People are becoming more and more health-conscious each day. This is because numerous threats exist in the outside world that put the human body at risk of acquiring diseases. Therefore, you must prevent these health risks before they can attack your body.
However, synthetic medicines might promote adverse effects, particularly to the immune system. Thankfully, cannabidiol or CBD might be an organic solution to boost the body’s immune functions.
CBD: A Brief Overview
CBD is a naturally-occurring compound found and extracted from the resinous flower of the Cannabis sativa plant. This safe and non-addictive substance is one of the several phytocannabinoids in the said plant.
Some people associate CBD with tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which is another cannabinoid in cannabis. But, CBD is a non-psychoactive component, unlike THC. Hence, consuming a CBD-infused product shouldn’t promote mind-altering effects or “highs”.
However, exceptions exist as some CBD products have THC content. The law does state that CBD products shouldn’t have THC content higher than 0.3%. If you have a low tolerance to THC, then, you might experience some mild psychoactive effects from the CBD product you’ll be using.
At this point, you might be wondering how long will CBD last. The effects of CBD depend on the product and concentration of the naturally-occurring component. Some CBD-infused products will have effects that can last for about four to six hours. Conversely, some products may induce effects that’ll last only for 15 minutes.
The end goal should be to select the product that works best for your needs. Proper research is vital to ensure that you use the correct CBD product. \
How CBD Works
CBD works with the body’s endocannabinoid system (ECS). This system keeps balance and order for different mental and physical functions as you encounter the pressures of daily life. The ECS has cannabinoid receptors embedded in different areas of the body, including your brain, connective tissues, organs, and immune cells.
Now, the body produces its cannabinoids to stimulate the ECS’s receptors. Hence, if you experience an ailment known as endocannabinoid deficiency, you can consider using high-quality CBD oil as a supplement.
Once stimulated, the ECS receptors interact with the CBD to “tell” the body to return to standard efficiency. Thus, CBD’s characteristics tend to fall into relief and treatment as opposed to prevention.
It’s because an imbalance in the ECS’s receptors can cause different health concerns, such as insomnia, nausea, and loss of appetite. Unlike specific over-the-counter pharmaceutical drugs, CBD doesn’t directly interact with the body’s cells. Instead, it acts as a mediator that informs the body’s systems to use their functions more efficiently than before. Positive results include the relief and treatment of specific physiological and psychological ailments, with minimal risks of adverse effects.
However, be aware of the risks involved when consuming CBD. Improper dosage can lead to side effects, such as diarrhea, anxiety, and dry eyes and mouth. Consult your doctor beforehand to know if CBD is the best solution for your health concern.
The Immune System
The environment isn’t as “friendly” as you might think. Every minute of every day, an endless stream of infectious bacteria, diseases, and viruses circles the body, waiting for the most opportune moment to strike. If it weren’t for an effective immune system, your body becomes exposed to these threats, causing your well-being to drop.
Now, your immune system comprises a network of different components, including cells, organs, and tissues. All these parts work in harmony, akin to well-oiled gears making a machine function correctly. If your immune functions perform their respective roles successfully, the components work together to destroy foreign and harmful particles to keep you healthy and alive.
Additionally, the immune system is also responsible for the detection and elimination of cells that aren’t working as intended. In other words, your immune functions help promote natural cell death to give way to new and healthy cells.
This cycle happens countless times throughout the day, and without you noticing. Hence, you must take care of your immune system to prevent a significant drop in your well-being.
CBD And The Immune System
Although it’s called the immune system, it’s not resistant to specific disorders. Diseases and illnesses can lead to the body’s immune functions to drop, giving way to other ailments to enter your system.
At this point, your doctor might offer to give you pharmaceutical medications to help recover your body’s immune system. But, these drugs might contain synthetic ingredients that can cause adverse effects.
For example, you might be experiencing the effects of a disease that lowers your blood pressure. Consuming a particular drug helps normalize your blood pressure, but it may also cause nausea and vertigo.
CBD, on the other hand, interacts with the body’s immune functions to promote internal relief and healing with reduced risks of you contracting adverse effects. So, it begs the question, “How does CBD affect the immune system?”
The answer lies in the ECS. A receptor in the system has a specific role in maintaining proper immune response to inflammation. That receptor is the cannabinoid receptor 2 (CB2).
Consuming CBD lets the compound act as an agonist that reverses particular receptor functions, especially for the CB2. This organic substance stops the activity of CB2 receptors to help regulate the body’s inflammatory responses. Additionally, CBD provides indirect anti-inflammatory effects to improve existing inflammation-related disorders, such as:
- Chronic pain
- Muscle spasms
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Joint disease
- Acne
Furthermore, CBD can affect the immune system by stopping the resurgence of a neurotransmitter called adenosine. Adenosine acts as a central nervous system depressant to promote sleep and suppress arousal.
CBD consumption increases the production of adenosine in the brain. This process affects adenosine receptors to help reduce inflammation in various places around the body.
This organic compound also acts as an immunosuppressant, which means it can halt the immune response of a patient. It might sound counterintuitive to the process of healing, but suppressing immune functions at the right moments can lead to certain benefits, such as:
- Prevents rapid cell growth
- Moderates or suppresses the function and secretion of cytokines, which are proteins that signal the molecules to regulate other systems
- Suppresses the function and production of T-cells, which are white blood cells that play vital roles in adaptive immunity
Now, you might be thinking of another question: “How can suppressing the immune system be a good thing?”
