimulates or mimics endocannabinoid activity](http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0149763417301318?showall%3Dtrue%26via%3Dihub).\n\nHowever, there are instances where the opposite has happened: [Acupuncture led to a decrease in activity of the CB1 receptor](http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S019701861200174X?via%3Dihub). While studies like this may be outliers, they also bring up an important concept: that acupuncture may dampen effects on the endocannabinoid system to maintain balance in the body.\nWhile we’re still far away from deciphering acupuncture’s exact mechanisms, it’s clear that this treatment has tangible effects on the body—effects that are likely due to the interaction of multiple receptor systems. \nUnderstanding the complex interactions between these systems is important because they may one day lead to the development of new techniques that combine acupuncture with medicines such as cannabis that target the endocannabinoid system.  \n\nPhoto credit: [Antonika Chanel](https://unsplash.com/@antonikachanel)\n\nIf you’re new to cannabis and want to learn more, take a look at our [Cannabis 101](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/cannabis-101-your-quick-guide-to-medical-marijuana) post. [HelloMD](https://www.hellomd.com/) can help you get your medical marijuana recommendation; it's easy, private and 100% online.  ","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.3605442176870748,"src":"/static/fe8a8a6476df8c452da1f2c77cc4e815/14b42/f7e8bf61c34051403567ee94060b8e51.jpg","srcSet":"/static/fe8a8a6476df8c452da1f2c77cc4e815/f836f/f7e8bf61c34051403567ee94060b8e51.jpg 200w,\n/static/fe8a8a6476df8c452da1f2c77cc4e815/2244e/f7e8bf61c34051403567ee94060b8e51.jpg 400w,\n/static/fe8a8a6476df8c452da1f2c77cc4e815/14b42/f7e8bf61c34051403567ee94060b8e51.jpg 800w,\n/static/fe8a8a6476df8c452da1f2c77cc4e815/47498/f7e8bf61c34051403567ee94060b8e51.jpg 1200w,\n/static/fe8a8a6476df8c452da1f2c77cc4e815/0e329/f7e8bf61c34051403567ee94060b8e51.jpg 1600w,\n/static/fe8a8a6476df8c452da1f2c77cc4e815/35aef/f7e8bf61c34051403567ee94060b8e51.jpg 3400w","srcWebp":"/static/fe8a8a6476df8c452da1f2c77cc4e815/58556/f7e8bf61c34051403567ee94060b8e51.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/fe8a8a6476df8c452da1f2c77cc4e815/61e93/f7e8bf61c34051403567ee94060b8e51.webp 200w,\n/static/fe8a8a6476df8c452da1f2c77cc4e815/1f5c5/f7e8bf61c34051403567ee94060b8e51.webp 400w,\n/static/fe8a8a6476df8c452da1f2c77cc4e815/58556/f7e8bf61c34051403567ee94060b8e51.webp 800w,\n/static/fe8a8a6476df8c452da1f2c77cc4e815/99238/f7e8bf61c34051403567ee94060b8e51.webp 1200w,\n/static/fe8a8a6476df8c452da1f2c77cc4e815/7c22d/f7e8bf61c34051403567ee94060b8e51.webp 1600w,\n/static/fe8a8a6476df8c452da1f2c77cc4e815/24201/f7e8bf61c34051403567ee94060b8e51.webp 3400w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_2519-markdown","title":"How Athletes Get a Boost From the Endocannabinoid System ","slug":"how-athletes-get-a-boost-from-the-endocannabinoid-system","content":"The concepts “runner’s high” and  “second wind” are familiar to serious athletes. They’re examples of the way intense exertion can bring on a feeling of energy, euphoria and complete union of body and mind. Now, recent research reveals that the positive benefits of exercise arise from the body’s endocannabinoid system—and that for athletes of all kinds, cannabis can help to boost performance, relieve pain, and protect cells and neurons from damage and death.\r\n\r\nFOLLOW US ON [FACEBOOK](https://www.facebook.com/pg/hellomdcompany/posts/) & [INSTAGRAM](https://www.instagram.com/hellomd_com/?hl=en)\r\n\r\n### Cannabinoids, not Endorphins Responsible for Workout High\r\n\r\nA large and growing body of research continues to show that working out—or just moving more—has the power to alleviate aches and pains, reduce anxiety, improve concentration and even ease the symptoms of depression. Those benefits are so well documented that exercise is often prescribed as part of a recovery plan for both physical and mental health conditions.  \r\n\r\nFor years, [sports medicine researchers worked hard to pin down the reasons behind those well-documented effects of exercise](https://cen.acs.org/articles/93/web/2015/10/Exploring-Molecular-Basis-Runners-High.html). Until relatively recently, though, it was generally believed that the positive effects of exercise came from the release of endorphins—“feel good” chemicals expressed by the body’s own natural system of opioid receptors during intense, focused physical activity.  \r\n\r\nBecause higher levels of endorphins can be measured in the blood under those conditions, researchers believed that these natural opioids were responsible for the runner’s high and other mood-altering benefits of exercise. The opioid receptor system is largely concentrated in the brain and is strongly associated with the pleasure-reward-learning circuit. Opioid receptors, especially in the brainstem, also activate to block pain signals.\r\n\r\nBut newer research raises questions around this theory. In 2004, British sports medicine researchers observed that the [mood-altering aspects of intense physical activity more closely resembled the effects reported by recreational marijuana users](http://bjsm.bmj.com/content/38/5/536) than the sedating effects of opioids. \r\n\r\nSports and intense exercise, they discovered, stimulate the expression of natural cannabinoids in areas of the brain related to pleasure, concentration and pain relief. But because cannabinoid receptors are notably lacking in the brainstem and gastrointestinal tract, cannabinoids don’t cause the sedative effects and gastric slowdown typical of opioids. \r\nWhat’s more, endorphins in the bloodstream aren’t able to pass the blood-brain barrier. \r\n\r\nBut cannabinoids can, and when they activate receptors in the body’s endocannabinoid system, they [produce the peak experiences and pain \r\nrelief](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3717337/) known to athletes and marijuana consumers alike. Whether generated by the body itself or consumed from external sources such as cannabis, cannabinoids can also exert a protective effect potent enough to slow the progression of a number of neurological conditions—and prevent the death of neurons after events such as traumatic brain injury.\r\n\r\nRELATED: [WHAT IS THE ENDOCANNABINOID SYSTEM?](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/5751cbd970410e000b00003a/what-is-the-endocannabinoid-system)\r\n\r\n### The Endocannabinoid System Generates Positive Effects During Exercise\r\n\r\nThe endocannabinoid system is a wide-ranging natural network of cannabinoid receptors that affect virtually all functions throughout the body. But this system wasn’t discovered until the 1980s, and much remains to be learned about its many complex functions, including its differences from the opioid receptor system. Those differences help to explain why cannabinoids are more able to produce the positive effects associated with exercise than opioids, and why cannabis can have more far-reaching effects on the body as a whole.\r\n\r\nThe endocannabinoid system includes two kinds of receptors. CB1 is abundant in many areas of the brain, the central and peripheral nervous systems, and organs and tissues throughout the body. In the brain, CB1 receptors exist alongside opioid receptors in areas related to pleasure, relaxation and pain responses—but they’re virtually absent in the brainstem, where opioid receptors are plentiful. CB2 is more closely associated with peripheral tissues and the immune system. \r\n\r\nThe human body produces two natural cannabinoids, anandamide and 2AG, which bind to these receptors, triggering a range of responses and supporting the functioning of other kinds of systems. The most abundant compounds in cannabis, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD), are so similar to these natural cannabinoids that they can activate the receptors in the same way.\r\n\r\n### Cannabinoids Provide Athletes With Neuroprotection, Pain Relief & More\r\n\r\nBecause cannabinoid receptors are found on all kinds of cells throughout the body, they play an important role in protecting neurons from damage caused by inflammation, oxidation and various disease processes. This explains why cannabis can slow the progression of diseases such as multiple sclerosis and Parkinson’s disease and [prevent neuron \r\ndeath](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15281893) after injuries—even [traumatic brain injury](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25166905), a major risk in contact sports such as football.