• Health
  • Nutrition
  • Cannabis
  • Beauty
  • Fitness
  • Life
  • Nav Social Icons

  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Books
    • Vitamin Weed
    • CBD Oil For Health
  • Courses
  • Consults
  • About
    • About Dr. Ross
    • Press Coverage
  • Services
    • Business Consulting
    • Influencer Marketing
    • Speaking
  • Blog
    • Health
    • Nutrition
    • Cannabis
    • Beauty
    • Fitness
    • Life
  • Contact
  • Mobile Menu Widgets

    Search

Dr. Michele Ross

Dr. Michele Ross

Cannabis Coach & Cannabis Consulting

  • Books
    • Vitamin Weed
    • CBD Oil For Health
    • Kratom Is Medicine
    • Train Your Brain To Get Thin
  • Courses
    • Cannabis For Pelvic Pain
    • Cannabis For Migraine
    • Cannabis For Fibromyalgia
  • Consults
    • Cannabis 101 Consultation
  • About
    • About Dr. Ross
    • Press Coverage
  • Services
    • Business Consulting
    • Speaking
  • Contact
Dr. Ross > Cannabis > Cannabis 101: What is the Endocannabinoid System?

Cannabis 101: What is the Endocannabinoid System?

neurons endocannabinoid system signaling
Pin
Share
Tweet
Share
Email

The purpose of your endocannabinoid system is to maintain balance, called homeostasis. The endocannabinoid system modulates almost every physiological process of your mind and body including memory, pain, appetite, mood, and reproduction. All these processes are highly influenced by your environment, but the cannabinoid system is there to fine tune cells, put on the brakes or ramp up cell activity, and make sure no processes become pathological.

Endocannabinoids are neurotransmitters

The endocannabinoid system (ECS) is the largest neurotransmitter system in your body. Cannabinoid receptors for endocannabinoids are present on almost every cell, regulating your brain, immune system, skin, and every other organ in your body. The ECS helps your body deal with physical and emotional stress. Your energy, resilience to life’s obstacles, happiness, and health are all dependent on a functioning ECS.

cannabis boosts your endocannabinoid system

Cannabis bind to cannabinoid receptors

Receptors are like locks, and neurotransmitters or hormones are the key that unlocks a chain reaction inside a cell, leading to physiological processes. The main receptors for endocannabinoids are CB1, which are found mostly in the nervous system, reproductive system, liver, connective tissues, and glands, and CB2, which are mainly found in the immune system and brain.1 Some tissues, like the brain and eye, contain both receptors, but CB2 is found at a lower density than CB1 in these tissues.

Cannabinoid receptors are a bit strange

Receptors for neurotransmitters such as dopamine, serotonin, glutamate, and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) are typically found on the “postsynaptic” side of the synapse, which is the space between one brain cell, or neuron, signaling to another neuron. Neurotransmitters are typically released on the “presynaptic” side, cross the synapse, and bind to receptors which activates a molecular pathway that results in protein production and physiological effects.

Cannabinoid receptors are the black sheep of neuroscience and operate in the opposite manner. Cannabinoid receptors are present on the presynaptic neuron, and endocannabinoids are produced in the postsynaptic neuron. The endocannabinoids travel “retrograde” back to the receptors in the presynaptic neuron where they typically inhibit release of additional neurotransmitters.

What inhibiting neurotransmitter release means

Inhibition of neurotransmitters by cannabinoid receptors does not mean the ultimate outcome of endocannabinoid signaling is no activation of a neural pathway. If cannabinoid receptors are on neurons that produce the excitatory neurotransmitter glutamate, CB1 activation will inhibit the release of glutamate and the neural pathway will not be activated.

If cannabinoid receptors are on neurons that produce the inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA, CB1 activation will inhibit the release of GABA and the neural pathway will not activated via disinhibition (inhibiting an inhibitor).

Most neural pathways are constantly in an inhibitory state because we do not need to be moving, eating, sleeping, etc. all the time. This means endocannabinoid disinhibition of neural circuits to activate behavior is a crucial part of our physiology.

Atypical cannabinoid receptors

New receptors such as TRPV1, GPR55, GPR119 and GPR18 are being discovered that are activated by cannabinoids. In fact, there are hundreds of “orphan” receptors that have unknown functions and unknown binding partners. It is likely that many of these orphan receptors will be discovered to be new cannabinoid receptors.

read vitamin weed by dr michele ross neuroscientist

A healthy endocannabinoid system is key

It’s important to keep your endocannabinoid system in balance. Taking CBD or cannabis daily can support a healthy cannabinoid system and keep your levels of other neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine optimal. For more information on how to feed your endocannabinoid system, read my book Vitamin Weed: A 4-Step Plan to Prevent and Reverse Endocannabinoid Deficiency.

