HempKnot Health and wellness

đź’š
13/08/2026

đź’š

Cannabinoids can soothe muscle spasms and reduce inflammation in IBS because the gut is rich in ECS activity. Irritable bowel syndrome is not just a “stomach problem.”

It can involve spasms, cramping, bloating, diarrhea, constipation, visceral pain, stress signaling, gut-brain disruption, immune activation, microbiome changes, and a nervous system that keeps reacting like the alarm is still on.

The ECS is one of the systems helping regulate that alarm. CB1 and CB2 receptors, anandamide, 2-AG, PEA, OEA, TRP channels, immune cells, enteric nerves, and gut barrier signaling all play into how the bowel moves, senses pain, responds to inflammation, and communicates with the brain.

A review of abdominal pain in IBS explains that the ECS regulates gastrointestinal functions and pain-processing pathways, including motility, secretion, barrier function, inflammation, the gut microbiota, and visceral sensitivity.

Another review explains that CB1 and CB2 are involved in intestinal motility, inflammation, and energy metabolism, while endocannabinoids like anandamide and 2-AG influence appetite, inflammatory states, and IBS-related physiology.

That’s why cannabinoids may help some people with IBS feel less spasm, less gut tension, less urgency, less nausea, and less pain. THC may relax gut signaling and slow motility for some; CBD may support inflammatory and stress balance; CBG may have a place in gut inflammation research; and acidic cannabinoids like CBGa and CBDa belong in the broader ECS support conversation.

But this is not just about taking a cannabinoid after the gut is already screaming.

IBS is where lifestyle and ECS balance meet hard. Sleep, hydration, fiber tolerance, food triggers, gut microbiome support, stress control, movement, electrolytes, and inflammation all matter. Cannabinoids can support the message, but the body still needs the terrain repaired.

The gut does not just digest food; it responds to stress, pain, inflammation, and the ECS through its own receptor types, including cannabinoid receptors, and through cytokines.

And when the ECS calms the signal, the gut can finally stop fighting itself.

Mike Robinson, Researcher OG

Targeting the endocannabinoid system for the treatment of abdominal pain in irritable bowel syndrome
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36168049/
The Endocannabinoid System: Implications in Gastrointestinal Physiology and Pathology
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39941074/

💚🌱
11/08/2026

💚🌱

Thyroid hormones don’t always release, convert, or signal the way they should, especially when there’s dysfunction in the thyroid, pituitary, hypothalamus, liver, gut, mitochondria, immune system, or stress response.

Too many people think thyroid health is just TSH, T4, and a prescription. It’s bigger than that. The thyroid is part of a whole-body metabolic conversation.

The hypothalamus signals TRH, the pituitary signals TSH, and the thyroid releases mostly T4 with some T3. Then the body still has to convert T4 into the active form, T3, in tissues such as the liver, gut, brain, muscle, and kidney.

If inflammation, stress, poor nutrition, low minerals, gut dysfunction, autoimmune activity, sleep loss, or metabolic disease are in the way, the hormone may be present on paper but not working well in the person.

That’s why “normal labs” can still leave someone exhausted, cold, inflamed, overweight, brain fogged, depressed, constipated, and metabolically stuck.

The ECS belongs in this conversation because it interacts with endocrine signaling, appetite, energy balance, fat metabolism, glucose handling, inflammation, and stress chemistry.

A review of endocannabinoids and the endocrine system explains that cannabinoid signaling plays modulatory roles across hormone systems, including regulation of thyroid hormone and growth hormone.

Another review on metabolism explains that the ECS regulates energy balance centrally and peripherally, including in adipocytes and pancreatic islet cells. That means thyroid dysfunction and ECS dysfunction can meet in the same metabolic traffic jam.

CBGa works the metabolic angle because research has identified CBGa, CBDa, and CBG as dual PPARα/γ agonists, with potential to modulate lipid metabolism. PPAR pathways are metabolic switches tied to fat handling, inflammation, insulin sensitivity, and energy use.

CBGa is not thyroid medication and shouldn’t be treated like a replacement for medical care. Still, it belongs in the deeper discussion of metabolic support, especially when the body needs balance from multiple directions.

The thyroid may set the pace.

The ECS helps manage the terrain.

And CBGa belongs in the conversation when metabolism needs support, not just stimulation.

Mike Robinson, Researcher OG

Endocannabinoids and the Endocrine System in Health and Disease
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6813821/
Identification and characterization of phytocannabinoids as novel dual PPARα/γ agonists by a computational and in vitro experimental approach
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30611848/
Critical role of the endocannabinoid system in the regulation of food intake and energy metabolism
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18782018/

💚🌱
11/08/2026

💚🌱

Cannabinoids have a real relationship with the lungs, airway inflammation, and bronchial dilation, but this conversation needs to be said with intelligence. The ECS is present in lung tissue, immune cells, airway nerves, and bronchial pathways.

