From then on, it took 30 years for cannabinoids to be detected in cattle and breast milk. This basic research is still turning out to be an important discovery regarding how we humans develop our immune systems. For cannabinoids play an important role as they both reset, wake up and stimulate the immune system.
The first time a human being receives active cannabinoids in breast milk is when the mother is breastfeeding. In particular, first breast milk is very thick and contains most of the cannabinoids. This boosts the baby's immune system and stimulates our cannabinoid receptors (CB1 and CB2). It also means that the human endocannabinoid system is a key factor in the development of a newborn's appetite after learning to eat.
According to the results of several scientific studies, cannabinoids in breast milk are the same found in cannabis. The cell membranes of the human body are therefore naturally equipped with cannabinoid receptors. There are two types of cannabinoid receptors in the body: CB1, which is found in the brain, and CB2, which is found in the immune system and throughout the rest of the body. Both types of receptors respond positively to cannabinoids, whether cannabinoids come from breast milk for children or directly from the cannabis plant itself.
For example, if it weren't for these cannabinoids in breast milk, newborns would not know how much to eat. And they probably wouldn't want to eat either, which could result in malnutrition and death. Thus, newborns who are breastfeeding are given lots of cannabinoids in natural doses. This stimulates hunger and promotes overall growth and development.
Dr Melanie Dreher studied women who used cannabis during pregnancy and then studied the babies one year after birth. She found that babies of mothers who used marijuana daily during pregnancy had things in common: they made eye contact faster, socialize better, and were more easily involved in the environment.
Observations of how babies act after taking breast milk show that they have positive symptoms of cannabinoid use. In addition to the essential function of stimulating a child's appetite, cannabinoids basically help to calm the baby. So, we can say that we are all basically raised on cannabis.
Recent research suggests that endogenous cannabinoids ("endocannabinoids") and their cannabinoid receptors have a major influence during pre-and postnatal development. First, high levels of endocannabinoid anandamide and cannabinoid receptors are present in the preimplantation embryo and uterus, while a temporary reduction in anandamide levels is essential for embryo implantation.
Consequently, in women, an inverse association between fatty acid amide hydrolase (the degrading enzyme of anandamide) in human lymphocytes and miscarriage has been reported. Second, CB1 receptors exhibit a transient presence in pre-and postnatal white matter areas of the nervous system, suggesting a role for CB1 receptors in brain development. Third, endocannabinoids have been detected in breast milk, and activation of CB 1 receptors seems to be critical for milk suction by newborn mice, apparently activating the motor-oral musculature. Fourth, anandamide has neuroprotective properties in the postnatally developing brain.
Finally, prenatal exposure to the active constituent of marijuana (Δ 9 -tetrahydrocannabinol) or to anandamide affects prefrontal cortical functions, memory, and motor and addictive behaviours, suggesting a role for the CB 1 endocannabinoid receptor system in structures that control these functions. Other observations suggest that children may be less prone to the psychoactive side effects of Δ 9-tetrahydrocannabinol or endocannabinoids than adults. The medical implications of these new developments are far-reaching and suggest a promising future for cannabinoids in pediatric medicine for diseases that include "non-organic growth deficiency" and cystic fibrosis.
