Can CBD Help with Colds?

Each year, millions of Australians go online searching for products to boost their immune systems, or to minimise the annoying symptoms of a cold (sore throats suck!). Cough syrups, lozenges, even skincare products to help with irritated skin around the nose from using too many tissues –there are many supplements in Australia, like premium CBD oils online, that claim they could help.

However, while cannabidiol (or CBD for short) has been shown to have a wide variety of health benefits, can it really help relieve cold symptoms?

CBD as an Anti-inflammatory

Several studies listed by Harvard University have shown CBD to be highly effective in treating inflammation and neuropathic pain. When you get a cold, you get inflammation of your airways (think nose/sore throat/coughing in the lungs), so it helps with this. In addition to lowering inflammation, CBD has the added bonus of minimising the associated pain!

Also, rather groundbreakingly (and we don’t understand why this hasn’t made international headlines), a recent 2021 study on COVID-19 related lung inflammation found that CBD was effective in reducing inflammation for COVID-related breathing issues, too! If you want to go out and buy some premium CBD oils online right now, we won’t blame you. But is this the only way CBD can help?

How Do We Get a Cold?

To answer this question, we must first understand how a cold actually arises. With the coronavirus in particular, we know that viruses can easily be transmitted via the air or surfaces. Since viruses constantly evolve, our immune system has to fight hard. A cold occurs when these viruses get into our bodies, and our immune system doesn’t identify the virus quickly enough before it takes hold. 

In contrast to the cells in our body, however, viruses cannot multiply by themselves. In order to survive, humans become hosts for the virus, which then gradually spread throughout our bodies. This is usually accompanied by a cough, runny nose and the like, which we all know and loathe.

What CBD Can Do for a Cold

We’ve written a lot about the health benefits of CBD, and just like in this blog, we cite the latest peer-reviewed international studies. One of those articles covers how CBD can help boost your immune system. The short version: it comes down to the body’s endocannabinoid system (ECS), and how CBD helps white blood cells (your immune system) fight infections more effectively. If you’re interested in the details and mechanisms involved, please read that article.

Direct benefits to the immune system aside, CBD has a relaxing and calming effect that has been shown to promote healthy sleep, which is particularly essential when fighting a cold. It gives the body time to recover, which speeds up the healing process. 

CBD Products to Fight a Cold Now

So, let’s recap. From studies we’ve linked, we know CBD can help with a cold by:

• Boosting your immune system via the body’s ECS
• Reducing inflammation, especially breathing passages (such as the lungs)
• Reducing pain

But how to get the benefits, and what products are best? Well, in short, as long as you’re getting quality, independently lab tested CBD (like ours is), then you’re going to get the benefits.

However, to better treat localised symptoms of a cold like a sore throat, you can have CBD gummies. Just like with a lozenge you buy from the pharmacy, you can gently suck away on these tasty little treats and soothe that throat while also numbing the pain without any nasty chemicals.

And what about honey and lemon tea, the ultimate traditional cure for the cold? Well, you guessed it, CBD honey is a thing! Our premium CBeeD Honey also contains reishi mushroom, which is a known immune system booster. That’s gonna be a particularly tasty, and effective, honey and lemon tea!

If you happen to be getting dry and cracked skin from using too many tissues when blowing your nose, there are also CBD skincare products designed specifically for moisturising and healing your skin.

Final Thoughts

Research on CBD is still in its stages of infancy, but every week we check, there are another three or four internationally reviewed studies just released. While more research is needed, what there is suggests that CBD can help in a variety of ways in treating the common cold.

As always, however, check with your health professional before starting any new supplement.

Have you tried premium CBD oils online yet to tackle a cold? Let us know! And, if you have any questions, just drop us a line in the comments below, or email us here. We’re always happy to help.