\r\n\r\nCannabinoids can relieve pain—better than opioids, according to many users. During exercise, activation of cannabinoid receptors in the brain and tissues can help athletes to push past the pain or not feel it at all. During recovery, too, cannabis products of all kinds can help reduce inflammation in muscles and tissues, and help manage pain from sports-related injuries.\r\n\r\nCannabinoids also support the healthy functioning of many essential processes in the body, and during exercise they can promote the oxygenation of tissues by encouraging vasodilation and bronchodilation for better blood flow and respiration. Increased oxygenation can enhance endurance and focus during intense exercise and competitive sports.\r\n\r\n### Marijuana & Sports: A New Relationship\r\n\r\nAthletes have been using cannabis for a long time, though many have been reluctant to say so openly. Now, cannabis entrepreneurs and activists, along with athletes in sports ranging from martial arts to football, are working to promote the use of cannabis products. \r\n\r\n[VapeXhale founder Seibo Shen is a jiujitsu fighter and passionate advocate of cannabis consumption](https://socialunderground.com/2016/08/seibo-shenvapexhale-evo-birth-cannathlete/)  to “activate” performance in sports of all kinds. As cofounder of CannAthlete, Seibo works with athletes in a structured program that combines cannabis with other mind-body techniques.\r\n\r\nCannabis, he says, “tends to facilitate a state of homeostasis. Being relaxed and also able to dynamically spring into action—that’s the mind state we want athletes to be in.”\r\n\r\n[Cannabis activist and entrepreneur Jim McAlpine](https://www.denverite.com/marijuana-pairs-best-intense-physical-activity-says-420-games-founder-jim-mcalpine-39556/) is also working to shatter the myth of the “stoner” and show that cannabis can be a key part of an active lifestyle. As founder of the 420 Games, a series of athletic events promoting the healthy and responsible use of cannabis, Jim points out that many world-class athletes and champions have used cannabis—and that it can help, not hurt, performance.\r\n\r\nA growing body of research reveals that cannabis works with the endocannabinoid system to provide its benefits—and along with the well-known “high,” athletes across the spectrum of sports can use it for performance, pain relief and protection.\r\n\r\nPhoto credit: [Autumn Goodman](https://unsplash.com/@auttgood)\r\n\r\nIf you’re new to cannabis and want to learn more, take a look at our [Cannabis 101](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/cannabis-101-your-quick-guide-to-medical-marijuana) post. [HelloMD](https://www.hellomd.com/) can help you get your medical marijuana recommendation; it's easy, private and 100% online.  ","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.3605442176870748,"src":"/static/5d2a5fb69650b60bb3fc6762807f54bf/14b42/12f5b58ee4a4d562be0448396b82e8eb.jpg","srcSet":"/static/5d2a5fb69650b60bb3fc6762807f54bf/f836f/12f5b58ee4a4d562be0448396b82e8eb.jpg 200w,\n/static/5d2a5fb69650b60bb3fc6762807f54bf/2244e/12f5b58ee4a4d562be0448396b82e8eb.jpg 400w,\n/static/5d2a5fb69650b60bb3fc6762807f54bf/14b42/12f5b58ee4a4d562be0448396b82e8eb.jpg 800w,\n/static/5d2a5fb69650b60bb3fc6762807f54bf/47498/12f5b58ee4a4d562be0448396b82e8eb.jpg 1200w,\n/static/5d2a5fb69650b60bb3fc6762807f54bf/0e329/12f5b58ee4a4d562be0448396b82e8eb.jpg 1600w,\n/static/5d2a5fb69650b60bb3fc6762807f54bf/49344/12f5b58ee4a4d562be0448396b82e8eb.jpg 3300w","srcWebp":"/static/5d2a5fb69650b60bb3fc6762807f54bf/58556/12f5b58ee4a4d562be0448396b82e8eb.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/5d2a5fb69650b60bb3fc6762807f54bf/61e93/12f5b58ee4a4d562be0448396b82e8eb.webp 200w,\n/static/5d2a5fb69650b60bb3fc6762807f54bf/1f5c5/12f5b58ee4a4d562be0448396b82e8eb.webp 400w,\n/static/5d2a5fb69650b60bb3fc6762807f54bf/58556/12f5b58ee4a4d562be0448396b82e8eb.webp 800w,\n/static/5d2a5fb69650b60bb3fc6762807f54bf/99238/12f5b58ee4a4d562be0448396b82e8eb.webp 1200w,\n/static/5d2a5fb69650b60bb3fc6762807f54bf/7c22d/12f5b58ee4a4d562be0448396b82e8eb.webp 1600w,\n/static/5d2a5fb69650b60bb3fc6762807f54bf/d2b96/12f5b58ee4a4d562be0448396b82e8eb.webp 3300w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_2158-markdown","title":"Endocannabinoid System & Habit Forming","slug":"endocannabinoid-system-and-habit-forming","content":"### How the Endocannabinoid System Relates to Our Habits\r\n\r\nA recent study published in _Neuron_, a prominent neuroscience journal, showed a promising connection between habit forming and the endocannabinoid system (ECS). The