Interaction of Fatty Acids and the Cannabinoid System

Michael Lewis, M.D., MPH, MBA, FACPM, FACN

Colonel (Retired), U.S. Army; Founder/Physician, Brain Health Education and Research Institute
There exists a complex interplay between omega-3s and omega-6s and the endocannabinoid system. The endocannabinoid system has well-established roles in neuroinflammation, synaptic plasticity and neurogenesis. The endocannabinoid system comprises cannabinoid receptors, their endogenous ligands, the endocannabinoids, and their biosynthetic and degradation enzymes. Arachidonic acid (ARA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) are essential for optimal brain development and function with and through the cannabinoid system. Omega long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFA), including ARA, DHA, and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid), are essential components of membrane phospholipids and precursors to a number of bioactive lipid mediators. Anandamide (AEA) and 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) are the most widely studied endocannabinoids and are both derived from phospholipid-bound ARA. Yet, DHA and EPA supplementation reduce AEA and 2-AG levels with reciprocal increases in levels of the analogous endocannabinoid-like DHA and EPA-derived molecules, docosahexaenoyl ethanolamide (DHEA) and eicosapentaenoyl ethanolamide (EPEA). Dietary enrichment with DHA and EPA has shown beneficial effects on learning and memory, neuroinflammatory processes, synaptic plasticity, and neurogenesis. This review contributes to the evolving landscape of concussion management by highlighting the pivotal role of targeted nutritional therapy as a therapeutic approach. These interventions can modulate neuroinflammation, enhance neuroprotection, and facilitate neurorepair. This underscores the importance of acknowledging nutrition as a complementary strategy in the multifaceted domain of concussion management and prevention. Duration: 59m 13s