Many Everyday Activities and Medications May Boost the Body's Own Cannabinoid System
A systematic review found that exercise, diet, massage, acupuncture, and several medication classes all appear to upregulate the endocannabinoid system.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
The review identified multiple categories of clinical interventions that enhance the endocannabinoid system. Pharmaceutical approaches included analgesics (acetaminophen, NSAIDs, opioids, glucocorticoids), antidepressants, antipsychotics, anxiolytics, and anticonvulsants.
Complementary and alternative medicine approaches that upregulated the system included massage and manipulation, acupuncture, dietary supplements, and herbal medicines.
Lifestyle factors also modulated the endocannabinoid system: diet, weight control, exercise, and psychoactive substance use (alcohol, tobacco, coffee, and cannabis). The authors connect these findings to the concept of "endocannabinoid deficiency syndrome," which has been proposed as a factor in migraine, fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome, and certain psychological disorders.
Key Numbers
184 in vitro studies, 102 animal studies, and 36 human studies were included. The review identified upregulation mechanisms across cannabinoid receptors CB1 and CB2, ligand synthesis (anandamide and 2-AG), and degradation enzyme inhibition.
How They Did This
The researchers searched PubMed for clinical trials, observational studies, and preclinical research on interventions that enhance the endocannabinoid system. Data synthesis was qualitative. After applying exclusion criteria, they included 184 in vitro studies, 102 in vivo animal studies, and 36 human studies.
Why This Research Matters
The endocannabinoid system is involved in pain, mood, sleep, appetite, and immune function. Understanding how to naturally support this system could offer therapeutic approaches for conditions where endocannabinoid tone may be deficient, potentially reducing reliance on external cannabinoids.
The Bigger Picture
This review connects diverse fields of research, from exercise science to pharmacology to complementary medicine, through the common thread of endocannabinoid system modulation. The finding that everyday activities like exercise and common medications like acetaminophen interact with this system underscores how central it is to human physiology.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Most of the evidence came from preclinical studies (in vitro and animal). Only 36 human studies were included, many with small sample sizes. The clinical significance of measured endocannabinoid changes is often unclear. Qualitative synthesis means effect sizes across studies were not formally compared.
Questions This Raises
- ?Is endocannabinoid deficiency syndrome a valid clinical entity?
- ?Could measuring endocannabinoid levels help guide treatment decisions?
- ?Would combinations of lifestyle interventions produce synergistic effects on endocannabinoid tone?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- 322 studies reviewed: exercise, diet, medications, and complementary therapies all modulate the endocannabinoid system
- Evidence Grade:
- This is a systematic review, but most included studies were preclinical. The human evidence base remains limited.
- Study Age:
- Published in 2014. Research on endocannabinoid system modulation has continued, though clinical applications remain largely investigational.
- Original Title:
- Care and feeding of the endocannabinoid system: a systematic review of potential clinical interventions that upregulate the endocannabinoid system.
- Published In:
- PloS one, 9(3), e89566 (2014)
- Authors:
- McPartland, John M(3), Guy, Geoffrey W(3), Di Marzo, Vincenzo(23)
- Database ID:
- RTHC-00832
Evidence Hierarchy
Analyzes all available research on a topic using a structured method.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
What is endocannabinoid deficiency syndrome?
It is a proposed condition in which the body produces insufficient endocannabinoids, hypothesized to contribute to migraine, fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome, and certain mood disorders. The concept remains debated in the medical community.
How does exercise affect the endocannabinoid system?
Physical activity has been shown to increase circulating levels of anandamide and other endocannabinoids. This is one proposed mechanism behind the "runner's high" and the mood-boosting effects of exercise.
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Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-00832APA
McPartland, John M; Guy, Geoffrey W; Di Marzo, Vincenzo. (2014). Care and feeding of the endocannabinoid system: a systematic review of potential clinical interventions that upregulate the endocannabinoid system.. PloS one, 9(3), e89566. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0089566
MLA
McPartland, John M, et al. "Care and feeding of the endocannabinoid system: a systematic review of potential clinical interventions that upregulate the endocannabinoid system.." PloS one, 2014. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0089566
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Care and feeding of the endocannabinoid system: a systematic..." RTHC-00832. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/mcpartland-2014-care-and-feeding-of
Access the Original Study
Study data sourced from PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
This study breakdown was produced by the RethinkTHC research team. We analyze and report published research findings without making health recommendations. All interpretations are based solely on the published abstract and study data.