CBD for Coronavirus? Be Wary of False Claims

There’s a pretty big news story that’s been flooding the airways for the last few weeks. I think we all know what that is… Coronavirus.

It’s serious, and devastating, and researchers are working hard to find a cure and a vaccine.

Now, am I going to tell you that CBD can cure Coronavirus? Nope. Sorry. If you’re reading that anywhere, it just isn’t true. Don’t buy into those bogus claims.

CBD can do a lot of things, but as far as we (and scientists know) that isn’t one of them. There is no solid research on CBD and Coronavirus.

That said, CBD has a huge impact on your immune system, but we’ll get to that. First though…

Coronavirus: What we Know so Far

Coronavirus, or COVID-19, is a virus that seems to have originated in the Wuhan province of China, making the jump from animals to humans.

Although researchers around the world are working on a cure and a vaccine, as of yet we have neither.

These are the reported common COVID-19 symptoms:

• Fever
• Cough
• Shortness of breath
• Have been in contact with a COVID-19 patient, or traveled recently to an area with ongoing spread.

How sick will the average person get? A large study in China found that most will only experience mild symptoms (no significant infection in the lungs) – that’s about 80% of confirmed cases. About 15% had severe symptoms that caused significant shortness of breath, low blood oxygen or other lung problems, and fewer than 5% of cases were critical, featuring respiratory failure, septic shock or multiple organ problems. 

To help reduce the spread of the virus (and protect yourself), experts recommend:

• Washing your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds and doing this often, including when you get home or into work.
• Using hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available.
• Avoiding touching your face.
• Coughing or sneezing into a tissue or the crook of your elbow (not your hand) and put used tissues straight in the garbage.
• Avoiding close contact with people who are showing possible symptoms.

CBD for Coronavirus

I said it before, but it’s important to repeat this point: there is no solid research on CBD for coronavirus.

We’ve seen plenty of posts around the web and all across social media claiming that CBD is the answer. Any and all that do this are highly problematic, and likely to pose a risk to those taking the claims at face value.

We didn’t even want to cover this topic because of that, but then thought, it’s really important that people are aware of what’s being said – true and untrue.

We believe it’s important to speak the truth. And so, while CBD can help with many things, so far there is no evidence of CBD for Coronavirus being used as a cure.

As I mentioned, as we speak researchers are working away in labs around the world on a cure and possible vaccines. Some minor inroads have been made with both, however, many have noted that a vaccine is not likely going to be available for at least a year to 18 months.

But wait, isn’t CBD a powerful antibiotic? We now know, thanks to extensive research, that CBD is a powerful antibacterial agent with the potential to effectively squash strains of Staphylococcus aureus, including MRSA, VISA and VRSA, which cause staph infections and have become increasingly resistant to antibiotics over the years. But this isn’t Coronavirus, and if someone uses this argument, it’s not based on any evidence.

So, is CBD good for anything Coronavirus-related?

CBD & Your Immune System

Your immune system is responsible for detecting any diseases and helping to fight and provide protection against diseases. When your immune system detects a danger to the body, it reacts, prepping for defence. Part of that reaction involves inflammation (which is a good things, short term).

Now, research tells us that CBD possesses anti-inflammatory properties, which can be helpful in suppressing the immune system by reducing inflammation. Initially, that sounds counter-productive. Your immune system protects you against Coronavirus, so why would you want to suppress it.

For someone with a compromised immune system though, CBD tends to be very effective in strengthening the immune system. CBD has positive effects when the immune system becomes hyperactive or weakened. 

For a healthy person, in the short term, you’d be correct.

Here’s the thing: proper immune function involves a complex balancing act – one that centers around constant communication between your cells, tissues, and organs. 

In a healthy person, initially, CBD impacts the blood cells which reduces inflammation. However, on the backend, it further gives the ability for the overall health of the immune system to stabilize. You can’t have a healthy immune system without healthy cell communication.

So, immediately, CBD doesn’t add to immune support. But in the long run, once that initial inflammation is reduced, it helps the cells communicate more effectively.

Make sense?

CBD for Coronavirus: Final Thoughts

So, CBD for Coronavirus? As it stands, unfortunately it seems likely that we will see many more cases appear around the world before we finally get a handle on this virus.

Just don’t stock up on CBD thinking that it’s a replacement for that hand sanitizer or regular hand washing – it’s amazing, but it’s not a miracle cure.