plant, from leaves to stalks to flowers and stems, contains CBD. However, the largest concentrations of cannabinoids are in the resins on the flowers of a cannabis plant. Common cannabis mythology suggests that hemp doesn’t bud and flower like other cannabis grown specifically for its THC and psychedelic properties. But more and more hemp is coming to full flower and being sold as CBD cannabis with variable amounts of THC — some as low as 0.3 percent, making it legally qualify as hemp in the United States.
CBD and THC have the same molecular formula (2 oxygen molecules, 30 hydrogen molecules, and 21 carbon molecules, if you’re interested). Despite their identical molecular composition, CBD and THC are different in several important ways:
Their atomic arrangements are unique.
CBD and THC interact with your body’s endocannabinoid system in very distinct ways that can affect your mood and physiology. For example, many people use CBD as an anti-anxiety treatment, while some studies have found that high concentrations of THC can increase anxious feelings.
Legally speaking, THC is a controlled substance and CBD isn’t.
CBD is more largely decriminalized. Nearly every U.S. state allows CBD products to be sold, with some inherent rules and regulations. But fewer than a dozen states have legalized the recreational use of THC-dominant products.
Seeing how CBD interacts with the endocannabinoid system
The endocannabinoid system (ECS) is the most important system in the human body related to the benefits and interactions of cannabis and CBD. Your ECS has two receptors designed to receive and positively interact with CBD. In more complex interactions, CBD actually triggers your body to produce more of its own endocannabinoids.
The following sections detail how CBD molecules interact with receptors in your brain and beyond.
Blocking THC from receptors
Receptors are proteins that bind to neurotransmitter molecules to create a signal that tells your body to perform a particular function. This binding and linking is like a lock-and-key system that unlocks a series of events. For example, the way that CBD attaches itself to receptors is a key that can unlock (that is, cause or accelerate) a reaction that addresses imbalances and promotes equilibrium.
These receptors exist all over the human body, from the brain to every internal organ. You have a host of receptors in your body — in your skin and throughout your organs — that interact with CBD, which makes you a great candidate for supplementing with CBD. (Unless you aren’t a human, in which case the research is still out for you.)
The ECS is composed of two notable receptors: the cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1, found in the brain and nervous system) and cannabinoid receptor 2 (CB2, found throughout the immune and other operating systems). These receptors are designed to receive information through cannabinoid chemicals. The body naturally produces these cannabinoids, and they’re also delivered through foods and nutrients. CBD has been shown to interact with the receptor system by interfering with other cannabinoids’ ability to directly bind to the receptors. Imagine a game of billiards. The pockets are the receptors; the solid balls are CBD, and the striped balls are another cannabinoid — for example, THC. The striped ball’s (THC’s) goal is to get into (bind with) the pocket (receptor). If a solid ball (CBD) stops just in front of the pocket, it’s technically interacting with the pocket by preventing the striped ball from going in.
TALKING ABOUT CLINICAL ENDOCANNABINOID DEFICIENCY
It’s no big secret that our human systems are chock full of deficiencies, mostly nutritional. So you probably won’t be surprised when I tell you that we have an endocannabinoid deficiency, too (officially called clinical endocannabinoid deficiency, or CED). This piece of endocannabinoid science is in its theoretical state, much like all cannabinoid and endocannabinoid research.
Endocannabinoid deficiency shows up when your body’s endocannabinoid system is operating in a state of malfunction. Researchers don’t know what could lead to a deficiency in the endocannabinoid system, so they’ve been exploring whether a variety of treatment-resistant syndromes may result from CED. Potential issues linked to CED include fibromyalgia, migraines, chronic fatigue, and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Not stuff you want to ignore, even if your body would let you.
Whether CED is the cause of migraines and various other treatment-resistant syndromes is still unclear. What is clear is that a more balanced system can help reduce symptoms from these conditions. Your endocannabinoid system loves balance; this concept of balance is called endocannabinoid tone.
So what, outside of your own bodily capability of producing cannabinoids, can help you meet this deficiency? You can incorporate a few helpful ingredients — such as chocolate (cacao), black pepper, and rosemary — into your diet. And of course, there’s cannabis. The puzzle piece that fits like no other. (Simply or exclusively supplementing with cannabinoids such as CBD may or may not address endocannabinoid tone. No one knows yet.)
(Note: Don’t go searching the internet to see whether you suffer from “clinical endocannabinoid deficiency.” It’s just as new as all other cannabis science, and it’s far less supported than other long-standing theories about deficiencies and treatments in Western medicine.)
This blocking is significant because if THC cannabinoids directly bind to the CB1 and CB2 receptors, you get a psychedelic effect. CBD prevents this “high” sensation. This changed interaction isn’t good or bad; it’s just part of a process.
Interestingly, CBD’s interaction with those receptors can increase the body’s endocannabinoid production by preventing the enzymes that break down endocannabinoids from doing their jobs. In your body, increased endocannabinoid production can potentially be beneficial (see the nearby sidebar for more information).
Checking out other receptors
CB1 and CB2 aren’t the only receptors in town. CBD has the incredible capability of interacting with more than 72 different receptors in the human body. Luckily, CBD’s promiscuity lends it to diverse applications, interactions, and functions. (Check out the preceding section
