The impact of cannabis on the immune system is still largely misunderstood due to scarcity of research and data. Latest studies and findings, though inconsequential and preliminary, have hinted towards cannabis’s potential to treat autoimmune disease like AIDS and HIV.
THC and CBD, the psychoactive constituents in cannabis, react and bring about a variety of changes in the endocannabinoid system.
Many findings have advocated marijuana’s utility in treating chronic pain, improving metabolism, lowering blood cholesterol, and healing impaired memory ― such as is observed in patients of Parkinsonia.
In recent years, cannabinoids ability to stimulate and inhibit the immune system has caught the limelight. Delving deep into the underlying mechanisms of how cannabis modulates the immune system could open up the possibility of Marijuana’s utility in treating many medical conditions.
How Does Cannabis Affect the Immune System?
Initial research suggested that Marijuana has negative effects on the immune system. It inferred that cannabis actually suppressed the anti-inflammatory responses vital to ward off infection and foreign particles. However, new research suggests that this is not always the case.
A patient who has an overcharged immune system may actually benefit from the anti-inflammatory properties of marijuana.
An unrestrained immune system may cause chronic inflammation, evident in a slew of health conditions, like sinusitis and active hepatitis. The main psychoactive compounds in cannabis may prove critical in curbing the effects of this uncontrolled inflammation and restoring the immune system to its formal equilibrium.
Can Cannabis Treat Autoimmune Disorders like HIV and AIDS?
Similarly, there are conditions in which the immune system slips into a slumber, becomes weak, frail and just plain lazy. HIV and AIDS are two medical conditions that come to mind.
New and exciting research has cited that cannabis also has the ability to enforce the immune system, and restore its vigor. This is great news for people who suffer from the flu or catch a common cold without breaking a sweat.
Understanding the Cannabis-HIV Connection
A faulty immune system is the main cause of HIV and AIDS. In the case of AIDS, a virus takes over the immune system and deprives the body of its primary defense mechanism. As already stated, the ability of cannabis to reinforce and reinvigorate the immune system may prove beneficial in treating these two conditions.
The link of HIV/AIDS and Cannabis has been established in many studies. A study in 2015 found out that patients on a monitored dose of cannabis had reduced viral loads and increased CD4 immune cell counts.
Similarly, a 2003 research found out that cannabis miraculously increased T-cells in HIV patients. T-cells are of paramount significance to the immune system. They quickly identify and eviscerate free radicals and harmful substances from the body. Patients who showed a significant improvement in their T-cell smoked cannabis over the course of several weeks.
This research is still in its embryonic stages and will require digging deep to establish its validity.
How Can Cannabis deem itself Useful in the Fight against Cancer?
The immune system ultimately decides which diseased cells should live on and which should succumb to suicide. Cancer is simply when diseased cells go rogue, disobey the immune system, and refuse the call to sacrifice themselves for the greater good of the human body. This leads to a gradual buildup of diseased cells in the body, which eventually, takes the shape of an ugly, uncontrolled blob of metastasizing cancer.
According to initial research, cannabis has shown the potential to reinstate the authority of the immune system, triggering suicide in rogue cells. More clinical trials and studies are being carried out to affirm cannabis’s potential use in cancer treatment.
Can Cannabis Treat Neurogenerative Conditions like Alzheimer’s?
Cannabis has also been deemed a promising prospect in treating neurodegenerative conditions. A decline in neural function or loss of valuable neurons results in the development of diseases like Parkinsons and Alzheimers. A common denominator among these conditions is inflammation. As Cannabis has anti-inflammatory properties, it might play a role in treating them.
This study explores the benefits of using a cannabis derivative, cannabidiol, to treat neurogenerative conditions of the aforementioned ilk.
Cannabis and the Immune System – A Ray of Hope
Up-till-now, the research on the therapeutic effects of cannabis on the immune system is lacking. However, after its legalization in the state of Oklahoma, and many parts of the world in general, things are about to change.
Right now, with all the facts and data in mind, we can’t say that Marijuana is a miracle cure. What we do know is that it has the ability to regulate the immune system, strengthen, invigorate, suppress and stimulate it. That’s the extent of our knowledge.
With the unraveling of the mysteries of cannabis through further research, we will get a better understanding of how cannabis helps the immune system overcome its deteriorating state.
However, we will definitely not stop people from using medical marijuana and using it to treat their medical conditions. We will suggest, taking the professional advice of a certified medical marijuana physician. We can help you in this regard. The services of Oklahoma consults are tailor-made to help you get-in-touch with an affordable solution for all your medical marijuana needs.