As the cannabis and CBD industries continue to grow throughout the United States, many tired taboos have given way to curiosity about the potential health benefits of this extraordinary plant. Depending on the way it is consumed, cannabis can have a wide variety of effects. These effects largely depend on the availability of fascinating chemical compounds known as cannabinoids. 

If you’re interested in trying a cannabis or hemp product, it’s helpful to know some of the science behind the effects of cannabinoids on the body.

What Are Cannabinoids?

Cannabinoids are a type of endogenous chemical, which means they occur naturally within our bodies. Cannabinoids are also naturally occurring compounds found in the cannabis plant. In the early 1990s, scientists identified receptor sites in the human body that make up what is now called the endocannabinoid system. Cannabinoids interact with the endocannabinoid system to regulate various bodily functions, such as appetite, stress, pain, and sleep.

When a person is healthy, and their endocannabinoid system functions correctly, they produce endogenous cannabinoids that bind to receptor sites in their endocannabinoid system. These receptor sites include CB1 receptors, concentrated in the central nervous system, and CB2 receptors, mainly concentrated in the immune system. 

Optimal levels of cannabinoids interacting with our CB1 receptors help us stay calm and mentally resilient. CB2 receptors are linked to every immune cell in our bodies, so an optimal level of cannabinoids interacting with our CB2 receptors is essential to our overall immune health. 

This means when someone’s endocannabinoid system isn’t in good shape, they can experience symptoms like inflammation, weakened immunity, and anxiety. Long-term imbalances in the endocannabinoid system can even lead to significant health problems such as autoimmune diseases, cancer, and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Major contributing factors to endocannabinoid deficiency include a poor diet, lack of exercise, and stress, which means the majority of people today suffer from the effects of imbalanced endocannabinoid systems. It’s no wonder many of us are looking for a safe and natural way to restore the essential cannabinoids our bodies need to function.  

Cannabinoids and the Cannabis Plant

In recent years, researchers have learned more about the cannabinoids within the cannabis plant, and how they compare to the internal cannabinoids we produce naturally. There are now more than 100 different cannabinoids known to science that occur naturally in the cannabis plant and bind to either our CB1 or CB2 receptors. Many of these cannabinoids closely mimic the functions of those we produce internally, while others have more profound or synergistic effects.

This brings us to modern hemp and cannabis products. Many mass-production manufacturers have tried cashing in on the growing enthusiasm for CBD and cannabis products without truly understanding the effects of cannabinoids or how they interact. The consequence is a glut of low-quality products on the market that provide users with weak or nonexistent results.

Take your average CBD oil, for example. CBD, or cannabidiol, is a cannabinoid that doesn’t bind with either of your CB1 or CB2 receptors. Instead, it works to activate other cannabinoids already present in your body. This means CBD isolates and other ultra-refined hemp products, which make up the vast majority of the current CBD market, don’t contain many of the chemical compounds your body can use to heal itself.

At the AlcHempist, we grow our own hemp on small, regenerative farms using nutrient-rich soil in a Beyond Organic environment. When we refine our hemp, we use it to formulate products that target all of your body’s endocannabinoid receptor sites. A standard serving of our Daily Dose full-spectrum hemp oil contains a blend of the following cannabinoids to meet your daily needs:

THC

THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol, is the most well-known cannabinoid due to its psychoactive effects. THC binds with our CB1 receptors, which means it can have major impacts on our central nervous systems. Moderate doses of THC can produce euphoria and feelings of calm, while too-high doses can cause disorientation, anxiety, and paranoia.

At low doses, THC offers a variety of health benefits. It is available in some states when prescribed by a doctor for managing things like chronic pain, inflammation, muscle spasms, and sleep troubles. It can help decrease nausea and stimulate appetite. Due to THC’s effects on the nervous system, it is being more widely studied now for potential treatment with disorders like autism and ADHD.

A 1mL dose of Daily Dose tincture contains just 2mg of THC. This extremely small amount (less than 0.3 percent) is naturally occurring and not at all enough to make you feel intoxicated or high. Many manufacturers remove 100 percent of the THC in their extraction processes using synthetic chemicals, which also happen to remove just as many of the compounds that make hemp oil beneficial and unique. 

CBD

CBD has exploded in popularity in recent years due to its remarkable benefits and lack of intoxicating effects. CBD is very different from most other cannabinoids because it doesn’t interact directly with our CB1 or CB2 receptors. CBD acts as a catalyst to boost the activity of other cannabinoids, including those produced naturally by the body and those ingested via cannabis or hemp products.

CBD is being heavily studied right now for its potential benefits in serious diseases like epilepsy and cancer. Because CBD promotes relaxation and helps the Endocannabinoid System inside our bodies rebalance, it is being studied for conditions like anxiety, seizures, and muscle spasms. CBD also works as an antipsychotic and helps protect the nervous system, researchers and scientists are hopeful that it will prove itself as a tool for managing diseases like dementia, autism, and Parkinson’s.

There is 50mg of CBD in a single serving of Daily Dose hemp oil. We use organic hemp flower with loads of naturally occurring CBD for a potent product with calming and immune-boosting properties.

CBG

CBG is short for cannabigerol, also known as “the mother of all cannabinoids.” CBG is a non-psychoactive cannabinoid that breaks down into smaller cannabinoid molecules, including both THC and CBD. CBG interacts with both the CB1 and CB2 receptors in your endocannabinoid system, meaning it can play an important role in your nervous and immune systems.

CBG has demonstrated effectiveness as an antioxidant, which can help protect your body from cell damage and certain diseases. Current research studies are being conducted with CBG to test its potential anti-inflammatory, anti-nausea, and pain-relieving effects. Researchers suggest CBG could be a promising way to treat symptoms associated with diabetes.

Every 30 mL bottle of Daily Dose contains 300mg of CBG, for a dosage of 10mg per 1mL serving. This powerful cell-harmonizing compound is a natural byproduct of our minimally-processed hemp flower extract.

CBN

Cannabinol (CBN) is a mildly psychoactive cannabinoid with minor effects as compared to those of THC. In fact, CBN is a derivative of THC that is created when THC breaks down in the presence of oxygen. There is 5mg of CBN present in one dose of Daily Dose tincture, which is not enough to produce psychoactive effects, but still powerful enough to create major changes inside the body.

CBN is another cannabinoid that can bind to both CB1 and CB2 receptor sites, which means the presence or absence of CBN in our bodies can affect our immune systems and mental health.

CBN is being studied for its effectiveness as a sleep aid and anti-inflammatory agent, making it a great potential option for treatment for people with insomnia and chronic pain. Initial research indicates that CBN could be effective in managing severe conditions such as arthritis and Crohn’s disease. 

CBC

CBC, or cannabichromene, is another minor, non-psychoactive cannabinoid with significant healing potential. CBC binds poorly to most CB1 receptors in the brain but has been shown to interact with other receptors associated with pain perception. When these receptors are activated in the presence of CBC, the body naturally produces higher levels of its own endocannabinoids.

CBC is thought to work synergistically with other cannabinoids, which means it can be more effective in the presence of other cannabinoids than it is on its own. Every potent bottle of Daily Dose contains 60mg of CBC. 

Combined with other cannabinoids like CBD and THC, CBC has promising anti-inflammatory effects. It’s also being researched for things like improving healthy gut function, promoting neuroplasticity, and even controlling acne.