A new review argues that higher linoleic acid exposure may be beneficial. But dietary intake, circulating LA and tissue fatty-acid composition are not the same biological exposure. This article explains why that distinction matters for arachidonic acid, membrane biology and the endocannabinoid system.
Endocannabinoid System (ECS)
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When Metabolic Dysfunction Acts on Both Sides of CB1 Signalling
A new Diabetologia study shows that insulin-resistant visceral adipose tissue overproduces 2-AG and anandamide, while recent work suggests insulin can also increase CB1 receptor stability. Together, these findings raise a testable question: can metabolic dysfunction amplify CB1 signalling by increasing both endogenous ligand production and receptor abundance?
Fatty Acid Research
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Your ECS Runs on What Your Metabolism Does With What You Eat
New human tracer data show that the same dietary fatty-acid exposure can produce very different biological outcomes depending on metabolic state. For the endocannabinoid system, this strengthens the case for measuring achieved DBS/RBC fatty-acid profiles rather than assuming intake equals substrate availability.
Endocannabinoid System (ECS)
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How Repeated THC Exposure Can Reduce CB1 Receptors
A new PNAS study identifies a previously underappreciated Gq/11–PLC–PKC–NEDD4L pathway that marks CB1 receptors for proteasomal degradation. The findings help explain how repeated THC exposure can reduce receptor availability and contribute to cannabinoid tolerance.
Commentary
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The Endocannabinoid System Is No Longer the Limiting Factor? Almost.
A new review argues that policy and stigma, rather than lack of ECS science, are now the main barriers to cannabinoid medicine. I agree, but an important gap remains: medicine still lacks a practical clinical physiology of the endocannabinoid system.
Endocannabinoid System (ECS)
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Paracetamol, 2-AG and CB1: The ECS Story Just Got More Complicated
New mouse research reveals that paracetamol’s pain-relieving effects depend on CB1 receptors and the enzymes DAGL and MAGL, while reshaping prostaglandin and wider lipid signalling.
Endocannabinoid System (ECS)
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Tolerance changes the economics of medical cannabis
A New York study found that 49% of surveyed medical cannabis patients could not afford enough cannabis to manage their symptoms. This article examines a missing variable in the affordability debate: whether chronic high-THC exposure, tolerance and CB1 adaptation may increase the amount of cannabis required for sustained therapeutic effect.
Announcements
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Open letter to CB1 researchers
An open letter inviting researchers to investigate whether metabolic state influences CB1 receptor stability, trafficking and degradation across insulin-sensitive tissues, and whether this represents a broader principle of endocannabinoid system regulation.
Commentary
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The missing membrane layer in a new marathon endocannabinoid study
A new BMC Medicine study shows that marathon running triggers distinct temporal changes in anandamide, 2-AG and arachidonic acid. The missing piece may be the runners’ membrane fatty-acid state before exercise.
Endocannabinoid System (ECS)
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How the Endocannabinoid System Helps the Brain Adapt and Learn
The Endocannabinoid System and the Biology of Learning: How Endocannabinoids Help the Brain Adapt Why one-shot learning matters for survival Imagine touching a hot surface for the first time. The experience lasts only a moment, but the lesson can last a lifetime. The brain does not need repeated exposure to…