The Endocannabinoid System: A New Frontier for Veteran Health and Wellbeing

24 Nov

At the 12 Months On Conference, Dr Michael Mumford delivered a compelling discussion about the endocannabinoid system and its unique role in supporting the health of Australian veterans. His insights shed light on why understanding this intricate system is critical if we are to offer truly holistic care to those who have served.

Dr Mumford began by acknowledging the distinctive challenges facing the veteran community. “Not every veteran is going to be treated the same, and we need to make sure that they have access to different things,” he said, underlining the importance of options and tailored care. With more than 600,000 veterans spread across Australia, a one-size-fits-all approach simply isn't viable.

Many veterans, Dr Mumford explained, live with what he called “the unholy trinity” of physical injury, mental health conditions, and sleep disturbances. “When they come in, they've all got a physical injury, they've got a mental health condition, and they usually don't sleep. So which one do you treat first? Or how do you break the unholy trinity? It's something that is very important.”

So where does the endocannabinoid system fit within this complex picture? Dr Mumford highlighted that, “The endocannabinoid system is a messenger system throughout the body.” This system, present in everyone, helps regulate a wide array of bodily functions, from mood and sleep to pain and immune response. For veterans, whose bodies and minds have been pushed to extremes, this system can become dysregulated or overwhelmed.

Dr Mumford expanded on this point: “The endocannabinoid system… it's not just one aspect that we're going to be treating. We're going to be looking at receptors that are throughout the body and hopefully being able to provide some sort of treatment, a better sort of treatment outcome.” In other words, supporting the endocannabinoid system could have broad-reaching impacts, addressing not just a single symptom but the more complex, interconnected health issues many veterans face.

One of the striking things about the endocannabinoid system is its potential to help with what Dr Mumford called “invisible injuries.” Conditions like PTSD and chronic pain often can’t be seen or measured with a blood test, but profoundly affect a veteran’s quality of life. It's always something that can potentially circle back round. And it's not a quick fix. So there's no magic solution,” Dr Mumford noted.

He emphasised that the endocannabinoid system might offer a pathway to “breaking the cycle” for veterans caught in the loop of pain, sleeplessness, and mental distress. “If we can break the unholy trinity by giving them sleep, we can often win the day. They can then go to the physios or start doing more activities during the day, because they've got a better night's sleep.”

Supporting the endocannabinoid system, Dr Mumford explained, may require more than a single medication or intervention. “We're trying to use something that's very similar to the human endocannabinoid system to be able to help improve health outcomes.” He noted that interventions should ideally work with the body’s natural systems, rather than overwhelming them or treating symptoms in isolation.

Dr Mumford’s research and clinical experience also highlight the importance of a holistic approach. “You can't just fix up the health aspect and then they're going to be fixed… there's so many different parts—the health is up there, but you've got education, you've got family, you've got employment, you've got finances, you've got all these other aspects that are going to help the veteran overall.” Supporting the endocannabinoid system may open the door for improvement in these other areas, as sleep, pain, and mood are foundational to wellbeing.

He also warned that, while supporting the endocannabinoid system can be transformative for some, it’s not a miracle cure. “It's not going to be for everyone… but we got people down a lot of the time, and therefore they had less brain fog. They felt like they could achieve more. They were taking less tablets. They felt like they could engage more. And again, this is one modality that I think really needs to be considered.”

Dr Mumford’s message is clear: understanding and supporting the endocannabinoid system could represent a new frontier in veteran care, offering hope for those who haven’t found relief through conventional means. As research continues and awareness grows, the Pro Patria Centre stands ready to help inform and connect veterans with the knowledge they need to make the best choices for their health.