CBD and Homeostasis

Homeostasis

Homeostasis is defined to be any self-regulated process which involves biological systems to stay level for optimal survival.

Multiple biological systems rely on homeostasis such as sleep, food intake, and core body temperature. Some others do also apply as there are many processes in the body which uses homeostasis.

Simplified, homeostasis is the system which corrects our body into optimal condition. The body does this by leading a group of internal changes, these are a response to an internal or external change.

Things that can effect this system vary with moods, body temperature or hunger can change our bodily functions. Our system uses loops to prompt when to sweat, eat etc. Our body temperature is optimal at 37° C. Whenever we go above our body will sweat or if we was to go under our body will shiver to warm up.

The endocannabinoid system (also known as the ECS) is a complex cell signalling system in the human body, discovered in the early 1990s by scientists researching cannabinoids. Cannabinoids are compounds naturally occurring in cannabis plants; CBD is one commonly known cannabinoid.

The ECS is a complicated and relatively new field, and scientists haven’t yet determined exactly how it works or all of its potential functions.

Research so far has linked the ECS to these processes:

• appetite and digestion
• bone remodelling and growth
• cardiovascular system function
• chronic pain
• inflammation
• learning and memory
• liver function
• metabolism
• mood
• motor control
• muscle formation
• reproductive system function
• sleep
• skin and nerve function
• stress

So why is this important?

These functions all contribute to homeostasis, which refers to stability of your internal environment. To reach homeostasis, our bodily systems must find a balance. An example could be; an athlete applies greater stress to their body, leading to pain and inflammation. This is sending homeostasis out of balance; the endocannabinoid system then begins to try to restore balance to the body by helping to manage and reduce the pain and inflammation so that the body can return to ‘normal’. This is reaching homeostasis.

Today, some experts believe that maintaining homeostasis is the primary role of the ECS and also being a major contribution on why CBD’s properties can potentially allow it to help various areas.