Anandamide
Category: Scientific · Level: Expert
Anandamide is an endocannabinoid produced naturally by the human body, often called the 'bliss molecule,' that activates the same receptors as THC.
Anandamide (N-arachidonoylethanolamine, AEA) is one of the two main endocannabinoids, the messengers the body makes for its own cannabinoid receptors. It was identified in 1992 by Raphael Mechoulam's group in Jerusalem, and its name comes from the Sanskrit word ananda, meaning bliss. The other main endocannabinoid is 2-AG.
How it works: anandamide is not stored. Neurons build it from membrane lipids when it is needed, release it, and it travels backwards across the synapse to CB1 receptors, turning down the signal that triggered it. The enzyme FAAH (fatty acid amide hydrolase) breaks it down within minutes, which is why its effects are local and short. It also acts on TRPV1, the receptor that responds to capsaicin. Through this system anandamide takes part in regulating mood, stress, appetite, pain, sleep and memory.
Why it matters for cannabis: THC fits the same CB1 receptor, but it is not broken down by FAAH, so it acts throughout the brain for hours instead of in short local bursts; that difference helps explain why THC feels so different from the body's own signaling. CBD is reported to slow anandamide breakdown in some studies, one of several proposed ways CBD may work. The idea that a runner's high involves endocannabinoids, and research on FAAH inhibitor drugs, both come from this line of science; neither is an established treatment.
Also known as
AEA, N-arachidonoylethanolamine, Bliss molecule
Used in
- Medical
- Scientific
Related terms
- THC: Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the primary psychoactive cannabinoid in cannabis, responsible for the 'high' associated with its use.
- Cannabinoid: Cannabinoids are chemical compounds that interact with the endocannabinoid system, found naturally in cannabis or produced synthetically.
- Endocannabinoid System: The endocannabinoid system (ECS) is a cell-signaling network in the human body that regulates a broad range of physiological processes including mood, pain, appetite, and immune function.
- 2-AG: 2-Arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) is the most abundant endocannabinoid in the body, acting as a full agonist at both CB1 and CB2 receptors.