ECS and Mental Health

 

• The ECS has a major impact on the mental health of individuals across a wide spectrum of mental health issues.

• There has been an explosion in mental health issues that can be partially attributed to the western diet that is high in omega 6 based foods

  • The higher the omega 6 content in food, the less omega 3 that gets used by the body.

    • The balance of closer to 3-1 balance of omega 6 to omega 3 is needed for proper ECS activation.

• Mental health diseases such as ADHD, depression, and PTSD are affected by the ECS.

• Stress exposure has been shown to reduce endocannabinoid levels of AEA and increase 2-AG levels.

  • Exposure to chronic stress causes a downregulation, or loss, of CB1 receptors.

• Studies have shown that the decline in AEA appears to contribute to the manifestation of the stress response, including activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and increases in anxiety behavior.

  • This shows why activation of the ECS through exercise, which produces AEA in the body, is so effective for mental health disorders.