Endoverse – the UK’s first organisation dedicated to balancing the Endocannabinoid System has been launched by Czech medical professionals. The team behind Endoverse is on a mission to educate both medical professionals and members of the public about Endocannabinology.
Endocannabinology is the study of the function of the Endocannabinoid System (ECS). Research has linked the ECS to sleep, fertility, stress, skin and nerve function, digestion, appetite, metabolism, mood and inflammation, as well as many other areas.
Endoverse refer to Endocannabinology as ‘Balance Medicine’ as it centres around the balancing of the human body. It is a systemic, integrative approach to human health which focuses on healing-oriented medicine, addressing all aspects of a patient’s lifestyle.
The ECS was discovered in 1992 when scientists at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem came across an unknown molecular signalling system while researching THC, a well-known cannabinoid found in cannabis.
Despite its recent discovery, the system has been present in the human body for millions of years. Although there is some research into the ECS, experts, like those behind Endoverse, are still trying to fully understand it.
Heading up Endoverse, which originated in the Czech Republic, is Chief Medical Officer Dr Kristina Ranna.
Dr Ranna explains: ‘The balance of the ECS/endocannabidiome is directly related to our health status. We are speaking about its “tone”. So far, we know that some health conditions are directly related to the endocannabinoid tone.
‘For instance, migraine, IBS and fibromyalgia with low tone, and inflammation, diabetes, cardiovascular disease with high tone.
‘There is one evolutionary role of the ECS – rewarding behaviours. For example, sexual activity, eating, nursing, parenting, social interactions and play activity. They are linked strongly to evolution, and they are essential for development and survival.
‘However, what was necessary to survive when we were hunter/gatherers – a rewarding system for food intake by fat accumulation in our body – is actually putting us at risk today.
‘Easily accessible junk foods are hard to resist if we know that we will not only satisfy our stomachs, but we will receive a valuable reward from our reward circuits. Moreover, the reward circuits will increase our need for further food intake. It works similarly with other “bad” habits.
‘The ECS is involved in this regulation, mainly by activation of CB1 receptors, and we know that balancing or suppressing endocannabinoid tone could help with behavioural changes.
‘ECS tone is influenced by many things – eating behaviour, physical activity, stress, sleep, environmental pollution, genetics and epigenetics. How this impacts the ECS varies from person to person.
‘We are starting with changes in fat intake in favour of Omega 3 and Omega 6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). Based on individuals, we are trying to use the potential of rewarding circuits into different directions.’
Endoverse will be based in a facility in Manchester, and Dr Ranna is looking to recruit medical professionals to take part in training programmes to gain certification in Endocannabinology, as well to further the study and understanding of Balance Medicine through focus groups.
The organisation is keen to work with GPs, dieticians, nurses and specialists as well as nutritionists and health and well-being experts.
As well as training programmes, Endoverse will be hosting a series of webinars on topics including ‘How Cannabis Heals’ and ‘Balance Medicine and COVID-19’.
Endoverse’s long-term goal is to offer clinical services to patients.
To find out more about Endoverse visit their website. Endoverse can also be found on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.
