Endometriosis affects millions of women worldwide and often has a greater impact than many people realize. What may sometimes seem like "ordinary menstrual pain" to the outside world can in fact be a complex chronic condition that profoundly affects daily life, relationships, work, and well-being.

The search for support for endometriosis eventually brings many women into contact with natural approaches. Cannabinoids from the cannabis plant are increasingly being looked at. For years, the focus was almost entirely on CBD, but according to Peter Vermeul, founder of CBD Spain and specialist in cannabinoid acids, that is only part of the story.

According to him, the true power of the cannabis plant lies in the substances that have received relatively little attention for years: cannabinoid acids such as CBDa.

Endometriosis calls for a broader perspective

Endometriosis occurs when tissue similar to the uterine lining is located outside the uterus. This can lead to inflammatory reactions, adhesions, and a range of symptoms such as pelvic pain, menstrual pain, fatigue, and fertility problems.

Precisely because so many different processes are involved, Vermeul believes it makes sense to look beyond a single active ingredient. Inflammatory processes, nerve sensitivity, muscle activity, hormonal influences, and local tissue reactions together form a complex whole.

This makes endometriosis a condition where a broader botanical approach may be more interesting than focusing on just one isolated component.

Why CBDa is receiving more and more attention

When people think of cannabinoids, they usually think of CBD or THC. What is less known is that the living cannabis plant does not originally produce these substances as its main product at all.

The plant primarily produces cannabinoid acids such as CBDa, CBGa, THCa, and CBCa. Only through heating, aging, or processing do these substances turn into their better-known forms such as CBD and THC.

According to Vermeul, this is an important distinction. CBDa is not simply a precursor to CBD, but an independent plant substance with its own properties and its own biological profile.

This is precisely why scientific interest in cannabinoid acids has grown rapidly in recent years.

New insights into menstrual pain

One of the studies that recently received a lot of attention looked at the effect of CBDa and CBD on uterine contractions involved in menstrual pain.

What stood out was that in laboratory research, CBDa appeared more effective than CBD at reducing the intensity of these contractions. In addition, a clear reduction in pain symptoms was observed in women with primary menstrual pain in a small clinical study.

Although endometriosis is much more complex than ordinary menstrual pain and more research remains necessary, Vermeul sees this as an interesting indication that cannabinoid acids may play a more important role than was assumed for years.

The power of the complete plant profile

While many manufacturers focus on individual cannabinoids or isolated substances, Peter Vermeul looks primarily at the bigger picture.

According to him, the power of the plant lies not only in CBDa, but precisely in the interaction between dozens to hundreds of natural plant substances. Think of other cannabinoid acids, terpenes, flavonoids, cannabiflavones, and plant sterols.

Together, these substances form the natural profile of the plant.

Within this vision, it is not about as many milligrams as possible of one substance, but about the interaction between different compounds. This is often described as the entourage effect: the idea that natural plant substances can complement and support each other.

Why full spectrum makes the difference according to Vermeul

Many products on the market contain mainly CBD, while a large part of the original cannabinoid acids is lost during production.

Vermeul, on the other hand, sees value in extracts in which the natural composition of the plant is preserved as much as possible. In this, not only the presence of CBDa plays a role, but also its stability.

An extract can only be rich in CBDa if this sensitive substance is preserved during production, storage, and use. Heat, light, and oxygen can cause CBDa to slowly turn into CBD.

This makes the quality of the extraction method at least as important as the amount of cannabinoids that ultimately appears on the label.

Less is not always less

A striking part of Peter Vermeul's vision is his focus on microdosing.

While many people think that higher doses automatically yield better results, research into plant substances and cannabinoids regularly shows that this is not always the case.

With a rich full spectrum extract, a lower dose may actually be interesting because different natural substances are active at the same time. The focus then shifts from "taking more" to "using it smarter".

For many women looking for support around their menstrual cycle or endometriosis, that is a thought worth considering.

Back to the original plant

The common thread in Peter Vermeul's work can be summarized simply: the closer an extract stays to the original chemistry of the living plant, the more interesting it can become.

This means attention to cannabinoid acids such as CBDa, the preservation of terpenes and other supporting plant substances, a careful extraction method, and an approach where quality is more important than just high concentrations.

According to him, the recent developments around CBDa align with a broader shift within science. Where for years the focus was mainly on CBD and THC, there is now increasing interest in the original acid forms of cannabinoids.

And that could very well be the beginning of a completely new view on the possibilities of the cannabis plant.

Read Peter Vermeul's full article

This blog offers only an introduction to Peter Vermeul's vision of endometriosis, menstrual pain, CBDa and full spectrum cannabinoid extracts.

If you want to delve deeper into the scientific background, the role of cannabinoid acids, and the future of full spectrum CBDa extracts, we recommend reading Peter Vermeul's full article.

In it, he goes into detail about the research, the effects of CBDa, and his vision for the future of cannabinoids within a natural health approach.

• Endometriosis requires more than just CBD - pdf NL
• Endometriosis requires more than only CBD - pdf EN 

Disclaimer: This article is intended for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult a doctor or qualified healthcare provider for health complaints.