Overall Immune Support: How CBD Can Help.

The immunosuppressive effects of CBD and its role in autoimmune diseases are widely recognized. Now, with new studies suggesting its ability to enhance immunity and protect against viral infections, CBD is gaining attention for immunomodulatory properties. In the search for effective, natural strategies to support immunity, research validates CBD's clinical relevance for a variety of immune-related disorders. Here's what the science shows.

Immunity, The ECS and CBD.

The endocannabinoid system (ECS) and the immune system exist in a complex, nuanced, and bidirectional relationship. The ECS plays a prominent part in regulating immune cell activity, trafficking and migration, influencing macrophages, B cells, T cells and neutrophils. Endocannabinoid receptor activation has also been shown to hinder the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines, mitigating excessive inflammation and maintaining homeostasis in immune function. Endocannabinoids appear to modulate immune response at both innate and adaptive levels. Likewise, the immune system influences the ECS through inflammatory mediators and other mechanisms, and a growing body of evidence points to the ECS as a promising strategy for immune regulation.^{1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8}

In studies, CBD was found to impact the functional activities of the immune system, interacting with cannabinoid receptors and various molecular targets. CBD suppresses ROS formation and oxidative stress and acts as a molecular switch in innate immune cells, modulating inflammation and immune response. Additionally, CBD's broad effects on immune cells and its ability to protect against viral and bacterial infections suggest valuable benefits for conditions characterized by chronic inflammation and immune dysfunction. Some highlights:^{9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16}

Autoimmune Disorders.

Current data overwhelmingly supports CBD's immunosuppressive properties, attributed to its influence on immunological signaling pathways and receptors, and downregulate inflammatory responses. CBD has been shown to modulate immune cells, hindering proliferation of leucocytes, inducing apoptosis of T cells and macrophages and blunting pro-inflammatory cytokines, emphasizing its therapeutic potential for a range of autoimmune disorders.^{17,18,19,20,21}

Studies validate CBD's benefits for a variety of autoimmune conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, multiple sclerosis and autoimmune hepatitis, myocarditis and diabetes. Other research suggests CBD may inhibit joint destruction and slow the development of rheumatoid arthritis, as well as attenuate intestinal inflammation in inflammatory bowel disease. Besides managing autoimmune disease progression, CBD may improve symptoms like fatigue, pain, mobility and depression, and promote quality of life.^{22,23,24,25,26,27,28,29,30}

Immune Enhancing Potential.

While most evidence confirms CBD's immune-suppressive and anti-inflammatory activities, emerging research hints at its effects on stimulating immune response. The overall impact of CBD on the immune system can vary, with data reporting both pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory outcomes depending on the specific condition and immune cells involved. In studies, CBD either promoted or inhibited cytokine production in response to low or high degrees of immune stimulation, suggesting its potential immune-enhancing effects.^31,32,33,34

These apparently conflicting findings may be explained in part by differences in biphasic reactions, CBD dosage and additional factors. CBD's ability to either suppress or switch on immune response stems from its complex interactions with the ECS and other targets and mechanisms. Differential responsiveness to CBD is thought to involve alterations in intracellular calcium which likely account for some of its immune-enhancing properties, including degranulation and activation of mast cells, basophils and neutrophils. Further research also shows CBD stimulates immune function during viral infections or in cancer through specific immune cells or pathways.^{35,36,37,38,39}

Anti-viral Effects.

In addition to regulating immune response and inflammation, CBD's antibacterial and antiviral properties suggest its potential for treating acute conditions, such as SARS-CoV-2 infection. Multiple studies demonstrate CBD's antiviral effects, showing that it can act at early states of infection, hampering viral entry, activation and replication and suppressing exuberant immune reaction in later stages. In research on the SARS-CoV-2 virus, CBD impeded viral infection and replication, inhibiting viral gene expression after entry and reversing many effects of the virus on host gene transcription. Because the SARS-CoV-2 virus triggers an excessive immune response and inflammatory cascade, CBD's ability to regulate these processes highlights its promising role in COVID-19, not only for directing the course of the disease, but also preventing infection.^{40,41,42,43,44,45,46}

Along with CBD and other cannabinoids, terpenes have been widely explored for their antiviral properties. CBD in combination with terpenes was shown to shield cells from infection from both the coronavirus and influenza A virus, and research suggests the potential of CBD and terpenes to protect against SARS-CoV-2, human immunodeficiency virus, hepatitis C virus and herpes simplex virus-1.^47,48,49,50

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