Both endocannabinoids produced by the body and exogenous cannabinoids from the plant can interact with signaling systems involved in inflammation, immune response, airway tone, mucus production, fibrosis, and bronchial constriction.

That matters for asthma, COPD conversations, allergies, post-viral inflammation, and breathing issues where the airway is irritated, narrowed, or inflamed.

Research has shown that THC can produce short-term bronchodilation, meaning it can help open bronchial pathways for a period of time. That does not mean smoking cannabis is lung medicine. Smoke brings combustion toxins, airway irritation, cough, mucus production, and an increased risk of chronic bronchitis. The molecule and the smoke are not the same conversation.

CBD has also been studied in experimental allergic asthma, where researchers found it reduced airway inflammation and fibrosis in an animal model.

A 2025 review examining whether cannabinoids have a place in asthma treatment notes that the ECS, phytocannabinoids, and cannabinoid receptor pathways are being studied for anti-inflammatory and airway effects, but also makes clear that well-designed human clinical trials are still needed.

That’s the balance. Cannabinoids may reduce lung inflammation. Some cannabinoids may support bronchodilation. Endocannabinoids may help regulate airway immune tone. But delivery matters. Inhalation of smoke can work against the same lung tissue we’re trying to support.

The future is not just “smoke it and breathe better.” The future is targeted cannabinoid medicine, clean delivery, ECS balance, reduced inflammation, and knowing which cannabinoids support the airway without damaging the pathway.

The lungs don’t just need air - they need regulation - and the ECS is part of that breath-by-breath conversation.

Mike Robinson, Researcher OG

Is There a Place for Cannabinoids in Asthma Treatment?
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11989515/
Cannabidiol reduces airway inflammation and fibrosis in experimental allergic asthma
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30481497/
Inhaled Ma*****na and the Lung
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35609784/

💚🌱
08/08/2026

💚🌱

Endocannabinoids help guide synaptic function, and that matters deeply when we’re talking about autistic children with communication difficulties or children who are nonverbal.

Communication is not just words coming out of the mouth. It’s sensory processing, emotional regulation, motor planning, anxiety levels, sleep quality, gut comfort, seizure activity, inflammation, attention, social safety, and whether the nervous system feels calm enough to connect.

The ECS helps regulate synaptic signaling, meaning it helps neurons adjust how loudly or quietly they talk to each other. Endocannabinoids like anandamide and 2-AG are made on demand and can act like a feedback system at the synapse, helping balance excitation and inhibition in the brain.

When that tone is low or dysregulated, the child may not just be “refusing” to communicate. Their nervous system may be overloaded, under-supported, inflamed, anxious, exhausted, or struggling to organize signals that most people take for granted.

Research supports the low-tone conversation.

One study measured serum levels of anandamide, 2-AG, PEA, OEA, and arachidonic acid in 93 children with autism spectrum disorder and 93 matched neurotypical children.

The autism group showed lower circulating levels of anandamide, PEA, and OEA, while 2-AG was not significantly lower. The authors also noted that future studies should examine whether circulating endocannabinoid levels can identify clinically meaningful autism subgroups and whether those levels reflect lower endocannabinoid tone in the brain.

Another study found plasma anandamide concentrations were lower in children with autism spectrum disorder, supporting the idea that endocannabinoid signaling may be part of the biological terrain families are trying to navigate.

This is why cannabinoids, acidic cannabinoids, PEA, OEA, sleep, nutrition, gut support, movement, reduced stress, and sensory-aware care all matter.

The goal is not to change who the child is. The goal is to support the biology that helps them feel safer, calmer, and more able to communicate in their own way.

Nonverbal does not mean nothing is being said.
Sometimes the ECS needs support before the signal can get through.

