This article was originally published on Cannabis.net and appears here with permission.
There have been serious inquiries into how cannabis reacts with different parts of the body. Some of these inquiries seek to understand how cannabis carries out its medicinal effects. One aspect of the body system that has aroused such inquiries is the immune system. Many wonder if cannabis helps or hurts the immune system. If you are one with this uncertainty, not to worry you have come to the right source. Read on as we shed light on the relationship between cannabis and the immune system and what to expect from the relationship.
Cannabis and Human Body Systems
Cannabis is a special natural plant that contains cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids. The cannabinoids embedded in the cannabis plant confer on it some measure of medicinal character. This has prompted the growth of medical marijuana in different regions of the world. Marijuana is readily used to deal with pain, seizures, insomnia, mood disorder, and so on. These medicinal characteristics are due to the relationship of cannabis with different human body systems.
THC, the major cannabinoid in cannabis, can promote its intoxicating effect as recreational in most cases. The cannabinoid is also important likewise for medicinal effects in pain, nausea, insomnia, and reduced appetite. CBD is the second most important cannabinoid though it is nonintoxicating and its effect is important for conditions like epilepsy and anxiety. The cannabinoids and others interact with the endocannabinoid system in the body to affect most of their medicinal effects either directly or indirectly. The entourage effect of these cannabinoids has strong effects on the central nervous system, digestive system, circulatory system, respiratory system, and immune system.
Does Cannabis help or hurt the Immune System
The immune system is a specialized system that composes of cells, endogenous chemicals, and organs that protect the body from pathogens. The system wards off infections and maintains homeostasis within the body for proper functioning. The suppression of the activities of this system, therefore, opens up the body to more infections and diseases. In the same vein, improving the activities of the system will also help to protect the body more from unwanted pathogens and infections.
It must first be stated that there is limited research on the subject of the effects of cannabis and the immune system. There is therefore a need for more research to be carried out on the subject matter. Nonetheless, we will have to make do with what is available now and draw inferences from it. Available evidence presently points to cannabis having a suppressing effect on the immune system. This means that the activities of the cannabinoids weaken the immune system hence making the body prone to contagious infections. Weird enough this news is welcoming for people with autoimmune diseases like Myasthenia gravis. Nonetheless, people with functional immune systems might not find it so comforting.
How the Endocannabinoid System interacts with the Immune System
It was earlier stated that the endocannabinoid system (ECS) is a major medium with which cannabinoids affect human body systems. This is the same for the immune system. The ECS acts as a gatekeeper for the immune system in order to restrict the development of inflammatory responses that leads to diseases. Likewise, they also play an important role in influencing the functions of the immune system cells. Literature has shown that CBD and THC suppress the immune system through CB1 and CB2 receptors. Some studies have also found evidence of THC altering immune cells responsible for antimicrobial activity.
The effect of cannabis on the immune system is therefore characterized as immunomodulatory or immunosuppressive. Immunomodulation has to deal with any therapy that modulates immune system response. The effects of THC, CBD, and other cannabinoids on the immune system to suppress its effects are therefore described as immunosuppressive. The suppressive activity on the immune system gives cannabis use to people with a dysregulated immune system.
Cannabis as an Immunosuppressant
There are two sides to the effect of cannabis as an immunosuppressant. It could be just what the doctor ordered in some cases while in others it does more harm than good. A study in 2003 showed this effect when healthy volunteers were tested to see the effect of cannabis on the immune system. High anti-inflammatory cells and less pro-inflammatory cells were found in the systems of cannabis users. This means regular cannabis users have fewer killer cells in their immune systems. The meaning of this is that regular cannabis users are less resistant to the spread of tumors and microbial infections.
Further dissection of the results from the study also showed a significant relationship with cannabis as an immunosuppressant. There was a dose-dependent relationship with effect in the result of the patients under the study. This means that the longer the period of cannabis use, the higher the suppressive activity of the immune system. Therefore regular cannabis users are more prone to microbial infections compared to occasional users.
People living on chemotherapy therefore might not find this effect of cannabis helpful. Its effect as an immunosuppressant means there all be fewer infection-fighting cells which is bad in the long run. Patients with HIV however have a different case with cannabis as an immunosuppressant. Studies have shown that cannabis helps in the management of HIV by increasing the number of CD4 cells. These cells are used as a marker to measure the robustness of the immune cells against HIV. Cannabis also helps to reduce the viral load with promotes maintenance for HIV patients.
Bottom line
Cannabis has a special effect on the immune system and the nature of this effect is suppressive. This immunosuppressive effect is important for patients with autoimmune diseases. It is however less helpful for patients with functional immune systems. This is because such functional systems are important to reduce the chances of microbial infections. They are also not helpful for patients under chemotherapy as they further reduce the number of infection-fighting cells.
