Does Medical Marijuana Boost the Immune System?
We hear about so many uses for medical marijuana, and that it can help a lot of different ailments. Some might wonder, can medical marijuana boost the immune system?
What Does the Immune System Do?
The immune system is a sophisticated network in our body that consists of organs, cells, and proteins. These components work together with the common goal of fighting infection in our bodies.
White blood cells are formed in our bone marrow and are an important part of our immune system. Their role is to find foreign bacteria, parasites, or viruses that may enter the body. The white blood cells then launch an immune attack on these foreign microbes to destroy them, thus protecting the body.
An interesting fact about white blood cells is they actually keep record of every type of microbe they’ve ever had to defeat. This allows them to deal with future encounters with identical microbes more efficiently.
Other components of our immune system include:
- Antibodies (which are produced by a type of white blood cell)
- Complement System
- Lymphatic System
- Bone Marrow
- Spleen
- Thymus
medical marijuana and immune system
What Effect Does Medical Marijuana Have on the Immune System?
How a particular substance interacts with the immune system can be referred to as either an immunomodulatory, immunostimulant, or immunosuppressive.
If the substance has an effect that suppresses or weakens the immune system, it’s referred to as immunosuppressive.
If it strengthens the immune response it is called an immunostimulant. Any substance that has a measurable effect that alters immune system function is called immunomodulatory.
Marijuana and the Immune System – how it affects immunity? A 2017 study concluded that through the use of cannabinoids and THC administered with fats, an individual can attain a higher concentration of cannabinoid levels which has an immunomodulatory effect on our lymphatic system.This allows the lymphatic system to suppress inflammatory responses more effectively and has a positive effect on individuals with autoimmune diseases like multiple sclerosis.
Other research observed cannabis users having an increase in anti-inflammatory cells and a decrease in pro-inflammatory cells. While this sounds like a good thing, especially with how much we hear about inflammation being unhealthy, it was actually demonstrated that it impeded white blood cell functionality making it more difficult for our bodies to fight off infection.
Is Medical Marijuana Okay for Someone With a Compromised Immune System?
There are a number of things that can compromise our immune system, one of them being chemotherapy treatment.
While medical marijuana has been shown to relieve certain side effects of chemotherapy, it actually has a negative effect on our immune system in this scenario. This is due to a decrease in infection-fighting cells associated with marijuana use.
The same, however, may not be the same for people with HIV+, which also suppress the immune system. There is no clear evidence that medical marijuana has a clear negative effect on the immune system of people with HIV+.
However, it can be inferred that it might have a positive effect in this scenario if we take a look at the higher levels of CD4 found in marijuana users with HIV+. This could be significant as high levels of CD4 indicate a healthy immune system.
cbd and immune system - Always Speak With Your Doctor
If you are considering taking medical marijuana to boost immunity or for any other reason, it is always best to consult with your physician first. If you have a qualifying condition and would like to speak to one of our doctors, book a date.
Also find out if medical marijuana is effective in treating migraines.