Mike Robinson, Researcher OG

Lower circulating endocannabinoid levels in children with autism spectrum disorder
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6354384/
Plasma anandamide concentrations are lower in children with autism spectrum disorder
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5848550/

💚🌱
07/08/2026

💚🌱

As a 5x Cancer Survivor, inflammation has never felt like a side issue to me. It’s been the spark behind pain, disease progression, immune confusion, and long before cancer shows up on a scan, it’s often inflammation doing the quiet damage. When the ECS, our Master Regulator, is balanced, inflammation has less room to run wild. That’s why this paper matters, and why acidic cannabinoids deserve far more respect than they’ve been given.
Therapeutic potential of acidic cannabinoids: an update (2026) makes something very clear - the acidic forms of cannabinoids are not inactive placeholders waiting to be heated. They are biologically active molecules with distinct anti-inflammatory mechanisms that differ substantially from those of their neutral counterparts.
The review highlights CBDA, THCA, and CBGA as compounds with direct relevance to inflammation control. CBDA stands out for its selective inhibition of COX-2, one of the primary enzymes driving prostaglandin mediated inflammation. That places CBDA in the same conversation as common anti-inflammatory drugs, but through plant-based regulation of inflammation via the ECS-linked pathway rather than by blunt enzyme suppression.
THCA is given similar weight. The authors describe THCA’s anti inflammatory effects as being linked to PPARγ activation, a nuclear receptor that regulates inflammatory gene expression, immune tone, and metabolic balance. This is not surface-level symptom relief. PPARγ signaling sits upstream, influencing how immune cells behave before inflammation spirals out of control.
One of the most important points in this review is how acidic cannabinoids can calm inflammation before cytokines flood the system. The paper explains that these compounds can inhibit store-operated calcium entry (SOCE), a key process in immune cell activation. By reducing calcium-driven overactivation, acidic cannabinoids may suppress excessive inflammatory signaling at its source rather than merely dampening ECS-connected prostaglandin-mediated effects in the aftermath.
The review also discusses THCA in inflammatory arthritis models, where it reduced joint swelling, inflammatory biomarkers, synovial hyperplasia, and cartilage damage. Again, the proposed mechanisms involve PPARÎł signaling and peripheral ECS activity, reinforcing the notion that these compounds act through regulation rather thananti-inflammatory intoxication.
The authors are honest about limitations. Acidic cannabinoids are chemically unstable, easily decarboxylated by heat and light, and often have low oral bioavailability. These challenges explain why clinical adoption has lagged, not because the biology is weak, but because formulation and delivery have not kept pace with the science.
This is where lived experience and research finally meet. Patients have long used raw and minimally processed extracts to manage inflammation, immune imbalance, and chronic conditions. Therapeutic potential of acidic cannabinoids: an update (2026) doesn’t oversell the story, but it confirms what many of us already know - the acid forms matter, especially when inflammation is the real enemy.
Inflammation is not just a symptom. It’s a driver. Acidic cannabinoids speak directly to that driver through COX-2, PPARγ, calcium signaling, and immune regulation. This isn’t fringe science anymore.
It’s a research-backed reminder that balance at the System level is where real healing starts. Reach out if you need help or advice.
-Mike Robinson, Founder, Global Cannabinoid Research Center

🌱💚
06/08/2026

🌱💚

Cannabinoids for asthma need a serious delivery conversation, because lungs are not the place to get sloppy. Asthma is an inflammatory airway disease in which the bronchial tubes can tighten, swell, fill with mucus, and overreact to triggers such as smoke, allergens, infection, stress, chemicals, weather, exercise, or poor air quality.

The ECS is involved in inflammation, immune signaling, airway tone, stress response, and pain, so yes, cannabinoids belong in the research conversation, but delivery makes or breaks the discussion.

THC has a long history in asthma research because older human studies showed acute bronchodilation, meaning the airways relaxed briefly. One double-blind study using aerosolized THC in asthmatic patients found bronchodilator effects, but this does not mean smoking cannabis is asthma medicine.

Smoke brings heat, combustion byproducts, particulates, and airway irritation, and asthma patients do not need their lungs treated like a campfire with a logo.

CBD brings another lane. In an experimental model of allergic asthma, CBD reduced airway inflammation and fibrosis, suggesting immune and inflammatory pathways warrant further study. That’s promising, but animal data isn't the same as a completed human protocol.

A 2025 review asked whether cannabinoids have a place in asthma treatment and concluded that the field needs well-designed clinical trials, especially around pulmonary consequences, va**ng devices, and safe respiratory use.

For asthma, the delivery should prioritize the lungs. Inhaled smoke is the wrong lane for most. Oral oils, capsules, nanoformulations, tinctures, and possibly regulated inhaler-style delivery may be better research directions.

However, patients still need medical guidance, especially if they use rescue inhalers, steroids, or biologics, or have severe asthma. Cannabinoids may help with airway constriction.

But the delivery system better love the lungs too.

