CBD, in the time of Corona

It’s been a crazy year for us all, and as we sit at the back-end of a tumultuous 2020; going into the third season of “Lockdown” (some of our nations politicians’ most obscure, confusing writing yet) – I think we’ve all been through a lot, collectively and individually. None of us expected, as we raised our glasses on new years eve, that by the end of March the whole nation would be isolating in their homes because of a global pandemic. Even just the stress from how the whole situation has been handled and the impact on our lives is enough to affect how we feel.

Now we’re not going to start telling you that CBD can cure Corona, however, there are some interesting things to think about in relation to the plant we know and love. Covid-19 works by entering healthy cells via ACE2 receptors, overriding them and often killing them. It has a variety of symptoms that range from none to mild flu like, to shortness of breath, lung tissue damage, pulmonary failure, and death. Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS), said pulmonary failure, is when the lungs excrete inflammatory factors, dilate blood vessels and contract the smooth muscle tissue surrounding them, affecting lung function and oxygen absorption. This is where the ventilators come in, although they can only help open the airways, if the lungs are too damaged, there is little they can do. Although it is very early days in terms of research and still too early to determine how effective cannabinoids directly are, there have been some initial forthcoming results. Early tests conducted on mice showed CBD, and THC, could help protect the lungs from overactive immune responses related to Covid-19. Another study looked at high dose CBD as a potential preventative measure, showing its ability to modulate ACE2 receptors, reducing viral entry and disease susceptibility. Certain properties of CBD make it a viable candidate for further research into the treatment of Covid related symptoms. Other research has shown that CBD, and other cannabinoids, can affect the body’s inflammatory response and help reduce inflammatory damage to tissue; including lung inflammation caused by cytokine storms. Achieving this by down regulating cytokines and increasing levels of oxygen and the anti-inflammatory peptide, Apelin. A lot of further research is necessary, but these are interesting steps in the right direction. But what we do know is the proven effect of CBD to alleviate the symptoms of anxiety, depression and even chronic pain, which could all be playing a bigger role in the lives of sufferers during this time. Incorporating CBD into your daily routine can be a positive way to manage both the physical and psychological effects of stress, particularly in these heightened times. As for how you take your CBD – that’s up to you. It is a personal journey, so there is no perfect method or dose, but working that out can be half the fun. Whether you prefer to eat your CBD, supplement with oil drops, or any other method, we have everything you could need. We always suggest a good quality, full spectrum oil (which includes all cannabinoids) or a broad spectrum oil (which includes all cannabinoids apart from THC). This is easily incorporated into your daily routine, offering the best long-term effects.