Inhibiting the body’s immune functions play a vital role in the management of autoimmune disorders. These diseases may include, but not limited to, the following:
- Multiple sclerosis (MV)
- Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)
- Lupus
- Parkinson’s disease
These diseases attack different functions and systems in the body. But, these ailments have one thing in common–a hyperactive immune system.
Think of autoimmune diseases as spies that attack the body without the knowledge of your natural immune functions. These disorders disguise themselves as normal-functioning components of the body, but they’ll attack healthy substances, like cells and tissues. The negative results make your body confused, causing responses, like inflammation, stiffness, pain, and other types of discomfort.
Failure to deal with the problem can result in devastating and, perhaps, life-threatening scenarios. Internal organs become damaged, cells replicate without conducting natural cell death, and tissues begin to fail. Those events are only a few of the many potential scenarios that may happen if you have an autoimmune disease.
Autoimmune disease treatment through conventional medicine may call upon the help of immunosuppressive synthetically-engineered drugs. These medicines turn off the immune system, which can bring about devastating adverse effects accompanied with high risks of opening the body to other infectious diseases.
On the other hand, CBD doesn’t shut off the immune system. Instead, it suppresses the immune functions to ensure the body still has a line of defense from harmful bacteria and viruses in the environment. Furthermore, this naturally-occurring compound has a gentler makeup than some prescription pharmaceutical drugs, allowing the body to have low risks of contracting severe adverse effects.
The Benefits Of Using CBD
Now that you already know how CBD affects the immune system, it’s time to understand the potential benefits of this organic compound. Some of the health benefits that CBD has in store for the body and mind include:
Reduced Anxiety
The fear of a failing immune system can lead the mind to overthink. Thoughts like, “What if a disease surfaces while the body is weak,” or “What if an autoimmune disorder is already in the body?” Questions begin to enter the mind, causing you to become anxious.
Aside from boosting the immune system, CBD can also help calm the mind and improve anxiety-related symptoms. This organic compound interacts with different receptors to help reduce stress.
One study presented to the Senate Caucus on International Narcotics Control by the director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, Nora D. Volklow found that CBD can reduce symptoms related to generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). The investigation observed laboratory animals when placed under scenarios that induced anxiety.
The result of the study found that CBD improved the sudden spikes in heart rate. The laboratory animals also appeared to be calmer than usual after consuming the cannabis-derived product.
Although the researchers performed the investigation on animals, similar effects might take place in humans. CBD helps calm the mind, which may lead to other potential advantages, like better sleep.
Serves As An Antidepressant
The feeling of getting sick with a severe disorder can affect the mood negatively. Severe cases of sadness begin to creep into the mind each day. Soon, depression comes into view, and symptoms start to surface, like:
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- Feelings of helplessness, worthlessness, and guilt
- Sudden mood changes
- Aggressive and irritable behavior
- Less energy or lethargy
- Difficulty in concentrating
CBD can help improve depression-related symptoms. Continuous use of this naturally-occurring compound, along with the aid of therapy, may provide patients with a complete recovery.
This substance can interact with the brain’s serotonin receptors. Serotonin is a chemical touted as the “happy” compound. CBD “tells” the receptors to produce more serotonin to help alleviate depression.
One 2018 review even states that CBD can act as both an anti-stress and antidepressant in animal models. The results also show that this organic substance can bring short- and long-term positive effects on consumers.
CBD’s non-addictive properties also make it a more appealing option than some over-the-counter antidepressants. Specific medicines sold in pharmacies might present users with adverse effects, such as addictive tendencies. If not monitored, frequent antidepressant consumption might lead to addiction, which can create new sets of health complications.
Pain Relief
Ailments that attack the immune system may bring pain. That discomfort you feel can lower your quality of life. Before, it’s easy to do everyday tasks, such as sitting, standing, and walking. But, physical pain can reduce the body’s efficiency in doing these seemingly basic tasks.
CBD can help relieve pain, especially discomforts from ailments, like:
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- Cancer
- Migraines
- Fibromyalgia
- Osteoarthritis
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
One report in the Pediatric Dermatology publication in 2018 states that topical CBD used in children with epidermolysis bullosa, a rare and blistering condition, may present positive effects. The investigation reports that the parents of the children applied the substance to their children. The results came out positive as the patients developed faster-than-average wound healing and fewer blisters. Furthermore, the patients reported a significant improvement of pain with no adverse effects.
Conclusion
As a natural compound, CBD promotes health benefits to the minds and bodies of users, with minimal risks of adverse effects. Consumers may seek the help of CBD-infused products to alleviate, improve, or cure specific disorders, like cancer and chronic pain.
Aside from bringing relief and treatment, CBD may also protect health concerns that attack the immune system. Users can take advantage of the compound’s anti-inflammatory traits to protect the body’s components from inflammation-causing illnesses.
CBD may also help prevent autoimmune diseases, like HIV, MV, and lupus. It does this by limiting the activity of the immune system as overactive immune functions might lead to these disorders.
But, always consult your doctor before attempting to consume any CBD product. Failure to consume the correct dosage may result in unwanted side effects.