Boost Your Immune System With CBD Oil
CBD oil has been investigated a lot, nowadays due to its variety of hidden effects. It has been used in a series of mental and physical diseases and there is significant evidence that it can positively affect our immune system, as well. Since we all know the importance of our immune system in providing us with protection against viruses, diseases, and other harmful factors, every additional weapon in its army is crucial. So, what is the relationship between our immune system and CBD oil?
Effects of CBD oil on our immune system
CBD oil is a natural compound made through the extraction of CBD from the cannabis plant. Although its effects are various, the most prominent ones are those involving the immune system. In fact, CBD gets involved in various processes associated with our body’s defense against viruses, bacteria, toxins, and other harmful substances. To better understand the effects of CBD oil on our immune system and whether it is capable to strengthen or weaken it, we need to have a general knowledge of how our system works.
Cannabinoids, in general, including CBD interact with a specific system in our brain, called the endocannabinoid system. This system is actually one of the major regulatory systems in our brain and it is closely associated with other systems, including the immune system. Our immune system is then able to work hard in order to protect us effectively and help us fight off infections. Within the endocannabinoid system, there is one specific receptor, named cannabinoid receptor 2 which is really important in regulating immune responses.
How exactly CBD oil is associated with this receptor? Well, it bounds to this receptor and inhibits it. That in turn, affects the whole inflammation process in the human body. However, CBD oil doesn’t achieve only that. It has also, some other indirect anti-inflammatory actions on the central nervous system that positively affect our immune system. A good example is the effect of this oil on the production of cytokines. Cytokines are small proteins released by immune cells during an immune response. Those proteins play a key role in initiating inflammation and activating other molecules that can further help in expanding the whole inflammation process. CBD oil can disrupt the release of cytokines from the very start. The result is pretty much the termination of the whole inflammation process before it has even started.
When our immune system tries to attack and defeat a virus, it can make our body develop some cold-related symptoms. Our body uses endocannabinoids to keep the immune response at bay, in order to deal with those symptoms. However, in most cases, those natural endocannabinoids cannot fully control inflammation. CBD oil can efficiently provide a great boost to the endocannabinoid system and ensure that the whole immune response is kept under control.
CBD oil can suppress our immune system when need be
As mentioned above, CBD oil can effectively strengthen our immune system and help us fight off various inflammatory diseases. However, there are times when our immune system needs to be suppressed. For example, when we deal with autoimmune diseases, like multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, and AIDS, one thing is for sure: their common ground is a hyperactive immune system. What exactly are autoimmune diseases? They are a series of diseases that turn our immune system against our own bodies. Non-threatening internal events are interpreted by our immune system as a potential danger and in response, it starts to attack against our healthy cells. The results can vary from mere stiffness and pain to internal tissue damage in more serious cases.
Traditionally, medications used to fight autoimmune diseases are immunosuppressive and they work by shutting down the whole immune system. That can leave us even more susceptible to other infections. On the other hand, CBD oil selectively suppresses parts of our immune system that are specifically associated with the particular type of autoimmune disease. What’s the positive result? The rest of our immune system continues to work just fine. Moreover, CBD oil is naturally extracted and mimics the natural structure of the endocannabinoids that are produced in our bodies. Therefore, it is much safer compared to synthetic analogs.
CBD Oil and cancer
When our immune system is weakened, we are more susceptible to developing a cancerous condition. Thankfully, CBD oil is there to help us strengthen our system to avoid this unfortunate condition. How can it provide us with those results? Well, by getting involved in 2 different processes. Firstly, it can increase the self-destruction of damaged cells that can lead to a quick reduction of tumor growth. Secondly, it can effectively deal with the whole metastasis process and therefore, the spreading of a tumor will not be able to further develop. Even those already suffering from a cancerous condition can benefit a lot from CBD oil. This oil is capable of reducing various irritating symptoms that accompany this serious disease, including nausea, vomiting, and pain.
CBD Oil and neuroinflammatory diseases
Various neuroinflammatory or neurodegenerative conditions are closely associated with our immune system. For example, head injuries, strokes, and even cerebral ischemia are conditions that can have a severe impact on our overall health if our immune system is weakened at the time of the accident. CBD oil can help in that accord by providing both neurogenesis and neurodegeneration along with an overall strengthening of the immune system.
It is true that a lot of fuss has been made over the use of CBD oil over the last years. This natural oil has been associated with multiple benefits and its effects on our body have been largely investigated. Particularly when we talk about our immune system, which is the shield of our whole body, strengthening it as much as possible is crucial for our well-being. CBD oil has shown multiple positive effects on our immune system and using it, particularly by those suffering from immune response or autoimmune diseases can really help us become healthy again and fight off those diseases once and for all.
