Why does weed have so many positive effects on our bodies?
Every week new research pops up showing that cannabis is an incredible plant. How does that come about, exactly? Where do these superpowers come from? Why does the usage of weed have so many positive effects? Coffeeshop The Border Amsterdam went to investigate.
The active substances in weed: cannabinoids
Before we dive deep into the subject it is useful to know more about the active ingredients in weed: cannabinoids. By now, over 120 cannabinoids have been discovered, of which THC and CBD are the best known. The cannabinoids in weed work particularly well with the endocannabinoid system found in our bodies. And, because these two interact so beautifully, cannabis use has all kinds of benefits for our bodies.
The 3 types of cannabinoids
A total of three types of cannabinoids can be distinguished: phytocannabinoids, endocannabinoids and synthetic cannabinoids. What is important to know is that cannabinoids can be present in different amounts in a cannabis plant (except synthetic cannabinoids, of course – these are made in a lab). The type of cannabinoid and the amount present will ultimately determine what effect it has on our bodies.
About the endocannabinoid system
When we talk about the effect cannabinoids have on our bodies we also need to understand (or at least a bit about) the endocannabinoid system. It is a system that sends messages, so to speak, to receptors. And, you guessed it, our endocannabinoid system can communicate with the receptors of the cannabinoids in the cannabis plant. This may still sound a bit complicated, so in short, let’s say that the substances in the cannabis plant are excellent at communicating with the endocannabinoid system in our bodies.
And that’s great, because the endocannabinoid system, among other things, regulates our:
- Cognition and memory
- Pain perception
- Temperature regulation and heart rate
- Thinking processes
- Appetite
- Immune System
The cooperation between our endocannabinoid system and the cannabinoids in the cannabis plant creates a wide range of positive effects, depending on the strain of cannabis used and dosage consumed.
Research on the effects of cannabis
There is an incredible amount of research on cannabis and the number of studies will only increase in the coming years. With cannabis being legalized by more and more countries and its medicinal value now recognized by the United Nations, there is much to gain in cannabis-land. Literally.
Coffeeshop The Border Amsterdam already wrote about the positive effects of cannabis on:
Muscle pain
Depression
Hay fever
The sex life of women
Cancer
These articles show that the positive effects of cannabis on our bodies are incredibly complex, but also fantastic. That a plant can do so much is something we should be immensely grateful for.
PS Is there a topic or research you would like to know more about? Let us know if there is. We would love to explore it for you.
Try it yourself
Enough talk. Hopefully, this explanation has given you a good idea of why weed has so many benefits for our bodies and how the positive effects are achieved. Time to put it to the test yourself. Our coffeeshop on the border of Amsterdam and Amstelveen is open every day of the week. Check our current opening hours before you head out the door. Things are changing a lot these days thanks to the spread of the coronavirus. See you soon!
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