Category: Critical analysis

Critical analysis Illustration depicting a mother breastfeeding her infant, surrounded by icons of BMI, omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, a fish, green leaves, and a brain diagram, with the caption 'Maternal Obesity Disrupts Breast Milk PUFA Balance' from ECS.education

Maternal Obesity Disrupts Breast Milk PUFA Balance: New Insights into ECS Programming for Infants

Posted on By Stefan Broselid

Let’s dive right in. In my earlier posts on ECS.education, we’ve talked about how maternal adiposity shapes breast milk’s endocannabinoid system (ECS) and influences infant health. The May 23 piece on ‘The Adiposity Filter: How Maternal Body Fat Reshapes Milk PUFAs for Your Baby’s ECS‘ highlighted shifts in endocannabinoid profiles…

Read more
Commentary Split-screen illustration showing cannabis as a small spark near a heart icon, symbolizing media hype on minor ECS changes and cardiac risks, contrasted with diet as a large bonfire fueled by junk food, representing precursor-driven ECS overdrive and chronic heart inflammation.

Beyond the Buzz: Cannabis Heart Risks vs. Diet-Driven ECS Overload

Posted on By Stefan Broselid

Introduction: Beyond the Buzz – A Flawed Focus on Cannabis Recent headlines have lit up with warnings about cannabis and heart health, fueled by a systematic review showing links to increased risks of strokes, heart attacks, and cardiovascular death. It’s easy to get caught up in the alarm. After all, who doesn’t want to protect their ticker? But here’s where our reasoning goes off track:…

Read more
Critical analysis

Omega-6, Mortality, and Your ECS: Unpacking the Latest UK Biobank Bombshell

Posted on By Stefan Broselid

A major UK Biobank study found higher plasma linoleic acid (LA) linked to lower mortality, seemingly contradicting concerns about high dietary omega-6 driving ECS dysfunction. This post unpacks the findings, distinguishing between plasma snapshots and tissue arachidonic acid (AA) realities, and explains why the omega-6/omega-3 balance and ECS perspective remain crucial for understanding metabolic health.

Read more
Critical analysis

The Invisible Puppeteer in Seed Oil Research

Posted on By Stefan Broselid

Let’s cut through the noise: Petersen et al.’s recent industry-funded narrative review, published in Nutrition Today, employs selective framing—shifting focus away from the central regulator of metabolism, the endocannabinoid system (ECS). This 600-million-year-old conductor of hunger, fat storage, and inflammation is fueled by linoleic acid (LA), yet the manuscript acts…

Read more
Commentary

Challenging the Daily Mail: The Science Behind Medical Cannabis for ADHD and Menopause

Posted on By Stefan Broselid

Professor Sir Robin Murray’s claim that ‘cannabis has the same effect as drinking a pint’ for psychological conditions, published in the Daily Mail, oversimplifies the science behind medical cannabis. This commentary explores the evidence supporting cannabis as a therapeutic option for ADHD and menopause while addressing misconceptions about its efficacy and safety.

Read more
Critical analysis Illustration showing integration points of ECS knowledge into medical curricula, featuring a medical educator presenting a flowchart of physiological systems and their connections to the Endocannabinoid System.

Beyond Omission: Integrating ECS into Medical Education – A Blueprint for Change

Posted on By Stefan Broselid

Executive Summary An analysis of the Physiological Society’s 2020 “Physiological Objectives for Medical Students” curriculum guide reveals a critical gap: the complete omission of the Endocannabinoid System (ECS). This official curriculum guidance document, which establishes core physiological knowledge for new doctors, overlooks a system fundamental to maintaining homeostasis across multiple…

Read more