Breaking Fertility News: The ECS and Your Fertility

What’s the ECS? Our body’s Endocannabinoid System (ECS) plays a master role in our overall physical and mental health.  As the regulator of our nervous system, the ECS is in charge of promoting balanced physiological functioning.  In fact,  researchers summarize the actions of the ECS as “relax, eat, sleep, forget and protect.” (1)   The system consists of chemical messengers called endocannabinoids (AEA and 2-AG), endocannabinoid receptors (CB1 and CB2) , and a host of enzymes that impact their function.   

What is Clinical Endocannabinoid Deficiency Syndrome (CED)?  New research has targeted the ECS in playing a role in several common chronic conditions including migraine, fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome and depression/anxiety, leading to a working model of “clinical endocannabinoid deficiency syndrome,” (CED) and the exploration of novel therapeutic interventions.

Like any physiological system, when chronically overtaxed it becomes less effective, leading to physical and mental health consequences.  When stress is chronic, levels of the endocannabinoids get out of balance, leading to a decrease in the ECS’s ability to engage in the key functions listed above.  Appetite and sleep can be disrupted, we lose the ability to relax our brains, our body’s immune system becomes less effective and damaging conditions - like inflammation - increase. 

Does the ECS Impact Fertility?  There is a working theory emerging that the ECS is integral to the functioning of our reproductive system but the mechanisms involved are not yet well understood.  ECS receptors are found in many tissues in the reproductive system, including at the level of the hypothalamus and pituitary, in ovarian follicles and in the mitochondrial membrane, and levels of endocannabinoids in ovarian tissue fluctuate throughout the menstrual cycle.  It’s possible that an overtaxed ECS may negatively impact fertility by limiting the key functions of endocannabinoids in reproductive tissues, which include managing inflammation, supporting  energy metabolism and potentially playing a role in egg maturation. 

How Does the ECS Become Deficient?  Chronic stress leads to an imbalance ECS.  When stress is chronic, levels of the endocannabinoid AEA (called anadamide for the Sanskrit word for “inner bliss”) drops, leading to increases in anxiety and other negative impacts.  The Covid-19 pandemic has also presented a “perfect storm,” as research has also shown that social isolation, coupled with uncertainty and fear, can have strong negative effects on the function of the ECS.

How Can We Heal? Many holistic therapies have been shown to upregulate the ECS, including massage, acupuncture, and yoga.  Lifestyle interventions like diet and exercise also play a role in bolstering ECS function.  Therapeutic use of cannabinoids like CBD may also be beneficial for fertility but should not be used without supervision by a certified Medical Cannabis Consultant (there’s evidence that chronic use of THC, the psychoactive compound in cannabis, may be detrimental to fertility) but other cannabinoid compounds like CBD (cannabidiol) may be therapeutic when used in a supervised manner.  We don’t recommend CBD or THC use, therapeutic or otherwise, during a medicated cycle.

Want to learn more?  Please join us for our webinar on May 19, 6-7 p.m. with Dr. Leila Fazlicic and Beth Heller, M.S. 

References:

1. McPartland JM, Guy GW, Di Marzo V (2014) Care and Feeding of the Endocannabinoid System: A Systematic Review of Potential Clinical Interventions that Upregulate the Endocannabinoid System. PLoS ONE 9(3): e89566. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0089566
2. Brugnatelli V et al.  Lifestyle Interventions Improving Cannabinoid Tone During COVID-19 Lockdowns May Enhance Compliance With Preventive Regulations and Decrease Psychophysical Health Complications. Front. Psychiatry 12:565633. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.565633
3. Lowe, H. et al.  The Endocannabinoid System: A Potential Target for the Treatment of Various Diseases. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2021, 22, 9472. 
4. Notarstefano V et al.  The Impact of Controlled Ovarian Stimulation Hormones on the Metabolic State and Endocannabinoid System of Human Cumulus Cells. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2020, 21, 7124; doi:10.3390/ijms21197124