Did you know the so-called ‘miracle’ COVID drug Ivermectin is an anti-parasitic drug used to treat human headlice, whipworm and itch mites?
As far as we’re aware little bugs aren’t responsible for making your throat itch.
We hope not, at least.
A scientific review of 26 major Ivermectin trials also found over a third had ‘serious errors’ or ‘signs of fraud’.
Not one study showed any ‘convincing evidence’ that Ivermectin was effective against SARS-Cov-2 infection.
Its popularity highlights both the seduction and danger of drugs that claim to cure COVID.
With that in mind, a disclaimer: the University of Chicago study in January 2022 on CBD’s effectiveness against COVID infection does not prove it’s an alternative cure.
If your government asks you to wear a mask and social distance, you can’t just ignore those laws as you go about dropping CBD.
Incredible data – including on humans – have now shown signs of CBD reversing COVID infection but scientists stress it needs to be proven in larger clinical trials.
Nevertheless, the studies promise a fascinating insight into how CBD works to boost the body’s natural immunity.
That alone is enough to excite people already taking CBD for sleep, chronic pain or anxiety, and those seeking to boost natural immunity during the COVID pandemic.
So let’s get down to the science.
CBD’s ‘blocking’ effect on COVID infection
Researchers at the University of Chicago published a peer-reviewed study on January 20 with evidence that CBD ‘potently blocks SARS-Cov-2 replication’ in human cells.
The scientists observed this effect at both ‘early’ and ‘later’ stages of infection.
“As a bottom line, what this says is that CBD has the potential to prevent infections, such as breakthrough infections, which might be one of the most useful applications,” said Marsha Rosner, a professor of cancer research at the University of Chicago and lead study author, in an interview with VICE.
What fascinated researchers was how CBD didn’t physically stop COVID’s viral compounds, called RNA, from entering human cells.
Instead CBD ‘reversed’ the harmful effects of COVID with destroying the virus at all.
CBD extracts – and the compounds produced after the body metabolises CBD – both shut down COVID’s ability to halt the body’s natural immune response.
The SARS-Cov-2 virus can stop the immune system from ‘digesting’ its own viral RNA, but CBD blocked that ability.
Researchers didn’t know if CBD prevented the shutdown or restored the body’s natural response, but a ‘potent blocking’ effect was observed.
“CBD induces the production of interferons, and they are the antivirals that will fight the virus,” lead author Roser said.
THC halts CBD’s most beneficial effects
The first caveat of this study is this: when THC was introduced to human cells, it negated CBD’s positive effects.
On its own, researchers observed THC had no effects whatsoever.
(Read more about THC in our organic CBD oils here.)
The most pressing conclusion from this is that claims about smoking cannabis to prevent COVID, or taking low-quality CBD oils, have no scientific basis.
Should CBD oil be proven effective against COVID infection in subsequent trials, this might then only refer to high-quality broad spectrum CBD oils – not necessarily full spectrum.
Another caveat of the study is this: the study was carried out on human lung cells in a culture, and not on actual humans.
Researchers did take their study to mice and found the same amazing results, however.
Twice-daily CBD treatments were found to ‘lower’ of virus present after infection.
Mice that took 80mg of CBD per kilo of weight saw decreases of viral loads in the lungs and the nose up to ‘4.8-fold’.
For context, the equivalent dosage in a 70kg (11 stone) human would be over 5000mg.
If buying Pure Organic CBD oil, you would need to take five bottles of 10% broad spectrum (no THC) at €69,99 each.
As lead author Marsha Rosner said in a press release, “going to your corner bakery and buying some CBD muffins or gummy bears probably won’t do anything.”
CBD’s effects in COVID infection in actual humans
The University of Chicago paper did then look at CBD’s effectiveness on humans – but not in a clinical trial.
Researchers analysed data from 1,212 patients taking a CBD-based pharmaceutical drug approved in the USA for patients with severe seizure disorders.
The National COVID Cohort Collaborative data revealed infection rates among CBD users was 6.2% compared to 8.9% for people not taking it.
Even more fascinating, in 531 people who took 100mg CBD on the same day as their COVID test their positivity rate was 4.9% compared to 9% in a control group not taking CBD.
“We are very eager to see some clinical trials on this subject get off the ground,” Rosner said.
“Especially as we are seeing that the pandemic is still nowhere near the end, determining whether this generally safe, well-tolerated, and non-psychoactive cannabinoid might have anti-viral effects against COVID-19 is of critical importance.”
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