Medical Marijuana and Your Immune System
To use marijuana for medical purposes, you must obtain a medical marijuana card. A medical marijuana card is a proof that you were approved to use marijuana to treat some underlying health condition. These health conditions could vary from chronic pain to seizures or epilepsy. One interesting question you might wonder when using medical marijuana is its effect on your immune system. Will using medical marijuana help or hurt your body's ability to fight off infections? Learn more as we uncover the current information on the subject so you can be more informed.
How the immune system works
Before we dive into how marijuana might affect the immune system, we must first understand how the immune system works. Our immune system is built on a combination of cells working together to fight off viruses, fungi, and bacteria. There are many steps to how our body protects us. The first step is recognition. In this step, the cells recognize a threat or foreign object in the body. Next, the body calls on immune cells, like white blood cells, to fend off the invader. The white blood cells release chemical signals to make a response. T cells attack infected cells directly, whereas B cells produce antibodies that neutralize pathogens. Once the battle is over, the body remembers the invader and can fight off the same invader more efficiently in the future. The body also needs to regulate its response to invaders. Too much or too little may be a sign of an autoimmune disorder.
Endocannabinoid system and the immune system
We have talked about the endocannabinoid system in previous posts. The endocannabinoid system, or ECS for short, includes several cell-signaling systems. These systems are believed to control lots of our daily functions and essential responsibilities. This includes managing our mood, appetite, memory, and immune system. ECS interacts with our immune system in many ways, such as immune system balance and inflammation control
Immune system balance refers to the way our body maintains its regular functions. A strong immune system can effectively counteract any potential danger without ever going into overdrive. It is well-balanced and has the resources to recover from a threat to its immune health. The ECS aids in regulating the immune system, halting its overactivity and decreasing the likelihood of autoimmune diseases.
The ECS helps in controlling the inflammatory response. Cytokines are proteins that help send signals to other cells in the body. They also help maintain the growth of immune and red blood cells. The body sends anti-inflammatory cytokines, which can help reduce inflammation in cases of infection or damage to the body. The ECS and the immune system work hand in hand to make the body stronger and better at fighting disease.
Medical marijuana's connection to the immune system
Now that we have a solid understanding of how our immune system works and how the ECS interacts with it, we can dive into how marijuana affects our bodies. Most of the evidence points to the side that cannabis suppresses your immune system functions. Depending on your specific circumstances, this can be a good or bad thing. Your immune system will be somewhat suppressed if you are an average person with a healthy immune system. Keep in mind most research on this issue is not conclusive, so more research needs to be done to make more definitive claims. For those with autoimmune disorders, this can be helpful. For some, their immune system overreacts to threats, and medical marijuana can be an option to help them and their condition.
Medical Marijuana can help treat many conditions.
Medical marijuana can help you treat many conditions. For those with autoimmune disorders, medical marijuana might be an option that works for you. Be sure to talk to your doctor about using medical marijuana to treat your condition. To learn more, visit our conditions page, and you even can book an appointment today.
