How Cannabis Aids Recovery from COVID-19 Aftereffects
It has been two years since the first cases of coronavirus infection were recorded in China. While some experts believe the prolonged crisis may end by the end of this year, many others think we will continue living under strict quarantine for some time. The danger of infection has significantly decreased thanks to the gradual vaccination of the global population. However, vaccines are not an absolute means of protection against the virus, nor are they a treatment for the infection itself. As a result, millions of people who have contracted the virus in various forms are now trying to heal from the damage it caused.
In some cases, people suffer from the aftereffects of severe infection and its impact on the lungs. In other situations, those who had mild cases continue to experience symptoms like fever, headaches, and loss of smell for weeks after officially recovering. These lingering symptoms, formally diagnosed as “long COVID” when they persist for more than 12 weeks after infection, are still not fully understood by the medical community, even though more and more people are experiencing them. Despite the unknown nature of this condition, some experts note that timely vaccination and clinical treatment reduce the risk of developing long COVID. Others suggest that cannabis may help combat these symptoms, both during the active stage of the illness and in its prolonged form.
The Role of Cannabinoids in COVID-19 Recovery
Previously, medical professionals have noted that cannabinoids—specifically THC and CBD—may slow the progression of the disease and alleviate its symptoms. This is supported by several independent studies conducted in different countries. Now, some experts claim that cannabinoids are also effective in fighting the symptoms of long COVID.
More detailed research shows that CBD, in combination with a lesser-known cannabinoid called cannabidivarin (CBDV), can interact with protein factors such as ACE2, TSP, NRP1, and IL-6. By reducing their activity and expression, these cannabinoids may protect the body from viral particles and cellular damage.
Other studies demonstrate the high effectiveness and safety of using cannabinoids in the care of patients recovering from severe COVID-19 that required hospitalization and intensive care. One such study, conducted by researchers at Beilinson Medical Center in Israel and published in early March 2021, reported that among 11 patients recovering from severe infection who received CBD extracts, 8 experienced significant improvements in both physical and psychological well-being after a course of cannabis-based treatment. “Even after a single dose of the extract, the strength of the infection seemed to weaken, which led to a noticeable improvement in patients’ condition,” said Dr. Ilya Kagan, one of the study’s authors. “After the full course, the illness seemed to completely disappear in 8 out of 11 participants, which can be considered practical evidence of CBD’s effectiveness as a treatment. However, like the project leader Dr. Moishe Yesherun, my colleagues and I believe that larger-scale studies are needed to confirm this effect.”
Supporting the Israeli findings, a later study from Austria also reported significant improvements among patients who used cannabis extracts after the active stage of infection. “In our case, we conducted a trial with 50 patients who had severe cases of the virus. Almost all of them reported substantial improvement in their overall well-being after just a few doses of CBD-based medicine,” said Dr. Rudolf Likar, chief anesthesiologist and intensive care specialist at Klagenfurt Hospital—the only medical facility in Austria where staff can legally use cannabinoids in treatment. Likar’s team also tested CBD extracts in therapy for patients in critical condition due to infection. According to Dr. Likar, during a three-week treatment course, patients who regularly received 200 mg of CBD (increased to 300 mg in the second week) recovered faster and better than those who did not receive the extracts. Nevertheless, like many of his colleagues, Likar urges authorities to conduct more detailed and extensive trials of CBD to confirm its apparent effectiveness.
New Research on Cannabinoid Acids
Finally, a recent study published at the end of January this year claims that cannabinoid acids such as THCA and CBDA may be even more effective in helping the body recover from COVID-19 than regular THC and CBD. The authors, medical professionals at the University of Oregon, state that cannabinoid acids can almost completely block the virus’s contact proteins, effectively preventing it from binding to and infecting human cells. However, it’s important to note that so far, these molecules have only demonstrated this function in tests on isolated tissue cultures. It remains unknown how effective these acids are at blocking the virus and aiding recovery in real-world conditions.
“According to lab tests on tissue cultures, cannabinoid acids block virions even better than CBD and CBG, which are their direct metabolites,” said Dr. Richard van Breemen, the project leader. “Given that both acids are non-psychoactive, work at very low doses, and can be absorbed through the digestive tract, we may have found a fairly effective means of protection and treatment. However, it’s too early to make any definitive claims until we conduct further tests with lab animals or human volunteers. It’s hard to predict whether a substance that worked in isolated tissue experiments will behave the same way in the human body.”