Last Updated on April 21, 2021 by Maxwell Harris
Does CBD help with immunity?
Although there is an excellent advancement in the production of medicine in the modern world, numerous threats exist in the world that put the human body system of acquiring diseases. Just like the famous saying goes, “prevention is better than cure” an increasing number of people are looking for ways in which to prevent their system from acquiring diseases. One of the methods they are looking into is improving their immune – system, especially cells in the white blood category, to help combat foreign microbial before they turn into infections and illnesses. Thankfully, CBD provides a perfect solution for this quest. The following blog puts focus on how CBD will help improve people’s immune systems.
What is CBD?
Known as CBD, Cannabidiol is a type of naturally-occurring cannabinoid derived from the hemp plants. This extract doesn’t come with any high effect, but it’s famous for its numerous health benefits, which include anxiety relief, reduce pain, alleviate inflammation, reduce acne, and improve heart health. Other researches also suggest that CBD also contains compounds that enhance the immune – system.
What is Immunity?
Immunity is the ability of your immune – system to fight off illnesses and infections.
While going about your daily activities, you become exposed to viruses, bacteria, infections, and diseases that you may contract through coming into contact with affected persons of objects. The only reason you don’t become ill is because of your immune – system. Your immune – system contains an arrangement of cells, tissues, and organs that work together to help eliminate and fight off foreign invaders, which keeps you healthy. In that, it means that if your immunity is low, you will most likely fall ill easily.
Besides, your immune – system also detects blood cells that are too old or weak and eliminates them to leave room for the production of new and healthier cells.
Does CBD Help Your Immune System?
Research shows that CBD oil has the potential to maintain a balanced immune system by altering the components of your white blood immune cells. It does so mainly through increasing the production of Natural Killer cell function. CBD can help in balancing your immune – system by reducing the B cells, T cells as well as T helper and T cytotoxic lymphocyte subsets and increasing the activity of a type of white blood cells known as natural killer blood cell (NK). These white blood cells play a crucial role in your immune – system response to foreign elements, which means that your immune – system will be ready to combat illnesses.
Does CBD Affect Immunotherapy?
Immunotherapy is a relatively new form of cancer treatment that utilizes the immune system as the primary weapon to fight against cancer. The simple answer to the question of whether CBD affects immunotherapy is ‘yes.’ This is because CBD enhances the overall functions of the immune system, which means that it can work in conjunction with immunotherapy to combat cancer. Besides, CBD is widely known as a palliative treatment for cancer thanks to its analgesic and antiemetic effects.
Cancer also causes pain due to inflammation on the internal organs, which is where CBD comes in handy in easing the cancer treatment process as it lowers inflammation, thus eases the pain a patient feels.
How Does CBD Interact with the Immune System?
The human system has an endocannabinoid system that contains receptors that run through the brain, nervous system, and organs. This system assists the body system in regulating the immune system and helps it return to homeostasis. CBD interacts with the immune system to help in promoting internal relief without causing any adverse effects.
When you ingest CBD, it interacts with your cannabinoid receptor 2 (CB2), found in your endocannabinoid system. This receptor is tasked with maintaining proper immune response to inflammation. CB2 receptor also alters physiological responses associated with appetite, movement, thinking, coordination, memories, discomfort, and mood.
- Provides Anti Inflammatory Properties
Additionally, CBD provides indirect anti-inflammatory effects that alleviate existing inflammation-disorders like chronic pain, muscle spasms, rheumatoid arthritis, joint disease, and acne.
- Stops Adenosine Resurgence
CBD also alters the immune system by stopping the resurgence of adenosine, a type of neurotransmitter found in your body system. Adenosine acts as a depressant in the nervous system that promotes sleep and suppresses arousal.
Consuming CBD oil will also increase the production of adenosine in the brain, which makes the receptors trigger the reduction of inflammation naturally.
- Suppresses the Immune System
This type of cannabinoids also acts as an immune – system suppressant which suppresses the immune response in a patient. While this effect may seem counterintuitive in the healing process, suppressing the immune system at some point carries several benefits, which include:
- Preventing rapid cell growth—which can slow down the growth of cancer cells
- Helps in managing auto immune disorders—which include Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), Multiple sclerosis (MV), Parkinson’s disease, and Lupus. What these diseases have in common is the hyperactive immune system, and suppressing your immune system can help combat these diseases
- Keeps the Immune System Alert
CBD is known as an immune – system modulator, which means that it assists the immune system in staying alert. In that, it means that CBD helps in supporting the immune system to respond to antibodies effectively.
Let’s talk about hat last part a little bit more:
Is CBD an immune system suppressant?
Research shows that CBD has the potential to help treat auto immune diseases, which attack healthy tissues, cells, and organs in your body system. These diseases can affect any part of your body system and lead to weak bodily functions and, in severe cases, cause life-threatening health conditions. Some of the most common auto immune diseases include Psoriasis, Multiple Sclerosis, and Rheumatoid Arthritis.
Autoimmune diseases are widely supported by inflation, which also leads to pain, thus making some autoimmune diseases like arthritis unbearable. However, CBD supports inflammatory response through introducing is very own anti inflammatory properties that reduce inflammation and help the diseases fighting blood cells tackle the diseases. Besides, CBD contains immune – system suppressive compounds that slowdown hyperactive immune systems that attack themselves.
Besides, Cannabidiol oils also modulate the secretion of cytokines in your immune system. The cytokines function as the armour used to regulate inflammation naturally.
Parting words
CBD oils are natural compounds that react with the body system immune receptor to help improve the immune functions and enhance the functions of your white blood somatic cells. As a result, they help the body system defend itself against diseases, which will keep you healthy and away from the doctors. CBD can help in alleviating autoimmune diseases to prevent your immune – system from attacking itself.
References
- National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. (2017) The health effects of cannabis and cannabinoids: the current state of evidence and recommendations for research. National Academies Press
- Dariš, B., Tancer Verboten, M., Knez, Ž., & Ferk, P. (2019). Cannabinoids in cancer treatment: Therapeutic potential and legislation. Bosnian journal of basic medical sciences, 19(1), 14–23.
- Hemppedia. (2020). The Endocannabinoid System. Available from: https://hemppedia.org/the-endocannabinoid-system/
- Zdanowicz M. M. (2009). The pharmacology of immunosuppression. American journal of pharmaceutical education, 73(8), 144. https://doi.org/10.5688/aj7308144
Very good article and very important immune system information, especially during the pandemic! Thank you for the article.