research was led by Christina Gremel, an assistant professor of physiology at the University of California San Diego. The study showed that endocannabinoids, neurochemicals in our body that are similar to cannabinoids found in cannabis, allow for habit to take control of our body's action. This redirects our body from a goal-directed action to a habit, which we have preformed many times, such as brushing our teeth. It was already known that the ECS played a role in many parts of our bodies inner workings, but this study shows a new breakthrough in how important the endocannabinoid system is to our overall body function. \r\n\r\n### Orbital Frontal Cortex & Habit or Goal-Directed Action\r\n\r\nEarlier research by Gremel focused on the orbital frontal cortex (OFC), which is important for relaying information related to goal-directed action. When researchers increased the number of output neurons in the OFC using optogenetics, flashes of light that turn on and off receptors in the brain, they found that goal-directed action increased. When they decreased neuron outputs, the OFC was subdued and habit took over. This previous research served as a base for the understanding of how the OFC is connected to habit and goal-directed action, which was an important component in the study that showed the connection between the ECS and habit formation.\r\n\r\n### The Endocannabinoid System and Habit Formation\r\n\r\nThe study related to the ECS was conducted using trained mice, which pushed a lever for a food reward. They placed the mice in two different environments, one that was goal-directed and one that was habitual. The mice were able to switch between the two environments with relative ease, much like a human can switch between habitual action and a new task they set out to do. For example, the difference between the habit of getting home or the goal-directed action of getting to a new location not previously known. The researchers hypothesized that cannabinoids may be responsible for quieting the OFC, because they're known to reduce neuron activity in general, allowing habit to take over in the brain. \r\n\r\nTo test this hypothesis, researchers deleted the CB1 receptor in the orbital frontal cortex-to-striatum pathway. Mice missing the CB1 receptors weren't able to form habits, showing the critical connection between the ECS and the neurochemicals that travel along the pathway. It can be concluded from this study that without the ECS stimulated by internal cannabinoids, the consequences could be great, because they couldn't form habits.\r\n\r\n“We need a balance between habitual and goal-directed actions. For everyday function, we need to be able to make routine actions quickly and efficiently, and habits serve this purpose,” said lead researcher Gremel. “However, we also encounter changing circumstances, and need the capacity to ‘break habits’ and perform a goal-directed action based on updated information. When we can’t, there can be devastating consequences.”\r\n\r\nThis study could prompt exploration into a new therapeutic use for marijuana for people with OCD or addiction problems. If the endocannabinoid system is deeply rooted in habit forming, and being able to break from habits based on a goal-directed action, it could aid in decreasing over-reliance on a particular habit. The body's own endocannabinoid system may need to be treated in some way to restore the ability to shift from habits to goal-directed action. \r\n\r\n[Photo Credit](https://www.flickr.com/photos/patricksavalle/9117978909/in/photolist-eTJ2sV-pzrtM8-hzDFXw-zHZNob-hzDvmR-r8EjBC-AoqtoW-nShRRP-q9g9fG-qM2oUL-rypYCT-hw9SCx-bwrdqi-iHnwCf-pKQRmF-ACJdCQ-c6gErf-pbhqCB-ndE9T1-hw9ZV1-9mcPgh-ADQ8i9-ADQeTy-oTN878-c2aXWU-aMZ8qp-c6a5fq-8cgqdh-ACJgYN-ADQaSY-zJ9f42-q7FZcA-zHZMes-qHeAdF-qdWLSN-qsKcw1-pJ4zEP-AoqiBb-nm3aYa-icvBja-Gyvo55-icvahc-icvaKB-qQ8S14-mmv9ta-ai7hLR-pb1F5v-pUhKDK-bnCSKK-ai7gQa)","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/png;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.5151515151515151,"src":"/static/7a12497232ae98a177bc01367b4885da/ee604/b24ba8b12aa4065ebc83dbd7b7729713.png","srcSet":"/static/7a12497232ae98a177bc01367b4885da/69585/b24ba8b12aa4065ebc83dbd7b7729713.png 200w,\n/static/7a12497232ae98a177bc01367b4885da/497c6/b24ba8b12aa4065ebc83dbd7b7729713.png 400w,\n/static/7a12497232ae98a177bc01367b4885da/ee604/b24ba8b12aa4065ebc83dbd7b7729713.png 800w,\n/static/7a12497232ae98a177bc01367b4885da/3b2e7/b24ba8b12aa4065ebc83dbd7b7729713.png 1034w","srcWebp":"/static/7a12497232ae98a177bc01367b4885da/58556/b24ba8b12aa4065ebc83dbd7b7729713.