5 Things You Didn’t Know About the Endocannabinoid System and Your Immune System

At Randy’s Club, we developed Randy’s Remedy products to help support good health and vitality. We understand that to do that we need to better understand how and why cannabinoids can be helpful for such a wide range of conditions. One of the reasons is that cannabinoids target the endocannabinoid system which is present in the immune and central nervous system which is central to the maintenance of good health from the time that we’re born until the day we die. Here are 5 things you probably didn’t know about the endocannabinoid system and your immune system.

1. The Endocannabinoid System is an Inverse Neuromodulatory System
   Some studies have suggested that cannabinoids like THC and CBD can suppress the immune system. These effects help to explain the relief experienced by medicinal cannabis users with autoimmune diseases and chronic inflammation. At the same time, other studies have shown that regular cannabis use increases white blood cell counts in patients with immunodeficiency disorders such as HIV, suggesting immune-boosting effects. These contradictory effects are explained when you consider the modulatory effects of cannabinoids which can both boost and suppress the immune system.
2. The Endocannabinoid System Modulates ALL Biological Activity, including our Immune System.
   We are constantly exposed to infectious diseases including bacteria and viruses, which can threaten our health. Our immune system is constantly fighting to keep us healthy. A complex network of nerve cells, tissues, and organs run with military precision to keep us healthy by destroying invaders. Our own cells, which have grown too old or have become damaged, trigger apoptosis or cell death, ensuring that these cells do not continue to grow and become cancerous.
3. The Endocannabinoid System is an “On Demand” Modulatory System.
   The endocannabinoid system is an inverse homeostatic modulator, constantly working to maintain homeostasis, a dynamic state of biological balance. Endocannabinoids are produced by nerve cells, on demand, and travel across the synapses modulating cell activity by inhibiting certain activity. This helps to modulate homeostasis and maintain overall health.
4. The Endocannabinoid System can also BOOST the Immune System.
   Cannabis has long been used by HIV and AIDS patients to help treat symptoms and provide relief from anxiety and pain, and to improve appetite. Recent research suggests that cannabinoids can also up regulate the immune system, potentially improving patient outcomes. In a study conducted at universities in Virginia and Florida, the white blood cell counts of 95 HIV patients were compared. Researchers discovered that immune counts were higher in patients who were using cannabis
5. The Endocannabinoid System may help to Protect us from Cancer.
   The immune system evolved to spot rogue cells and to destroy them. One mechanism by which it does that is through apoptosis, controlled cell death. Unfortunately, cancer cells evolved to resist apoptosis by tricking the immune system to reverse the signal. When this happens the immune system becomes an unwitting accomplice promoting cancer cell growth. We do not fully understand the mechanisms by which the endocannabinoid system interacts with the immune system in these cases, but researchers have demonstrated that the cancer-killing effects of cannabinoids work primarily, but not exclusively, through apoptosis. Other studies, including a 2014 report examining the effects of THC and CBD on brain tumors, found that when combined with radiotherapy, not only were the tumors significantly reduced but it was accomplished without suppressing the immune system.

For more information about the endocannabinoid system and Randy’s Club, visit www.randysclub.com.