Is CBD Beneficial During Cold and Flu Season?

CBD has become one of the most popular health supplements on the market, and its popularity will only continue to grow in the years to come. Even though there are multiple studies that prove CBD can be very beneficial in treating a variety of health issues, including pain, inflammation, and neurodegenerative diseases, there is still a lot we don’t know about the full benefits of this compound. 

The amount of positive feedback CBD received from people that state it not only helped them overcome challenging health problems, but also gave them a strong immunity boost, makes us wonder one thing:

Is CBD beneficial during cold and flu season? The short answer is yes.

When we catch a cold or flu, we are used to going to the doctor and taking whatever medicine they prescribe. But using conventional medicine every time you have a runny nose can actually do more harm than good. What most doctors don’t tell you is that colds are sometimes better left to run their course while only using natural supplements such as CBD to give your body a boost.

But before we explore the ways CBD can help during the flu and cold season, let us take a closer look at what happens inside our bodies. 

What is the endocannabinoid system?

The human body’s endocannabinoid system is composed of cannabinoid (CB) receptors. These receptors represent the foundation of your immune response. The endocannabinoid system is responsible for regulating a number of functions in your body, including sleep, appetite, pain, response to inflammation, and immunity.

The way CBD reacts with the endocannabinoid system is that it activates CB receptors and boosts activity in areas where the levels are under optimal, such as those affected by inflammation. This way, CBD can help your body achieve homeostasis and boost your immune system so that it is able to fight colds on its own or prevent them from installing altogether. 

What exactly happens to our body when we get a cold or flu?

Colds and flus happen because of viruses that are either airborne or transmitted by coming in contact with infected non-porous surfaces, where these microscopic enemies can live for hours on end. Once they get inside your body, viruses can not reproduce on their own, so they multiply themselves by using our own cells.

Research shows that, most of the time, the cells affected are already week cells that your body would have gotten rid of anyway. This is why it is best to let colds run their natural course and help your body get rid of those weak links in the meantime. By boosting your immune system, the number weak cells that can be affected by viruses will be significantly reduced, and your chances of catching a cold or flu get diminished.

Can CBD relieve cold and flu symptoms?

Research to uncover the full potential of CBD is still ongoing, but current results have been very promising. Overall, there are four main ways CBD can help fight or prevent colds and flus:

Anti-inflammatory properties

Multiple studies, including one from 2017, show there is strong evidence to support CBD has significant anti-inflammatory properties. During a cold, inflammation can cause a sore throat, swollen sinuses, and fever, and can cause some significant pain. 

Pain relief

The same study mentioned above shows CBD can be an effective treatment for chronic and short-term pain, such as the one caused by the flu. No one likes to wake up and feel all their muscles hurt, which is often what happens when you get the flu. CBD can be a successful method to ease off this pain and get back to normal much faster. 

Improving sleep

Sleepless nights are a common effect of the cold, but it seems CBD can help with this aspect as well. Because it helps boost the endocannabinoid system’s activity, which is known to regulate sleep, CBD can help you get the rest you deserve so that your body can fight the viruses faster. 

Boosting the immune system

While CBD can help you fight colds and flus once they affect your system, it can also be used for its immunity-boosting properties that will strengthen your health and prevent viruses from wreaking havoc in the first place. After all, it’s better to prevent than to cure, right?