What does marijuana do to your immune system?

Cannabis is a multi-purpose plant. Depending on our mood, method, strain, and more, the plant can have different effects. The compounds in cannabis called cannabinoids are known as Immunomodulators. This refers to the fact that they have some impact on our immune system and thus have a wide variety of effects.

What does this mean for people who are not scientists? There are several possible explanations, and they are all contradicting and complex, so we’ll try our best to break them down into simple words.

Photo by Shannon Fagan / Getty Images

Research claims that cannabis suppresses our immune system, which is why it has such powerful effects as an anti-inflammatory agent. This can be a good thing or a bad thing, depending on your immune system and what you’re going through. When it comes to viruses and infections, inflammation plays an important role in our body, it traps it and prevents it from spreading. Cannabis could stunt your immune response and do more harm than good.

Other studies suggest that the cannabis plant does something completely different, boosting our immune systems and helping them fight infections. This appears to be the case in patients with cancer or AIDS, where cannabis helps them manage their symptoms and increases their body’s response to the disease.

Research in mice with cancer has found that cannabis causes apoptosis, which means that it kills cells that cause cancer. Another study done in people with AIDS / HIV found that the patients who used cannabis had stronger immune systems and higher CD4 counts (T cells that kill the HIV virus).

Photo by Louis Hansel via Unsplash

When it comes to CBD, much of the research reflects these conflicting ideas. Essential Health explains that for a healthy person, CBD can affect their immune system.

RELATED: The Link Between Cannabis and Autoimmune Diseases

For people with an autoimmune disease where a person’s immune system is malfunctioning and attacking the healthy cells in their body instead of the infections, CBD can provide some benefits and reduce the severity of these symptoms. Autoimmune diseases include HIV, diabetes, fibromyalgia, and more, all of which are difficult to treat.

RELATED: Can CBD Boost Your Immune System?

There is a lot of information out there, but there is still not enough research to definitively explain the role cannabis plays in our immune systems. As with most things cannabis related, the way it interacts with our bodies is very individual and requires a lot more research than what is currently available.

Before considering using cannabis for any disease, it is important to speak with a doctor to see if your situation warrants it and if the plant can give you what you need.