For many years, people have been asking the scientific community whether the cannabinoid compound CBD has any effect on the body’s hormones. Hormones, after all, play a crucial function in regulating and affecting a wide range of body functions. CBD appears to affect testosterone levels in studies, although the magnitude of this effect is unknown.
In this article, we will take a look at whether CBD is capable of interacting with the hormones in your body and how it affects their functions.
CBD And Hormones
CBD regulates hormonal processes through three main mechanisms: synthesis, response, and breakdown. Cannabinoid receptors are found all over the body and react to the endocannabinoids that our bodies manufacture naturally. When endocannabinoids attach to these receptors, they can alter the way in which the hormones are released, affecting the organs they target. CBD has the ability to impact hormone synthesis and secretion in a similar fashion to endocannabinoids since it indirectly affects the endocannabinoid system.
When CB1 receptors are activated, the hypothalamus is the part of the brain where the biggest changes in the synthesis of hormones occur. This sets off a chain of hormonal reactions that convey messages to other glands, which then naturally release and discharge their own hormones.
CBD has the ability to influence the ‘volume’ of hormone-induced signals received by a target organ. Cannabinoids can either increase or decrease the strength of a cell receptor’s response to particular hormones. Hormones must be broken down and eliminated from the body after they have completed their function in order to keep the body in a state of homeostasis. CBD slows down the breakdown of hormones by enzymes.
CBD And Testosterone
With the numerous receptors and endocannabinoids, the ECS governs all biological functions in your body. One of the ECS’s many important jobs is reproduction, which is why we’re talking about the CBD-testosterone link.
CBD’s capability of binding with the CB1 receptors may have negative consequences on the male reproductive system and testosterone levels. CBD has been linked to a reduction in testosterone levels, according to research. THC and CBD both altered the functions of the male reproductive system in animal subjects, according to a preliminary study on CBD and testosterone.
Another recent study found that CBD may suppress testosterone production, although not to the same level as THC. CBD, on the other hand, is unable to lower blood serum testosterone levels that are already present.