The "Bliss Molecule" in Your Brain

Endogenous Cannabinoids (Anandamide & 2-AG).

The "Bliss Molecule" in the Brain

Humans produce their own cannabinoids.

While the cannabis plant produces Phytocannabinoids (like THC and CBD), our bodies produces Endocannabinoids. The two most important ones are:

1. Anandamide (The "Bliss Molecule") Named after the Sanskrit word for bliss ("Ananda"), this molecule regulates feelings of happiness, fear, and even the "runner’s high" you get after exercise.

2. 2-AG (2-Arachidonoylglycerol) This is the workhorse of the system, managing appetite, immune system function, and pain management.

How they work: Think of nerve cells as busy traffic intersections. Sometimes the signals get too loud (chronic pain, anxiety, inflammation). Endocannabinoids act like traffic controllers; they travel backward across the nerve gap to tell the sending nerve to "quiet down."

It is a brilliant feedback loop designed to keep you calm and balanced. But what happens when we introduce external cannabinoids like THC or CBD?

That is coming up in next week's breakdown.

Source/Further Reading:

• Harvard Health: The Runner’s High and the Endocannabinoid System – https://www.annualreviews.org/doi/abs/10.1146/annurev-psych-010213-115200