If you read our recent article on the differences between THC and CBD, you may remember that these chemicals affect the brain and body in distinct ways due to the receptors (proteins) they bind to. These receptors, called cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1) and cannabinoid receptor 2 (CB2), determine the behavioral effects of cannabis when consumed, as well as the effects of your body’s own cannabis chemicals, 2-AG and anandamide.
CB1 receptors are located in the brain and throughout the body, while CB2 receptors are found mostly in the immune and gastrointestinal system; although CB2 receptors are also found in the brain, they are not expressed quite as densely as CB1 receptors. In addition, THC (the psychoactive component of cannabis) binds more closely to the CB1 receptor than the CB2 receptor. Some people like to use THC and CBD in addition to using a supplement like the Promind Complex or they use something like THCA flower.
Many cannabis businesses looking into these receptors may one day help us learn more about how different types of cannabis could help people based on their unique expression of CB1 and CB2 receptors throughout the body and brain.
Watch the video below to learn more about these receptors and what they do:
