There are some people in which Coronavirus triggers an overreaction of the immune system in what is known as a “cytokine storm.” This leads to inflammation that can damage the walls and lining of the air sacs in your lungs. This can develop into something called acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).
Not only is ARDS serious initially but, even if a person recovers, it can lead to a lifetime of suffering from scarred lungs (COPD). Anyone with the condition can tell you it is definitely not a laughing matter!
Enter CBD and COPD
Good news had come a few years ago from CBD (a cannabinoid plant extract without any THC). It found CBD helps open bronchial passes allowing patients with COPD to breathe more easily and avoid low blood oxygen levels. (1)
These are also two of the most serious conditions Covid-19 causes – sometimes leading to death. To find a natural plant extract to help these conditions is exciting!
Now CBD and Covid-19
Applying CBD to Covid-19 received a huge boost in a 2020 study in the Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine. This study found CBD can reduce, and sometimes reverse, these same conditions and lung damage in Covid-19. This is huge! (2)
CBD appears to reduce the cytokine storm that damages the lungs and kills many patients with Covid-19. CBD does this by increasing levels of a natural peptide in your body called apelin.
Apelin is produced by cells in the body and plays a major role in regulating your blood pressure. Apelin also plays a major role in keeping inflammation down. However, when a person is infected with coronavirus, their levels of apelin plummet – allowing inflammation to greatly increase.
The study shows apelin levels going very low with Covid-19 infections. It then shows CBD quickly helps normalize those levels along with lung function.
“It was dramatic in both directions,” says Dr. Babak Baban, DCG immunologist and associate dean for research. Apelin levels are dramatically reduced in the face of this cytokine storm in both circulating blood and lung tissue.
Blood levels of the peptide dropped close to zero in their ARDS model. CBD shifted apelin levels back up, increasing by 20 times! “CBD almost brought it back to a normal level,” said Dr. Jack Yu, physician scientist and chief of pediatric plastic surgery at MCG. Sometimes, it even restored lung function back to normal levels! (3)
In the study, the authors also found using CBD:
- Relaxed cells lining blood vessels
- Reduced excessive lung inflammation
- Increased oxygen levels
- Repaired damage to the lungs, including scarring and swelling
The doctors said, of course, more work was needed before CBD should be included as part of a medical treatment regimen for Covid-19. But, since there are no known side effects from CBD, it makes sense to add it to our natural defense until a medical treatment is found that we can accept.
Using CBD
If using CBD capsules, it’s best to take them with some food with fats because it increases the absorption. However, eating or swallowing CBD requires digestion and some of the CBD is broken down by your liver before getting to your bloodstream.
We prefer tinctures as they are absorbed more quickly into your bloodstream under your tongue. Even better is a more bioavailable oral spray using nanotechnology.
Nanotechnology can also get up to 1,500% more CBD past your cell membranes. For maximum benefit, spray the liquid under your tongue and hold it there for 60 seconds or more, then swallow. (4)
Dosage: People are all over the board here. We like the start off low (5 +/- mg. daily) and build up to the level your body likes the best. You can do that but, in the case of getting the ‘gunk’s’ we move to the 20-40 mg. daily range until improved.
References:
- Makwana R, et al. “The effect of phytocannabinoids on airway hyper-responsiveness, airway inflammation, and cough.” J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 2015 Apr;353(1):169-80.
- Khodadadi H, et al. “Cannabidiol modulates cytokine storm in acute respiratory distress syndrome induced by simulated viral infection using synthetic RNA.” Cannabis Cannabinoid Res. 2020; 5(3): 197–201.
- Dr. Babak Baban, Dr. Jack Yu, CBD helps reduce lung damage from COVID by increasing levels of protective peptide. Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, Oct. 19, 2020. Also, Cannabidiol (CBD) modulation of apelin in acute respiratory distress syndrome. 15 October 2020, Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine
- Cherniakov I, et al. “Piperine-pro-nanolipospheres as a novel oral delivery system of cannabinoids: Pharmacokinetic evaluation in healthy volunteers in comparison to buccal spray administration.” J Control Release. 2017;266:1-7.