Let’s start by talking about a 600 million year- old system in the human body called the endocannabinoid System (ECS) that was discovered recently in 1988. It exists in all mammals including humans and dogs, as well as birds, reptiles and other vertebrates. The secret to finding bliss, balance (homeostasis) and optimal health can be achieved by supporting this internal complex network with diet, lifestyle and dietary supplements like CBD. The ECS is critical to regulating the proper function of a wide range of body processes, most notably, your nervous system, brain and immune system. It regulates many key aspects of your physical, emotional and mental health, including: appetite, memory, mood, inflammation, pain, stress response and sleep.
In 1964, an Israeli researcher identified THC as the main active ingredient in cannabis or hemp and studied how it worked in the body and brain. That led to the discovery of a complex cell signaling system (ECS) triggered or activated by natural compounds like THC, CBD (found in abundance in the whole hemp plant) and other products like beta-caryophyllene (found in black paper and clove oil), echinacea and ginger.
The ECS is presently known to include receptor sites called CB1 and CB2 that send vital information to cells, organs and the nervous system and they are critical to maintaining optimal health and homeostasis. In the body, the ECS is believed to have more cellular receptor sites than any other receptor system. Think of receptors on cell surfaces like locks on a door, when the right chemical molecule (like CBD) binds to the cellular receptor, it relays a specific message to the cell to help it do its job. The two primary cell cannabinol receptors are known as CB1(primarily found in the brain) and CB2(immune cells,(skin), GI tract and nervous system) and throughout the body.
Let’s get to the original question of “what is CBD oil?”
CBD is a non-psychoactive cannabinoid found abundantly in the whole hemp plant which is the reason CBD oil is so popular. A cannabinoid is one of a class of diverse chemical compounds that acts on receptors in the cell that alter neurotransmitter released in the brain. There are three kinds of ENDO produced naturally in the body, like PHYTO produced in plants and SYNTHETIC produced in a lab. The most infamous cannabinoid is THC, which is marijuana and is the active ingredient in the whole hemp plant responsible for producing euphoria or an psychoactive side effect. The other one leading the current health revolution is CBD, found in high concentrations in the whole hemp plant.