Cannabis is known across the globe for the great medicinal benefits it offers. With cannabis awareness and legalization happening across the United States, consumers are becoming much more aware of the potential therapeutic benefits the cannabis plant may offer. The average consumer is becoming more and more accepting of cannabis as a potential treatment for multiple, diverse medical problems such as inflammation, gastrointestinal disorders, and specific autoimmune diseases as well.
But the question often arises; how much does cannabis affect the human immune system as a whole? As a cannabis enthusiast who consumes the plant on a regular basis, you must have wondered about the question – whether cannabis helps boost your total immunity or weakens it. Does regular cannabis consumption make you prone to contagious diseases and infections or does it strengthen your immunity to prevent you from falling sick?
Looking at the background, scientists have been limited in the types of research they were allowed to conduct on cannabis and few studies have been conducted to study the relationship between the human immune system and the impacts of cannabis consumption. However, with increased awareness about the great medicinal benefits of cannabis, researchers have been influenced to broaden their perspectives and decipher more extensively how cannabis consumption impacts human immunity on the whole.
The present evidence currently available about cannabis showcases that the plant could be effective enough to suppress the human immune system. While this could be significantly helpful for those with autoimmune illnesses, it may not bring many benefits for people that have functional immune systems.
Take A Look At Your Immune System
The immune system is one of the most sophisticated yet crucial networks inside human bodies. It is a collection of multiple endogenous chemicals, specialized cells, and organs that work in a coalition to prevent humans from contagious infections and pathogens—ensuring that their health remains protected and that homeostasis is stabilized.
The human immune system is multifaceted, and its central component which actively combats contagious infections comprises white blood cells, antibodies, the complement system, the spleen, bone marrow, the thymus, and the lymphatic system. However, the most crucial among the group are blood cells.
The memories of each microbe that has been previously defeated by the human immune system get logged inside the white blood cells. These memories help to track the infections that have been previously experienced much faster and let your immune system eliminate them without delay. Also, the immune system is responsible for detecting the cells that have malfunctioned and eradicate them as they go.
The knowledge now available about how cannabis interacts with the human immune system and what impacts it could have on the system is limited. While there is some evidence that highlights the impacts of cannabinoids on the lymphatic system and the count of white blood cells, we have a very limited understanding of how cannabis may interact and impact the complement system and the thymus.
Cannabis and the Human Immune System: What Is the Role of Endocannabinoid System Here?
There is a unique connection between the human immune system and the endocannabinoid system found naturally inside the human body. The ECS is generally referred to as a gatekeeper of the immune system—meant for protecting and preventing the immune system from inflammatory responses occurring as an outcome of diseases. The ECS may also play a role in regulating the functions of the immune system.
CB1 and CB2 receptors of the endocannabinoid system are known for mediating the effects of cannabis plants within the human immune system. Two of the most commonly known cannabinoids, THC and CBD, are said to have unique effects on the immune system because of their distinctive interactions with the cannabinoid receptors found inside ECS. Most research reflects that the cannabinoids from inside cannabis have an impact on the functions of the majority of immune cells.
A research review conducted in 2002 reports massive evidence highlighting that CBD possesses great potential to suppress certain specific inflammatory responses of an immune system and might also help with the cellular deaths of some particular immune cells. To make it clear, however, immune cellular death isn’t always bad for health, it is a part of the cellular life cycle.
Similar to CBD, THC also may have the potential for suppressing immune activity – preventing inflammatory responses from escalating. It has also been highlighted as an active component in the alteration of the functions of immune cells that may be responsible for antimicrobial activity.
How Does Cannabis Impact The Human Immune System?
Most scientists refer to the interaction between cannabis and the human immune system as immunomodulation or immunosuppression. Immunomodulation is basically a therapy that modifies the immune system and when cannabis consumption suppresses the human immune function, it is called immunosuppression, a type of immunomodulation.
It is crucial to highlight here that the potential of cannabis to suppress or subdue immune cells from a human body could be of great help in the case of a deregulated immune system that needs suppression. However, immune suppression may not be helpful for a fully functional human immune system.
A research study published back in 2017 indicates that both THC and CBD may possess an immunomodulatory impact over the human intestinal lymphatic system – a host of major immune cells. This lymphatic system also comprises almost half of the lymphocytes from the human body – that is the white blood cells – which play a crucial role in determining, fighting, and eradicating the foreign substances or cells that infiltrate the body.
Hence, cannabis could help people with autoimmune diseases by attaining higher concentrations in their lymphatic systems and suppressing the inflammatory responses of their immune system that might be unhealthy.
Find Your Favorite Cannabis Products at the Best Las Vegas Dispensary
Now that you have a sophisticated understanding of how cannabis may impact the human immune system, it’s time to look out for your favorite cannabis products in Las Vegas.
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We are open from 8:00 am to 1:00 am through Sundays to Wednesdays and from 8:00 am to 3:00 am through Thursdays to Saturdays.