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/7a12497232ae98a177bc01367b4885da/61e93/b24ba8b12aa4065ebc83dbd7b7729713.webp 200w,\n/static/7a12497232ae98a177bc01367b4885da/1f5c5/b24ba8b12aa4065ebc83dbd7b7729713.webp 400w,\n/static/7a12497232ae98a177bc01367b4885da/58556/b24ba8b12aa4065ebc83dbd7b7729713.webp 800w,\n/static/7a12497232ae98a177bc01367b4885da/bfd1f/b24ba8b12aa4065ebc83dbd7b7729713.webp 1034w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_2100-markdown","title":"What Is the Endocannabinoid System?","slug":"what-is-the-endocannabinoid-system","content":"The endocannabinoid system, the series of cannabinoid receptors throughout the human body, was named for the drug that sparked its discovery, cannabis. As researchers strove to learn more about how cannabis affected the human body, they discovered a series of cannabinoid receptors, which respond to cannabinoids produced by the body and those present in marijuana. \n\nCannabinoid receptors are found in the brain, organs, connective tissue, glands and immune cells, making them essential to the function of almost all parts of the human body. All animal species, with the exception of bugs, have an endocannabinoid system, and researchers believe it evolved approximately 600 million years ago. Though there are many gaps in the scientific knowledge of the endocannabinoid system, scientists have still gathered a lot of information on its function within the human body.\n\nThe endocannbinoid system responds to both endocannabinoids, cannabinoids produced within the body, and phyotocannabinoids, cannabinoids that are sourced from plants. There are believed to be several endocannabinoids, but the two most well understood are anandamide and 2-arachidonolyglycerol.\n\nPhytocannabinoids have mostly been identified from Cannabis sativa, but they have also been found in other medicinal herbs, such as Echinacea purpura. The most well-known cannabinoids from cannabis are THC and CBD. Cannabinoids can be psychoactive, as is the case with THC, though most cannabinoids are non-psychoactive. \n\n### The Endocannabinoid System in the Human Body\n\nScientists believe there are more cannabinoid receptors present than any other receptor in the human body. Two specific kinds of cannabinoid receptors have been identified to make up the endocannabinoid system. The CB1 receptor is normally present in the nervous system, connective tissues, gonads, glands and organs, whereas the CB2 receptor is present in the immune system and associated structures.\n\nDue to the fact that cannabinoid receptors reach into almost every part of the body, cannabinoids are integral in many different bodily functions. Cannabinoids are used in intercellular communication, and since their discovery, have helped us better understand the bridges between body and mind. \n\nCannabinoids are also crucial in the process of maintaining homeostasis within cells and the body as a whole. The endocannabinoid system regulates autophagy, a process in which the cell segregates one part of its contents to be self-digested. It's extremely important that the body maintain the correct balance of cannabinoids in order to function properly and keep the whole body healthy.\n\n“While this process keeps normal cells alive, allowing them to maintain a balance between the synthesis, degradation, and subsequent recycling of cellular products, it has a deadly effect on malignant tumor cells, causing them to consume themselves in a programmed cellular suicide. The death of cancer cells, of course, promotes homeostasis and survival at the level of the entire organism,” said Dustin Sulak, DO to Norml. \n\n### How Cannabis Works on Our Endocannabinoid System\n\nCannabinoids from marijuana can stimulate or mimic our natural cannabinoid production. When phytocannabinoids are introduced, they can cause an increase of cannabinoid receptors in the body. This increase in cannabinoid receptors can help to explain why people don't “feel” any effects the first time they take marijuana. But their heightened number of cannabinoid receptors, once they've previously introduced cannabinoids into their body, causes a more prominent effect.