So... What Does CBD Do, Exactly?
Ok. I’m really excited to be writing this post. And I hope it’s helpful to you. Because I get asked this question a lot!
It usually goes something like this: “So… what does CBD do, exactly?”
Even though CBD is all the rage these days, many people are still not sure what CBD does or how it can help. CBD is new for all of us, and even the scientists researching CBD are still learning more and more about this magnificent molecule all the time.
It can also be difficult to distill what CBD does into words. Why? Because CBD’s ability to tonify the endocannabinoid system, which maintains overall balance in the body, is so foundational. The basic selling point for CBD, boiled down to its simplest form, is this: CBD helps you feel better.
Understandably, this sounds too good to be true for some people. But then… they try it… and find that they may feel a little lighter and perhaps a little sunnier. This has certainly been my experience.
With CBD, it’s less about the onset of a positive experience, but more about the reduction of pain and obstacle. Through interaction with the endocannabinoid system in our bodies, CBD helps the body maintain balance and optimal functioning.
The science behind CBD is really cool and highlights that CBD does enable our bodies to operate at their highest capacity. The body is a complex system that, when working well, is able to heal itself. And someone’s endocannabinoid health directly impacts their body’s ability to jumpstart the healing process.
CBD helps our bodies to self-regulate. And when we have a healthy endocannabinoid tone, this allows the body to “snap back” more quickly when something becomes misaligned. For example, when we sustain an injury, the endocannabinoid system kicks into gear and sends internal messages that will result in healing the area in distress. But, if the endocannabinoid system is not functioning properly, then the body’s response to the stressor or injury will be slower and less effective. Through CBD, we can improve endocannabinoid tone and prepare our body to be the most resilient body it can be!
CBD can be used in so many different ways and for many different reasons. And when this healing is applied to our daily lives? Ah! So helpful.
The Brass Tacks: What CBD does in the body
OK, here we go! Let’s explore CBD and how it works with our body to enhance overall functionality.
CBD Supplements Endocannabinoid Tone
The endocannabinoid system, which is present in all human and nearly all animal bodies, is responsible for maintaining homeostasis within the body. This might sound simplistic or even unremarkable until you consider that the ECS oversees the balance of the body’s core systems, including the regulation of brain activity, immune function, and metabolic functions. It is not a stretch to say that a healthy endocannabinoid tone is required for a healthy body.
CBD balances the body and provides a natural option for supplementing endocannabinoid tone. CBD affects the ECS by increasing the body’s own endocannabinoid molecules, anandamide and 2-AG. CBD also supplements endocannabinoid tone by inhibiting fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) and fatty acid-binding proteins, which degrade endocannabinoids. Therefore, through CBD, we can increase the amount of naturally occurring endocannabinoids at the cellular level. CBD can also prevent over-stimulation of CB1 and CB2 receptors, which could be caused by taking too much THC.
Essentially, CBD assists the endocannabinoid system in its ability to create an endocannabinoid tone that is just right for your body. Another way of putting this is that CBD helps the body to “tonify” the endocannabinoid system. CBD’s ability to tonify the body’s endocannabinoid system is paramount to our overall well being.
For more on endocannabinoid tone, check out my blog post “Endocannabinoid Tone: What it Means and Why It's Important”
CBD Fights Inflammation
Inflammation is an immune response and is believed to be a factor in many diseases and conditions. CB2 receptors are largely responsible for the anti-inflammatory effects of cannabis.
CBD fights inflammation in two major ways through interaction with the endocannabinoid system. One anti-inflammatory function is to reduce the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines. The second is to increase the production of anti-inflammatory interleukins. When CBD is in play, your body stops sending the signals that cause pain and starts sending the signals that reduce inflammation at the same time.
Talk about multitasking!
CBD reduces inflammatory impacts by interacting with CB2 receptors throughout the lymphatic system. For this reason, CBD can assist patients dealing with inflammation-based diseases, including inflammatory skin diseases (psoriasis and eczema) as well as inflammatory diseases of the gut, such as Crohn’s disease (CD) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
CBD Reduces the Impacts of Stress
Stress affects many of the physiological systems in the body and evokes a rapid shift in many neurobehavioral processes. Chronic stress has significant health implications because it leads to long-term ECS disruption which can then result in chronic pain and disease. As someone who has suffered from poor health due to chronic stress, I can tell you first-hand just how dysregulating chronic stress can be for the mind and body.
The growing body of research indicates that the ECS is an integral regulator of the stress response. When CBD is introduced into the endocannabinoid system, it is able to combat stress on a physiological level. CBD has biphasic immunomodulatory effects on the immune system to maintain cellular homeostasis in response to oxidative stress. Basically, CBD supports healthy stress response as well as overall adaptability in stressful situations.
CBD also activates the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA), which is critical after exposure to a stressful stimulus. The HPA is a functional unit within the brain that regulates the body’s response to stress. The ECS acts as a recovery system limiting HPA activity during stress, allowing the body to keep cortisol levels in check.
Because of how CBD functions to reduce stress in the body, it is able to support the body’s ability to heal itself after physical injury. There is research evidence showing that endocannabinoids are markedly increased within the body in response to an injury. When you get hurt, an army of endocannabinoids is generated to help heal the area in distress. This process within the body underscores the role of the ECS in supporting the body’s real-time response to injury, disease, or significant stress event. For this reason, the administration of CBD can be used to treat injuries by tonifying the endocannabinoid system and increasing the availability of endocannabinoids in the body.
