Immunity & Anxiety – A letter to our community

To the CV Sciences Community:

The Food and Drug Administration prohibits dietary supplements from claiming to prevent, treat, cure, or mitigate a disease. Furthermore, there is zero evidence that hemp or CBD would be an effective prevention or treatment for the current COVID-19 pandemic.

CV Sciences appreciates that consumers are concerned and looking for natural ways to balance immune health and reduce anxiety that can result from these uncertain times. CV Sciences provides this background discussion of how hemp derived CBD may interact with the immune system, as well as help to manage stress. Nothing in this statement should be considered medical advice. Always talk to your doctor about any dietary supplements that you take.

The endocannabinoid system (ECS) serves as a master control switch for balancing the immune system. Each of these systems is complex, and when they interact, it compounds the complexity. Scientists are still discovering how the ECS works but emerging evidence suggests that the ECS has a biphasic effect on the immune system. The cannabinoids (both phyto- and endo-) that signal the ECS are not defined as immunostimulatory or immunosuppressing. They are thought to have an immunomodulatory effect.

In some situations, cannabinoids dampen the immune response and in others, they ramp up a stronger response. Homeostasis doesn’t mean something goes up or down – it means that the whole system is pushed closer towards balance. The ECS and the phytocannabinoids cause a wide array of immune responses: upregulating some cytokines while downregulating others, changing genetic transcription, and orchestrating immunoregulatory effects that alter how the various immune cells respond. One thing we do know is that every type of immune cell contains endocannabinoid machinery. It’s clear that these two systems work together closely.

However, there is no scientific evidence demonstrating that CBD-rich hemp extracts might help slow the transmission of the coronavirus or lower its replication rate. Without doing the research, there’s no way to know the effects of CBD on the current pandemic. We caution everyone against making claims of these kinds. The strongest statement we can make is that hemp extracts seem to help balance the immune system – but more research must be done.

Obviously, one of the best things we can do for our immune systems in trying times is to lower our stress levels. It’s clear that with the power of the mind-body connection, our state of mind greatly affects the strength of our immune system. If there’s one compliant thing we can say about CBD-rich hemp extracts, it’s that they help with the stress of life. We hope that they help you, your families, and your friends through these extraordinary times.