\n\nCannabis can work synergistically with the endocannabinoids produced inside the body to bring the body into homeostasis. Cannabis, unlike other synthetic medications, works in harmony with the body to bring it into health by obtaining equilibrium. \n\n### The Key to Many Chronic Illnesses\n\nClinical Endocannabinoid Deficiency (CECD) is believed to occur when endocannabinoid levels are found to be persistently lower than healthy control. The cause of CECD is unknown, but it is believed that an imbalance of cannabinoids could either be congenital or acquired throughout a period of time. Low endocannabinoid levels could be the cause of some chronic illnesses, rather than just a symptom. CECD is most often attributed to fibromyalgia, migraines, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and cystic fibrosis. \n\nMany sufferers of the five conditions that are thought to be attributed to CECD often feel relief when using marijuana as a medication. Cannabinoids, such as THC, have been found to inhibit serotonin release in migraine sufferers, thereby relieving symptoms.\n\nIBS is thought to be related to endocannabinoid and serotonergic signaling. Though research into the connection is limited, this connection suggests that CB receptors may be a good target in alleviating IBS-related complications.\n\nASD has been linked to dysfunctional endocannabinoid signaling. This altered endocannabinoid expression suggests that there may be scientific backing for the anecdotal reports from parents who've had success administering medical marijuana to their children with ASD.\n\nAnd finally, 2011 study suggests that chronic congenital cystic fibrosis is the result of imbalanced endocannabinoid levels, indicating that phytocannabinoids could be viable routes of treatment. \n\n### How Can Cannabis Help?\n\nThe endocannabinoid system is all about balance and equilibrium. Finding the proper treatment is unique to each individual because it involves balancing cannabinoids found in the body with those provided by medical marijuana. Most current research seems to point to success using high-THC, low-CBD strains when combatting CECD-related conditions. That said, CBD appears to be very helpful in alleviating symptoms in other conditions. \n\nAs more research is done on the endocannabinoid system in the human body, medical marijuana prescriptions can become more precise and be less of a trial-and-error process. The increase in knowledge of the benefits of medical marijuana in aiding the body's own endocannabinoid system is crucial.\n\nDoctors today don't even learn about the endocannabinoid system in medical school, which is extremely detrimental to the overall health of the population. The first textbook on medical marijuana, however, is being released on May 31, 2016, giving hope for increased learning on the endocannabinoid system. \n\nInterested in asking a question about this topic? Go to [HelloMD Answers](https://www.hellomd.com/answers) and ask one of our doctors or community. \n\nIf you're new to cannabis and want to learn more, take a look at our [Cannabis 101](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/56201c206430320006bb0000/cannabis-101-your-quick-guide-to-medical-marijuana) post. [HelloMD](https://www.hellomd.com/) can help you get your medical marijuana recommendation; it's easy, private and 100% online.","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/png;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.694915254237288,"src":"/static/768d230b0385b65850b8409cc606da0b/27625/4d822476cec6f575a6e6b373295fa8d0.png","srcSet":"/static/768d230b0385b65850b8409cc606da0b/69585/4d822476cec6f575a6e6b373295fa8d0.png 200w,\n/static/768d230b0385b65850b8409cc606da0b/497c6/4d822476cec6f575a6e6b373295fa8d0.png 400w,\n/static/768d230b0385b65850b8409cc606da0b/27625/4d822476cec6f575a6e6b373295fa8d0.png 680w","srcWebp":"/static/768d230b0385b65850b8409cc606da0b/8829b/4d822476cec6f575a6e6b373295fa8d0.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/768d230b0385b65850b8409cc606da0b/61e93/4d822476cec6f575a6e6b373295fa8d0.webp 200w,\n/static/768d230b0385b65850b8409cc606da0b/1f5c5/4d822476cec6f575a6e6b373295fa8d0.webp 400w,\n/static/768d230b0385b65850b8409cc606da0b/8829b/4d822476cec6f575a6e6b373295fa8d0.webp 680w","sizes":"(max-width: 680px) 100vw, 680px"}}}}}]}},"pageContext":{"limit":12,"skip":0,"numPages":1,"currentPage":1,"id":5221,"name":"Ecs","slug":"ecs","country":"US"}},"staticQueryHashes":["3949754563","4179947113","4202924991"]}