Mike Robinson, Researcher OG

Is There a Place for Cannabinoids in Asthma Treatment?
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11989515/
Cannabidiol reduces airway inflammation and fibrosis in experimental allergic asthma
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30481497/
Bronchodilator effect of delta1-tetrahydrocannabinol administered by aerosol of asthmatic patients
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC470501/

💚🌱
05/08/2026

💚🌱

The Endocannabinoid System is still treated like an unknown system in much of medicine, even though science has been mapping it for nearly three decades.

Cannabinoid receptors were identified in the late 1980s and early 1990s, and endocannabinoids such as anandamide and 2-AG were discovered shortly thereafter.

Since then, research has connected the ECS to pain, inflammation, appetite, stress response, sleep, immune signaling, metabolism, mood, memory, neuroprotection, and homeostasis.

That’s not a side system - that’s a command center.

Even with the forward progress toward Schedule III, most of healthcare still talks about cannabis like the whole plant is just THC and CBD, or like “Cannabis” and “Hemp” explain everything.

They don’t.

THC and CBD are only the front door - behind them is a whole world of cannabinoids, acidic cannabinoids, endocannabinoids, cannabinoid-like molecules, terpenes, receptors, enzymes, and pathways that many patients already know about because they had to learn it the hard way.

CBG, CBGa, CBDa, CBC, CBN, THCa, CBDV, THCV, PEA, OEA, Anandamide, and 2-AG are not fringe ideas. They’re part of the broader ECS conversation that medicine should already be teaching.

A 2026 PubMed article on rescheduling made it clear that moving cannabis toward Schedule III would not be a federal green light, but it would change the research and regulatory conversation.

That matters, because policy is finally moving while education is still playing catch-up.

This is why patients, researchers, advocates, and the cannabis industry keep teaching the world about the “unknown system” we actually know quite a bit about.

The ECS doesn’t care if a doctor learned it in school, if a lawmaker understands it, or if a regulator can pronounce cannabigerolic acid. It still runs.

The body already knows the ECS; now medicine needs to catch up.

Mike Robinson, Researcher OG

Early phytocannabinoid chemistry to endocannabinoids and beyond
https://www.nature.com/articles/nrn3811
A Schedule Shift, Not a Federal Green Light: What Cannabis Rescheduling to Schedule III Would Mean-and What It Would Not
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41761648/

💚🌱
05/08/2026

💚🌱

A 2020 study, "Activation of Cannabinoid Receptors Attenuates Endothelin-1-Induced Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Rat Ventricular Myocytes," moves the ECS into a serious heart-cell energy conversation.

This isn’t about cannabis as a buzzword. It’s about cannabinoid receptor signaling, mitochondria, fatty acid oxidation, AMPK, and whether heart cells can maintain their energy supply under stress.

The heart runs on energy, and mitochondria are a major part of that. When mitochondrial function breaks down, it can feed into cardiovascular disease, hypertrophy, cardiomyopathy, and heart failure biology.

In this study, researchers used rat ventricular myocytes, exposed them to endothelin-1, a stress signal associated with cardiac hypertrophy, and examined whether activating cannabinoid receptors could protect mitochondrial function.

The findings were strong. Endothelin-1 reduced mitochondrial membrane potential, lowered mitochondrial bioenergetics, and decreased genes tied to fatty acid oxidation, including PGC-1alpha and CPT-1beta. When the cells were treated with CB-13, a dual CB1/CB2 agonist with limited brain pe*******on, several of those mitochondrial problems were corrected.

The pathway matters too. The study showed AMPK played a central role in the protective effect. When AMPK was inhibited or knocked down, CB-13 could no longer rescue key fatty acid oxidation and mitochondrial gene expression markers to the same extent.

That points to CB receptor activation working through energy-regulation pathways, not just surface-level anti-inflammatory language.

To me, that’s where cannabinoid science gets real. The ECS is not just about pain, mood, or appetite. It reaches into heart-cell energy, mitochondrial function, fatty acid metabolism, and cellular survival under stress.

This is early cell-based research, not a clinical heart-treatment claim, but it shows why CB1, CB2, AMPK, and mitochondria belong in the future of cannabinoid medicine.

Cannabinoid receptors aren’t just symptom switches - they may help protect the heart’s energy system when mitochondria are under stress.
-Mike Robinson, Global Cannabinoid Research Center

"Activation of Cannabinoid Receptors Attenuates Endothelin-1-Induced Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Rat Ventricular Myocytes" - 2020
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6964873/

💚🌱
23/07/2026

💚🌱

A farm in Worcestershire has been "raising eyebrows" among local villagers after it planted 30 hectares of h**p. Find out more 👉 https://bbc.in/4pBdp1N

Address

Upton Upon Severn, Worcestershire
WR80HB

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when HempKnot posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to HempKnot:

Share