Impairments in the ECS may be involved in the vulnerability of stress-related psychiatric conditions, such as depression and PTSD. ECS disruption can also be caused by prolonged exposure to stressful situations (from poverty to dysfunctional relationships to never-ending office antics) as well as the overconsumption of alcohol.
In an era where stress and anxiety levels are on the rise, significantly impacting a growing number of patients’ quality of life, the therapeutic properties of CBD are sure to play a valuable role in healthcare moving forward.
CBD Interacts with Other Biological Pathways
Along with interaction with the ECS and cannabinoid receptors, CBD also interacts with many additional biological pathways. Because CBD interacts with so many of the body’s pathways, CBD is considered to be “promiscuous.” Yes, this is actually a medical term. Get it, girl!
Here are a few examples of how CBD produces positive results through other body pathways outside of the ECS:
CBD reduces anxiety, pain, and assists with sleep through actions on serotonin receptors
CBD acts as an analgesic (pain reliever) through interaction with mu and sigma opioid receptors
CBD decreases pain and inflammation through TRPV-1 receptors
Interestingly, TRPV-1 receptors are the receptors that respond to vanilla!
CBD contributes to anti-anxiety effects and improved cardiac function through adenosine receptors
CBD increases bone density and decreased cancer proliferation through GPR-55 receptors
CBD provides neuroprotective effects via anti-oxidant and glutamate toxicity protection and retrograde balancing
CBD mediates increase in serotonin and glutamate levels resulting in improvement of both depression and anxiety via 5HT1a receptors
CBD Mitigates Clinical Endocannabinoid Deficiency (CECD)
Now that more is known about the endocannabinoid system, the cannabis-conscious healthcare community is able to consider how to provide better treatments for a group of diseases associated with Clinical Endocannabinoid Deficiency (CECD). These diseases are resultant from a lack of required endocannabinoids in the body. There are many reasons that someone’s endocannabinoid system may not be functioning properly without intervention. CBD is likely to play a major role in the treatment of CECD in the future.
For more on CECD, see my blog post “What is the Endocannabinoid System (ECS)?”
The goal of cannabinoid treatment for CECD is to use CBD as a supplemental medication to raise the overall cannabinoid tone. CBD inhibits FAAH breakdown of AEA and competes with AEA and 2-AG for transportation to the catabolic enzymes. This results in an increase in endocannabinoids throughout the brain and body in a non-selective manner. The constant presence of CBD in the brain and body is expected to counteract the deficiency of endocannabinoids that is the hallmark of CECD. Other cannabinoids may be leveraged alongside CBD in order to support the synergistic healing effects of the “entourage effect”.
CBD Reduces Reliance on Other Medications
Thanks to its healing properties, CBD is beginning to displace some traditional medications for patients across the United States. According to the CBD Insider Report, published in 2019, 22% of surveyed CBD consumers said they have replaced a medication with CBD and 44.7% use CBD to supplement their current medication routine. Medications either replaced or reduced include over-the-counter medications as well as prescription medications of the opiate, anti-anxiety medication, and sleep drug varieties.
Within the greater cannabis community, one may hear this phenomenon described as “pot over pills”. Essentially, when patients are able to leverage the natural healing properties of cannabis medicine, they are sometimes able to cease use of traditional prescription medications and pills. This can lead to substantial improvement in someone’s quality of life, both from a health and economic perspective.
If you do find personal success with CBD and find yourself ready to stop taking your medication, be sure to share this intention with your doctor. It is recommended that patients work alongside their medical provider before changing their prescription medication routine. In many cases, a careful reduction plan is required in order to prevent the onset of pharmaceutical drug withdrawal or other adverse health effects.
CBD is Generally Safe
CBD has one of the best safety profiles of any supplement or medication on the market. Some studies have reported that high doses of CBD have been linked to liver failure, but these studies were murine (read: mice) and the study controls included significantly high volumes of CBD.
Millions of people around the world are using CBD to help improve their health - with great results. If you want to explore CBD for yourself, then I would recommend speaking with your doctor to get them on-board with your new health plan. Doctors can help you figure out whether or not there is any risk of drug interactions based on what other medications you are taking. Together, you can partner and determine the best CBD approach for you.
Also, I have included a few of my favorite CBD education websites below. I recommend doing some of your own CBD research and then maybe even printing out an article or two to bring with you to your next doctor visit. Most medical practitioners do not learn about cannabis medicine or the endocannabinoid system in medical school, and so they might need to brush up on the basics of endocannabinoid health before they can make their final determination. You have agency over your health plan, and you can even educate your own doctor throughout the process.
CBD Resources
The CBD Insider’s mission is to provide people with all the information they need about CBD, including CBD-related news and information. Their content informs consumers about scientific research on CBD, brands and products, and the latest hemp and CBD news.
Project CBD is a California-based nonprofit dedicated to promoting and publicizing research into the medical uses of cannabidiol (CBD) and other components of the cannabis plant.
Medical Marijuana 411 is the premier cannabis education company in the world and they provide reputable cannabis information to doctors, healthcare practitioners, budtenders, and cannabis enthusiasts around the world. They are currently partnered with teams in Japan, South Africa, the Virgin Islands, and Europe.
Other CBD-Related Bud & Blossom posts:
The scientific information cited in this article was sourced from online education from Medical Marijuana 411, webinar presentations by Dr. Jake Felice, and Dr. Bonni Goldstein’s book, Cannabis is Medicine. Thank you to these cannabis educators for providing reputable cannabis education and research for the general public. Their work, and the work of cannabis researchers and pioneers all across the world, allows me to understand the science of cannabis and strenthen my ability to share cannabis wellness with my readers and clients.