12/31/2025
Q. Why am Iโm having my ๐ข๐บ๐ฒ๐ด๐ฎ-๐ฏ ๐๐ป๐ฑ๐ฒ๐
tested? ๐ฉธ๐ฌ
A. To better understand my ๐๐๐ฆ ๐๐ผ๐ป๐ฒ. ๐ง โ๏ธ
As medical cannabis consultants, we often talk about "toning" the endocannabinoid system (ECS). But how often do we measure the very building blocks that make that tone possible? ๐ค๐คท๐ผโโ๏ธ
I'm getting ready to take the ๐ข๐บ๐ฒ๐ด๐ฎ๐ค๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ ๐๐ป๐ฎ๐น๐๐๐ถ๐ฐ๐ ๐ข๐บ๐ฒ๐ด๐ฎ-๐ฏ ๐๐ป๐ฑ๐ฒ๐
๐๐ผ๐บ๐ฝ๐น๐ฒ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ฒ๐๐ and Iโm eager to share my user experience, results, and recommended path towards balance. ๐ง๐ผโโ๏ธโฏ๏ธ
This is an ๐ถ๐ป๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ป๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ฎ๐น๐น๐ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ด๐ป๐ถ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ฒ๐๐ that has been used in more than 200 clinical studies as the standard measure of omega-3 status. ๐๐
Why does this matter for the field of ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฑ๐ผ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ป๐ป๐ฎ๐ฏ๐ถ๐ป๐ผ๐น๐ผ๐ด๐*? โ๏ธ๐ฟ
๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ฝ๐๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐น๐๐ต: Research shows that Omega-3 deficiency can uncouple CB1 receptors from their signaling proteins, leading to a "dysfunctional" ECS. (1)
๐๐ป๐ฑ๐ผ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ป๐ป๐ฎ๐ฏ๐ถ๐ป๐ผ๐ถ๐ฑ ๐ฆ๐๐ป๐๐ต๐ฒ๐๐ถ๐: Our bodies naturally synthesize endocannabinoids from Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids. Without the right raw materials, patients may not achieve the homeostasis theyโre seeking. (2)
๐๐น๐ถ๐ป๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐น ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป: The Omega-3 Index Complete doesn't just give a snapshot; it reports on ๐ฎ๐ฐ ๐ถ๐ป๐ฑ๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ฑ๐๐ฎ๐น ๐ณ๐ฎ๐๐๐ ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ฑ๐, providing a full-spectrum view of fatty acid health. (3)
I've learned that if we want to optimize cannabinoid therapy, we must also optimize the lipid environment in which it works. Iโll be sharing my results and my personal "re-balancing" plan once theyโre in.
Who else in the network is using fatty acid testing to guide their ECS consulting? Letโs discuss in the comments! ๐ฃ๏ธ๐๐ผ
*The term "endocannabinology" is credited to Rachel Knox, MD, M.B.A. ๐ณ
*Thank you, Dr. Stefan Broselid for guiding me along my path to balance. ๐๐ผ
(1) Lafourcade M, Larrieu T, Mato S, Duffaud A, Sepers M, Matias I, De Smedt-Peyrusse V, Labrousse VF, Bretillon L, Matute C, Rodrรญguez-Puertas R, Layรฉ S, Manzoni OJ. Nutritional omega-3 deficiency abolishes endocannabinoid-mediated neuronal functions. Nat Neurosci. 2011 Mar;14(3):345-50. doi: 10.1038/nn.2736. Epub 2011 Jan 30. PMID: 21278728.
(2) Watson JE, Kim JS, Das A. Emerging class of omega-3 fatty acid endocannabinoids & their derivatives. Prostaglandins Other Lipid Mediat. 2019 Aug;143:106337. doi: 10.1016/j.prostaglandins.2019.106337. Epub 2019 May 11. PMID: 31085370; PMCID: PMC6685292.
(3) https://lnkd.in/eayDpne6
