CBD and the Immune System

Hi everybody!! Today we are going to talk about something that is on everyone’s mind pretty much 24/7 these days, our immune system. We have been collectively involved in a global pandemic for the last 12 months. The illness itself is very similar to the flu and people are having a difficult time telling the difference between what a normal commonly occurring illnesses such as the common cold or the flu and the Corona Virus.

One thing has become very clear, and that is that the ‘Rona is not to be trifled with. It has also been shown time and again that people with stronger immune systems are less likely to develop serious symptoms of the disease, if they catch it at all.

How Does It Work?

So how does the immune system work? Well, it’s complicated. The immune system has so many moving parts that it is difficult to keep track of them.

The system includes everything from the natural barrier created by your skin to the marrow of your bones. There are many different immune related cells that perform different functions.

There are white blood cells that go after bad cells, there are t-cells that kill infected host cells as well as activating other immune cells.

Additionally, there is the lymphatic system which is constantly flushing the body clean of dead cells and germs, and there are antigens and antibodies that lock together like puzzle pieces to make an immune complex. And this is just a very basic overview of the immune system.

Two Immunities

There are two forms of immunity: innate and acquired. The innate immune system is the immunity that you are born with. This generally refers to the natural barriers to illness such as the skin and bodily fluids as well as specific, specialized cells.

The acquired immune system is a kind of “learned immunity” developed by the antibodies you got from your mother in the womb. These antibodies are also created when your system comes in contact with antigens that are not familiar to your body. Your system learns from the interaction with the unfamiliar antigens and adapts to better deal with them in the future.

When the immune system is strong and healthy it not only prevents illness, but it learns faster when we get do get sick. It learns and adapts. When the system meets an unfamiliar antigen, it deals with it as best it can. But then it remembers what worked and what didn’t., so the next time it meets the same antigen it will be ready to fight it more effectively.

CBD and the Immune System

Can CBD strengthen the immune system? As we have discussed in the past, CBD can be used to balance your homeostatic system, the system that keeps your body in balance. This includes the immune system. If the system is weak CBD can act to strengthen white blood cells and T cells in immunodeficient patients.

In the case of an overactive immune system CBD can reduce exaggerated inflammation caused by illnesses such as rheumatoid arthritis. In short, CBD effectively works to help your body strengthen immunodeficiency and prevent overly aggressive immune-responses.

The Great Balancing Act

 How is it that CBD is able to both strengthen and suppress the body’s immune system? It comes back to CBDs unique role in the ECS (Endocannabinoid System) and its ability to fill in the gaps to ensure that the body remains balanced.

This is something that we can all associate with, especially these days when life itself has become a perpetual balancing act. We are not saying that CBD is a cure-all for maintaining a strong and healthy immune system but there is enough clinical evidence to show that it can help, and we think it’s worth a try. So, if you want to try it out for yourself drop by the shop and pick up some tincture and see if it works for you.