References

  1. Onaivi, E.S., Neuropsychobiological evidence for the functional presence and expression of cannabinoid CB2 receptors in the brain. Neuropsychobiology, 2006. 54(4): p. 231-46

Pin This Post

close of up of hemp flower containing cannabinoid CBD

Share This Post

Cannabis 101: What is the Endocannabinoid System?
Pin
Share
Tweet
Share
Email

By: Michele Ross, PhD · In: Cannabis, Health · Tagged: brain, endocannabinoids

Avatar photo

About Michele Ross, PhD

Dr. Michele Ross is a neuropharmacologist helping chronic pain patients with alternative medicine. She is the author of Kratom is Medicine, Vitamin Weed, CBD Oil For Health & Train Your Brain To Get Thin & the CEO of Infused Partners.

you’ll also love

saffron herb spilling out of container next to purple flower helps inflammationThe Science and Benefits of Saffron: Nature’s Golden Spice for Mind and Body
woman holding moringa pills latest nootropics for brain healthThe Latest in Nootropics at a Glance: The Top Five Most Interesting Products Right Now
woman hugging friend with chronic health issues outside in parkFrom Practical Help To Emotional Care: Creative Support For Chronic Health Challenges

Join the List

Stay up to date & receive the latest posts in your inbox.

Next Post >

What is Endocannabinoid Deficiency?

Primary Sidebar

Meet Dr. Ross

Meet Dr. Ross
hello!

I help women heal pain using plant medicine include cannabis, kratom, & mushrooms.

Learn More

Connect

Featured Posts

marijuana doctor holding cannabis leaf and fighting misinformation

Don’t Fall For Cannabis Misinformation

Finding a Marijuana Dispensary Near Rhode Island

Young woman smoking marijuana out of glass bong

Why What You Smoke Out Of Can Impact Your High

join the list

Categories

  • Health
  • Nutrition
  • Cannabis
  • Beauty
  • Fitness
  • Life

Search

ready to get started?

I can't wait to work with you

I've been working with plant medicine for over 15 years, written 5 books, and spoken around the world. I know the ins & outs of what makes a good product and which ones you or your clients should be taking.

Education Services

follow @drmicheleross

We need smart regulations, not bans, when it comes We need smart regulations, not bans, when it comes to plant-based alternatives for chronic pain.🍃7-OH is not a harm, it’s a harm reduction tool.We need science, not stigma, to save lives & improve the quality of lives for millions of people living with chronic pain.#chronicpain #harmreduction #harmreductionsaveslives #chronicillnesscommunity #chronicpainrelief
So excited to be back on Las Vegas for @champstrad So excited to be back on Las Vegas for @champstradeshows.I’ll be speaking on a 7-OH panel at 12 presented by the 7-HOPE Alliance then at 3 pm co-moderating a debate between Mac Haddow from the American Kr@tom Association (AKA) and Jeff Smith from the Holistic Alternative Recovery Trust (HART).Both will be in room 224. It will be a 🌶️ day for sure, this harm reduction tool is a hot topic!#champs #champstradeshow #champstradeshows #harmreduction #harmreductionsaveslives #chronicpain #naturalalternatives #emergingmarkets
Come meet the 7-HOPE Alliance in the Expo Hall at Come meet the 7-HOPE Alliance in the Expo Hall at Psychedelic Science 2025 in Denver, CO. 👋We’re a new nonprofit providing education, patient advocacy, and research for a new plant-based harm reduction tool in fighting the opioid epidemic.7-OH is an alkaloid found in a plant related to coffee. ☕️Come stop by if you’d like to learn more or partner with us to save lives.❤️#ps2025 #psychedelicscience2025 #kratom #opioidepidemic #harmreductionsaveslives #harmreduction #harmreductionworks
When you search for the word Kratom, it no longer When you search for the word Kratom, it no longer shows a message telling you to stop doing drugs and go to rehab.P.S. restrictions around the word cannabis and marijuana have been rolled back today.Today is a beautiful day for plant medicine. No more censorship. 🎉I’ll be much more active here now.
Who’s going to @champstradeshows in Las Vegas? Who’s going to @champstradeshows in Las Vegas?I’ll be there on Wednesday & speaking on a panel on 7-OH. Details coming soon ✈️#champstradeshow #champstradeshows #champstradeshowlasvegas #champstradeshowlasvegas #champstradeshow #champstradeshows

Footer

Read Dr. Ross’s Books

  • Kratom Is Medicine
  • Vitamin Weed
  • CBD Oil For Health
  • Train Your Brain To Get Thin

Popular Topics

  • CBD
  • Kratom
  • Medical Marijuana
  • Pain
  • Psychedelics
  • Sex

Legal

  • About Dr. Michele Ross
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Affiliate Disclosure
  • Advertising
  • Contact

On the Blog

  • Health
  • Nutrition
  • Cannabis
  • Beauty
  • Fitness
  • Life

© 2013-2025 INFUSED PARTNERS. This website is for informational & entertainment purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.