The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has taken the world by a storm and society as we know it has changed forever. There have been over 69 million confirmed COVID-19 cases in the United States since the start of the pandemic.
At the beginning, no one was sure about what we were dealing with. As more light was shed on the cause, effect, and consequence of the COVID-19 infection, we embarked on the road to recovery.
With hospitalized patients and high-risk cases on the rise, intensive care units became jam packed and healthcare and frontline workers experienced overwhelming pressure. In many countries, the overwhelm led to resource scarcity and tough decisions had to be made.
It became a situation of picking and choosing who would get mechanical ventilation and who wouldn’t; decisions no one should ever have to make. The long-term effects of this virus cannot be undone.
As vaccine rates rise and new methods surface continuously to support a post pandemic world, the light at the end of the tunnel gets brighter. All we can do now is look forward and uncover the many ways we can support each other.
Adults with COVID-19
Anyone can contract the coronavirus, but certain groups are more prone to developing serious complications from it. While adults tend to have milder cases, those that are immunocompromised or have other pre-existing conditions can experience more complications such as COVID-19 pneumonia.
New variants have been continuously emerging with the omicron variant now being the prevailing one. It is highly contagious, but it has been associated with less deaths and hospitalizations.
Many are comparing it the seasonal flu, but there are still some uncomfortable symptoms including a very sore throat, skin rashes, muscle aches, and more specifically, back pain. Viral shedding is also longer in this variant than the prior ones.
CBD for COVID Symptoms
The National Institute of Health has provided COVID-19 treatment guidelines which include a variety of immunomodulators, supplements, anti-viral therapies and more. However, there is no right way to treat COVID-19 for all individuals. This is all highly dependent on the patient’s immune system function, medical history, and more.
What if there’s more to add to the treatment plans? A new article in the Journal of Natural Products was released on January 10, 2022. The article discusses exciting research from Oregon State University regarding the ability of certain cannabinoids to block cellular entry of SARS-CoV-2 and other variants.
Cannabigerolic and cannabidiolic acid (CBGA and CBDA) found in the cannabis sativa hemp plant (where CBD is derived from) are able to bind to the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 and other variants which help prevent the virus from entering the body’s cells.
If you refer to the abstract of the study, the authors conclude that these cannabinoids are potentially capable of preventing and treating infection caused by SAR-CoV-2. The study also demonstrated that CBDA and CBGA are equally effective against the beta and alpha variants of COVID-19.
These acids are abundant in hemp extracts and may be used as a therapeutic agent for managing symptoms and treating and preventing the illness. While the acids are not found in mainstream CBD products, they can be extracted from the cannabis sativa hemp plant.
CBGA and CBDA have a good safety profile and interact well with humans because of the endocannabinoid system. They’re also very different from THC, the psychoactive ingredient that produces the high sensation, which means they are not controlled substances and do not produce psychoactive effects.
Richard van Breemen, the lead researcher of the study, says that the acids have a good safety profile for humans. Combining vaccines with the use of CBDA and CBGA could mean that SARS-CoV-2 will have a hard time staying around. Even though new variants may arise, this is very promising news!
What else do we know?
CBD works for us because it directly interacts with our biological endocannabinoid system that regulates many vital processes in our bodies like metabolism, sleep, and immune function.
The main therapeutic potential of CBD is that of helping relieve inflammation and pain while also targeting sleep irregularities and feelings of anxiety/depression. By working with the ECS, there is a direct effect on the immune system potentially helping support people who have contracted COVID.
The immune system plays the major role in inflammation, so when the ECS interacts with CBD, the immune system is signaled to calm down potentially reducing chronic inflammation and pain too.
This exciting research creates a lot of support in a post pandemic world. While this research is focused on preventing and treating the infection, there must still be an initiative that works on making the acids readily available.
Until then, we know that CBD works well in different arenas. If you or a loved one is experiencing a mild case of COVID-19 where appetite and energy is low and pain and discomfort is high, you might want to ask your doctor about taking some CBD to support you along the way.
CBD has a great track record in improving appetite in cancer patients, decreasing pain levels in chronic illness patients, and improving mental states in highly stressed individuals. If you’re interested in exploring the natural world of CBD, this could be a great opportunity for you.
Taking Action
The key to getting CBD to work for you is to be consistent and patient. If you’ve been given the okay by your doctor and you’re ready to start, figure out what type of product you’d like.
First, decide what type of CBD you’d like to try: isolate, broad spectrum, or full spectrum. Isolate is pure CBD without any other components from the hemp plant. Broad spectrum is the full extract without THC and full spectrum is the entire extract including cannabinoids, terpenes, and THC.
Here at ReThink, our products are only made with broad spectrum CBD, which is THC free, yet contains other components from the hemp plant which may help with offering more benefits.
There are so many options ranging from CBD capsules, to oils, and balms. Each product is formulated to target something different. If you’re struggling with post COVID issues, maybe a high strength oil would be good for you.
CBD oil does have quite a strong earthy taste, so if you want something flavorless, the CBD capsules are a great option. The omicron variant is known for causing skin rashes and muscle aches, so in this case, using an unscented topical and high strength CBD roll on may help minimize the aches, pains, and skin irritation.
As always, we are here to provide you with the latest research on all things hemp, CBD, and the endocannabinoid system. Should you have any questions about our products, don’t hesitate to reach out through email or by calling our customer service line. We are happy to help you in any way we can.
As we get closer and closer each day to reaching a post pandemic world, we hope you all stay strong, healthy, and happy.
4 Comments. Leave new
Can I get this oil in South Africa shops
Good afternoon Thembisile,
Thank you very much for your question!
Unfortunately, we cannot directly ship to South Africa at the moment because of legal purposes. One would have to find other methods to ship our products there.
Hopefully, one day we will be able to freely ship across the entire globe without this kind of concern.
Have a wonderful day!
Does your CBD oil contain CBGA and CBDA? if so which one?
Good afternoon Nellie!
Although we do have products that contain CBD, CBN, and CBG, we, unfortunately, do not offer any that contain CBGA or CBDA at this juncture. Cannabigerolic Acid and Cannabidiolic Acid are precursor chemicals to Cannabigerol (CBG) and Cannabidiol (CBD), respectively. CBGA and CBDA are very unstable chemicals and only need heat, through a process called decarboxylation, to transform into CBG and CBD. This makes them very difficult to attain in larger quantities and therefore they are less commonly studied chemicals. That being said they are cost-prohibitive making the product too expensive for consumers at this juncture. As new research and technology align we will implement these additional wonderful cannabinoids into our formulations in time. Thanks so much for your inquiry.
If you want to read a little more detail on the topic, you can use this link to find out more:
https://www.newphaseblends.com/cbda-vs-cbd-explained/