Within our bodies lies a complex microcosm akin to a bustling city, composed of an array of microorganisms residing in our gut. This microbiome, a consortium of bacteria, fungi, and viruses, plays a pivotal role in promoting our overall health by facilitating nutrient absorption and aiding in food breakdown.
Notably, over 90 percent of serotonin, a neurotransmitter pivotal to positive mood regulation, is believed to originate in the digestive tract, underscoring this intricate gut-brain interplay (1). In recent years, discussions on health and wellness have notably shifted towards acknowledging the crucial role of gut health, its profound influence on neurological well-being, and the relatively new research on the endocannabinoid system.
Navigating The Endocannabinoid System
Enhancing your diet and consuming probiotics can create an optimal environment for beneficial microbes. However, recent insights suggest an additional approach to fortify a robust microbiome: through the enigmatic endocannabinoid system (ECS).
Your body naturally generates molecules known as endocannabinoids. They bear resemblance to cannabinoids found in cannabis, like CBD, CBG, and CBN, yet are produced internally. Notable endocannabinoids recognized by experts include anandamide and 2-arachidonoylglycerol. These innate compounds are manufactured by your body on demand, contributing to the smooth operation of internal functions.
The Influence of Gut Health & Beyond
The ECS may affect gut health in multiple ways. The ECS influences digestive processes such as appetite and metabolism. It also controls inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract. This may be why major ECS receptors and enzymes are concentrated in the digestive system. ECS is also thought to regulate brain-gut communication in a bi-directional manner, meaning changes in the brain can affect GI function and vice versa. How and what the ECS is specifically doing is yet to be uncovered, but despite the many unknowns, studies support the connection between the two.
An article by non-profit Project CBD, Gut Microbiota and the Endocannabinoid System, by Nate Seltenrich, highlights the research into the ECS-gut connection. In a 2015 study, researchers fed mice a high-fat diet along with THC. After four weeks, the gut microbiome of these mice resembled the microbiomes of mice that ate a healthy diet. Another animal study showed that altering the gut microbiome of obese mice also increased ECS tone, which means the overall state of the ECS.
Of the few human studies, researchers found central differences in the guts of long-term cannabis users and non-cannabis users. The cannabis users had microbiomes that reflected high-caloric intake, yet they had lower BMIs. In HIV patients, swabs showed that two obesity-related bacteria were often absent in people who used cannabis.
It is also thought that ECS’s CB1 receptor helps regulate the gut’s protective lining called the epithelial barrier. The epithelial barrier helps repair damage and therefore maintain balance in the body.
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CBD for Gut Health
CBD has shown potential in influencing gut health through interactions with the endocannabinoid system, impacting gut microbiota balance, but individual responses vary, necessitating consultation with a healthcare professional.
Onward to Better Gut Health
As scientists delve further into understanding the complex connection between our gut’s diverse microbes and the ECS, ongoing studies aim to decode how the ECS impacts gut health and other bodily systems. The use of cannabinoids such as CBD for managing discomfort, stress, and sleep hints at a wider scope for the ECS. This interplay is reciprocal—alterations in one system reverberate in the other—expanding our perspective beyond gut health to encompass overall well-being
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