It seems that there is a very close relationship between our mood and cannabinoids, at least that is what the Dr. Tanja Bagar, researcher at the National Institute of Chemistry of Slovenia, professor of microbiology at the European Alma Mater Universityand a collaborator of the Austrian College of Health and Development. She is also active member of ICANNA, The International Cannabinoid Institute, a project formed by professionals from different fields focused on scientific research on cannabinoids.
Tanja Bagar focuses her study precisely on this very human need to pursue happiness. To a greater or lesser extent, we all direct our lives in the direction we believe will bring us the most satisfaction and well-being. We are at an evolutionary stage where we no longer have to fight to survive, at least not for "physical survival," and therefore we have more time to dedicate to the so-called "pursuit of happiness."
The idea that every individual has the "right" to pursue their own happiness is increasingly entrenched in Western society, although it is not as new as we think. It was already reflected, for example, in the United States Declaration of Independence in 1776, and is one of the constitutional rights of this country.
What substances are involved in our “happiness”?
Scientific research into the substances involved in our ability to feel "happy" has gone through various stages, but much work remains to be done in this field. As Dr. Bagar points out, it was initially believed that the main substance responsible for how happy or unhappy we feel was serotonin, also known as the "happiness molecule."
- Dopamine: It is a neurotransmitter that helps us focus on our goals and gives us the feeling of security necessary to carry out the actions to achieve them.
- Melatonin: It is released after we have had a deep, restful sleep and interacts with other molecules.
As Tanja Bagar points out, recent research also suggests a strong link between the serotonergic and endocannabinoid systems, implying a connection between the release of endocannabinoids and serotonin (Best and Regehr, 2008). Thus, the endocannabinoid system affects the levels of substances involved in our emotional well-being, affecting the amount of serotonin we produce as well as our levels of oxytocin, melatonin, and dopamine. The scientist therefore concludes that the endocannabinoid system and cannabinoids themselves play an important role in our mood.
Why are our brain cells so "interested" in identifying and receiving cannabinoids?
Tanja Bagar points out that after much research it has been possible to determine how the endocannabinoid system works. It turns out that this set of CB1 and CB2 receptors distributed throughout our body, through their interaction with endocannabinoids and/or cannabinoids, affect several functions of our body such as:
- Blood pressure
- The processes of osmosis (regulates our water levels at the cellular level or in our body in general)
- The immune system
The role of the endocannabinoid system in our body is to ensure that it functions in homeostasis. Homeostasis refers to the various biological processes our body performs to ensure all areas function in harmony and maintain a healthy balance. Simply put, homeostasis is our body's tendency to maintain internal balance and stability. Let's take an example to better understand exactly what homeostasis is: when a virus attacks our body, throwing it out of balance and making us ill, different systems are activated to trigger a series of processes (fever, sweating) to combat the virus and restore balance to all functions and organs as quickly as possible—to return to homeostasis, the proper functioning of all the parts that make up our machinery.
This is how cannabinoids affect our happiness, through interaction with various receptors that govern functions of our body such as:
- Sleep: affects the production of melatonin, which in turn affects the levels of other molecules such as serotonin.
- Relaxation
- Appetite
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