A Post Pandemic World: CBD and COVID-19 Patients

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.