What is CBD?
CBD or cannabidiol is the main active compound in hemp, and unlike THC, it is not psychoactive, so it doesn’t make people high.
Cannabidiol (CBD), classified as a novel food, is just one of over 85 cannabinoids that have been identified in the cannabis plant. CBD is being used by many people for having a wide scope of benefits – partly due to clinical reports and test data showing little to no side effects and a lack of psychoactivity (typically associated with marijuana products and high THC).
How does CBD work?
Inside the human body there’s something called the endocannabinoid system, which was first discovered in the 1990’s by L A Matsuda They discovered cannabinoid receptors in the body and started a hunt for the body’s own cannabinoid-like chemicals that naturally interact with these newly discovered receptors.. When these receptors are activated, they enable two -way communication between body systems; something previously thought to be impossible.
As human beings we like to think of ourselves as special, but we are not special for having an ECS. All vertebrates and invertebrates are known to have an ECS. The most primitive animal found to express cannabinoid receptors is the sea-squirts, an animal which evolved over 600 million years ago.
We do not have a full and complete picture of what the ECS does but we do know that the ECS helps fine-tune most of our vital physiological functions. It promotes homeostasis affecting everything from sleep, appetite, pain, inflammation, memory, mood, and even reproduction. So in basic terms, the ECS helps modulate the regulation of homeostasis across all major body systems ensuring that all systems work in concert with one another.