Before delving into how cannabidiol affects the human immune system, it is worth understanding how the ECS works. Every person has an endocannabinoid system, which is made up of cannabinoid receptors. Endogenous cannabinoids bind with the receptors, which send signals to many different body parts. Endogenous cannabinoids are comparable to cannabis compounds like THC and CBD. Unlike the compounds, the human body makes endocannabinoids. It appears that the ECS plays a part in numerous bodily functions, which include mood, memory, digestion, reproduction, sleep, and thinking.
How Does Cannabidiol Work?
Some cannabinoids from hemp can not only interact with our ECS but also bind to CB1 receptors and CB2 receptors. Cannabidiol can keep us from breaking down endocannabinoids so that these can have stronger effects on our bodies. Here, we will discuss the relationship between CBD and autoimmune conditions.
Cannabidiol As An Immune Booster
Some tout cannabidiol as a way of boosting the immune system, particularly during COVID-19, without enough evidence for it. There is not enough evidence that CBD dosage for COVID works. There is no need to boost the human immune system in the absence of an underlying health condition, either. You can make some lifestyle changes, such as getting enough sleep, to avoid compromising the immune system. However, you cannot do a lot to raise your immunity to avoid becoming sick.
Cannabidiol In The Form Of An Immunosuppressant
Cannabidiol may not make our immune system stronger but may be somewhat beneficial for a person with an autoimmune disorder. You can develop an autoimmune disorder when the system attacks a healthy area of the body, causing undesirable symptoms such as inflammation and others.
Lupus, IBD, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis are among the most prevalent autoimmune diseases. A person with an autoimmune disease should often use an immunosuppressant product. It is a product that can stop or slow an overactive human immune system.
Recent research indicates that cannabidiol has anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressant properties. These attributes matter for autoimmune conditions because inflammation is also a prevalent symptom of those issues.
Laboratory studies and animal studies account for almost all the research about cannabidiol and immunosuppression. To know whether cannabidiol is a potentially viable immunosuppressant option, there is a need to test it in human beings. A good thing is that there is ongoing research about cannabidiol for autoimmune disorders.