Cannabis could improve HIV patient’s immune system

Cannabis has been used by Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) patients for some time. For example, to combat the side effects of pharmaceutical drugs, to combat weight loss by promoting appetite, or to combat pain. 

However, research also showed that the use of THC can significantly strengthen the immune system of patients with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). That could reduce significantly the number of complications these patients can suffer and give them a much better quality of life.

If you want to know more about cannabis, how the use of cannabis-based products with THC can boost the immune system of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) patients, how this research could bring to light the many medical benefits of cannabis, and to find out the latest cannabis news, download the Hemp.im mobile application.

Consuming cannabis-based products with high THC content could improve the immune system

HIV patients who test positive for cannabis use have higher numbers of CD4 + and CD8 + cells, compared to patients who have not previously used cannabis regularly. That is shown from research results published in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence a couple of weeks ago. These  CD4 + and CD8 +  cells are a subtype of the white blood cells that support the immune system – also known as lymphocytes or T cells.

The research team from the Virginia State and Florida Center universities evaluated the differences in lymphocyte levels among two groups of HIV patients for this study. One group whose urinalysis indicated that the patient had used cannabis regularly in the past; and one group of patients who tested negative for delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).

Regular use of cannabis could bring a lot of benefits to HIV patients

“After excluding demographic and HIV-related confounding factors, THC-positive patients appear to have significantly higher CD4 + and CD8 + levels than their THC-negative counterparts,” the study authors wrote. These findings are in line with previous research when it was proven that daily cannabis users have higher CD4 + cell levels and lower virus load than their non- or sporadically using counterparts.

Medical cannabis as a key to combat the effects of HIV

The researchers concluded: ‘This preliminary study shows that THC-positive patients have better HIV-related immune levels than their THC-negative counterparts, despite the similarity in different demographic and Human Immunodeficiency Virus related factors. The current findings suggest a potentially useful role for cannabis in the treatment of HIV, in addition to treating symptoms.’

After all, cannabis is more often used successfully for HIV, where it contributes to the treatment of the disease in several ways. Not least to dampen the side effects of HIV inhibitors, as is the case with the Dutch HIV patient Rudolf Hillebrand. Rudolf grows his own cannabis plants to cope with the side effects of pharmaceutical drugs. Earlier, he was therefore expelled from home, but the judge has ruled that Rudolf may continue to live at home and grow 51 cannabis plants there, in his house.

Other Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) patients, such as Henry, have even been able to halve their drug use thanks to the use of medical cannabis. This may be due to the immune-boosting effect of the cannabis used, which means that fewer HIV inhibitors are needed.

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First published in Mediwietsite, a third-party contributor translated and adapted the article from the original. In case of discrepancy, the original will prevail.

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