Cannabinoids are able to take effect by interacting with our internal Endocannabinoid System. But what happens when the body doesn’t produce enough endogenous cannabinoids? 

Cannabis researchers suggest that this may be the root cause of a family of common diseases and disorders.

Defining Endocannabinoid Deficiency

First explored in 2004, the theory for a clinical Endocannabinoid Deficiency (CED) was born from the idea that neurotransmitter deficiencies are associated with brain disorders such as acetylcholine in Alzheimer's disease and dopamine in Parkinson’s disease. A similar deficiency in endocannabinoid levels may lead to a neurological disorder.

Everyone has a certain endocannabinoid baseline. This corresponds to the circulating levels of the primary endocannabinoids, anandamide (AEA), and 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) but also includes the rate of their synthesis and breakdown as well as the relative density of cannabinoid receptors in the brain.

Because the endocannabinoid system acts as a nearly universal regulator for a wide array of physiological systems, a decrease in endocannabinoid function could be far-reaching. Symptoms of an endocannabinoid deficiency may include a lowered pain threshold and improper regulation of digestion, mood, and sleep. Such a deficiency could be caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors.

In order to discover what levels your internal Endocannabinoid System has, we've designed this easy-to-complete test, with immediate suggestions based on the results.