CBD, Gut Health, And The Mind

By Dr. June Chin, Founder of MedLeaf RX and Chief Medical Advisor for Yesterday Wellness.

Have you ever wondered why you have butterflies in your stomach when you are stressed? Why do you run to the bathroom before speaking in front of an audience? These are clear examples of how your gut responds to stress. There is a gut-brain connection that links the nervous system to your digestive system.

There are two competing components to your nervous system: the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems. The sympathetic system is the fight or flight response. This system kicks into gear when you have to perform public speaking, meet a deadline, or when you're exercising. The sympathetic system causes your pupils to dilate, heart rate increases, blood pressure rise, and sweat. The parasympathetic system helps you digest your food, sleep, dream, relax. These days, many of us stressed-out people are living in a perpetual state of a fight or flight. We are overworked, overtired, anxious about the future. This constant stress results in digestive issues such as bloating, irregular bowel movements, reflux, and rapid weight gain/loss. Stress may cause a decrease in blood flow and oxygen to the stomach, which could lead to cramping, inflammation, or an imbalance of gut bacteria.

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The endocannabinoid system, or ECS, is a system that modulates and interfaces with all of the other systems throughout your body. It regulates physical functions, such as movement, pain sensation, and immune responses, and cognitive or mental capacities, like perception, mood, and memory. The ECS naturally produces cannabinoid-like molecules that stimulate the body's cannabinoid receptors. These receptors are in many areas of the body, such as the brain, muscles, and the GI tract. There is a galaxy of cannabinoid receptors in the digestive system.

There is also a relationship between the gut microbiome and our circadian rhythm. The circadian rhythm is your internal twenty-four-hour clock within your brain that communicates its signal to every other region of your brain and every organ in your body. This biological clock controls not only sleep but emotions, appetite, hormones, metabolism, and body temperature. A key player in our gut-brain connection is the gut microbiome, the collection of genomes of the microorganisms that exist in the gastrointestinal tract. Sleep deprivation and a disruption in our circadian rhythm alters the overall gut microbial make-up, which can promote dysregulation of the microbiome and, in turn, altered sleep.

Why and how does CBD work for sleep disruption?

Did you know that our brains make their own internal cannabis molecules (endogenous cannabinoids)? It's true. Anandamide (named after the Sanskrit word for bliss, ananda), helps temper stress and balance the nervous system, so we are not spiraling out of control on high sympathetic overdrive. The endocannabinoid system, or ECS, is a system that modulates and interfaces with all of the other systems throughout your body. It regulates physical functions, such as movement, pain sensation, and immune responses, and cognitive or mental capacities, like perception, mood, and memory.

Anxiety, stress, and chronic sleep deprivation all inhibit GABA, a naturally occurring brain chemical that directs neurons to slow down or stop firing. This neurotransmitter also helps to induce sleep, relax muscles, and calm down. In essence, GABA directs the body to chill out.

CBD modulates GABA, helping return the body to its more normal functions. CBD may help stop the racing thoughts that cause disrupted sleep and panicked awakenings during the night. CBD directs the brain to activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which induces a state of calm. The CBD molecules produced by your own body (endogenous cannabinoids) make you resistant to stress, similar to the way endorphins provide natural relief from pain. Integrating  CBD products can help bring the body back into a state of balance.

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According to a cross-sectional study presented at Digestive Disease Week, approximately one-third of patients with inflammatory bowel disease report actively using cannabis, and 45% report using cannabis for the management of their IBD (Irritable Bowel Disorder) related symptoms. Many others anecdotally report that medical cannabis helps manage stomach pain, bloating, nausea, and appetite.

From my vantage point, there is a connection between CBD, gut, and brain that more in-depth research would certainly shine some light on. CBD (cannabidiol) is a potent anti-inflammatory and pain reliever, and it my potentially be useful in the treatment of IBD and related gastrointestinal conditions. It appears to reduce inflammation in the digestive tract and help relieve the anxiety and stress linked to GI disorders. CBD and hemp oil (which is not the same thing as CBD but a rich source of omega fatty acids) are two excellent ways to reduce inflammation and help an unhappy gut. If you are thinking about integrating CBD for digestive issues, do not stop taking your prescribed medications, talk to your healthcare provider, and try the Low-FODMAP diet.

Lead image by Ilona Szentivanyi. Copyright: Benzinga.

The preceding article is from one of our external contributors. It does not represent the opinion of Benzinga and has not been edited.