CBD OIL INSTEAD OF STEROIDS?

Cannabidiol (CBD) could be a groundbreaking therapy to replace or reduce the use of steroids!

Many of us encounter a situation where a doctor prescribes a steroid-containing medication to treat a problem. Often, these drugs are the best choice when a sudden inflammatory attack or allergy needs immediate treatment, or when the doctor simply doesn’t know what else to give the patient. Their immediate effects can seem miraculous, but long-term steroid use comes with a host of side effects.

After the first recorded use of steroids to treat rheumatoid arthritis (joint inflammation) in 1948, steroids quickly became the main immunosuppressive treatment for patients with systemic inflammatory conditions and were also used to prevent rejection after organ transplants. Their impact was so groundbreaking that in 1950, Dr. Philip Hench, Edward Calvin Kendall, and Tadeus Reichstein were awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine for discovering the cortisone hormone and its clinical application.

WHAT ARE STEROIDS?

Dr. Philip Hench was the first to propose that steroids — hormones produced by the adrenal glands — alleviate the pain associated with rheumatoid arthritis. With the development of corticosteroid drugs that mimic our body’s own steroids (endogenous steroids), such as cortisone, hydrocortisone, and prednisone, a new, effective method was introduced to reduce inflammation in the body.

However, their use often comes with unpleasant and sometimes dangerous side effects. These include glaucoma, cataracts, fluid retention, high blood pressure, mood swings, weight gain, diabetes, osteoporosis, suppressed adrenal function, thinning skin, and delayed wound healing. Consequently, doctors typically prescribe steroids only as short-term solutions, which are considered relatively safe. They are usually used for autoimmune diseases like Crohn’s disease, where rapid, short-term immunosuppression is needed.

But side effects aren’t the only problem. Stopping steroids abruptly can lead to a “steroid withdrawal syndrome,” especially if patients were prescribed high doses for short periods or lower doses for longer durations. In this case, the body relies on the artificial steroids, which suppresses its own endogenous steroid production, so steroid use should never be stopped suddenly! Instead, the dose needs to be gradually tapered down, or symptoms like weakness, fatigue, loss of appetite, weight loss, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and headaches may occur.

Sometimes, even with gradual dose reduction after prolonged steroid use, patients experience unbearable, persistent side effects that appear below a certain dosage level.

CBD OIL AS A STEROID ALTERNATIVE?

Steroid-sparing drugs are medications that allow the reduction of steroid dosage or can even serve as a first-line option to suppress an overactive immune system. Some active ingredients in steroid-sparing drugs include cyclophosphamide, chlorambucil, methotrexate, mycophenolate mofetil, azathioprine, cyclosporine, tacrolimus, and sirolimus. Unfortunately, these compounds can also cause unpleasant side effects. (Many of them are active ingredients in drugs classified as chemotherapy agents.)

It’s no wonder there is growing interest in less harmful immunosuppressive, steroid-sparing therapies. 

CBD AS A POTENTIAL CANDIDATE

Research on CBD shows that it may have general anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive effects by reducing the production of inflammation-promoting cytokines and inhibiting T-cell function. ( T cells are a subset of white blood cells that play a central role in cell-mediated immune response. ) *https://hu.wikipedia.org/wiki/T-limfocita

This likely explains why patients with Crohn’s disease and rheumatoid arthritis report improvements while using CBD Oil.

As mentioned at the beginning of this article, steroid-sparing drugs are also used to prevent rejection after transplantation. An Israeli clinical trial investigated whether CBD could prevent graft-versus-host disease (GVHD)** in steroid-resistant patients. Out of ten participants, nine responded positively to CBD treatment.
**- an immune response that damages or destroys a transplanted organ-

Encouraged by these results, researchers began recruiting for a Phase II clinical trial involving patients with Crohn’s disease and autoimmune hepatitis. In both studies, patients gradually transition from their current treatments (steroids or immunosuppressants) to a daily dose of 300 mg synthetic CBD.

An early Phase II study doesn’t prove that CBD—whether synthetic or full-spectrum plant extract—is a confirmed and safe alternative to steroids or other immunosuppressants. Moreover, any decision to reduce or stop steroids must always be made in consultation with a healthcare provider! Nonetheless, ongoing research points to the potential applicability of CBD as a safer, more gentle alternative to steroids for treating autoimmune diseases.

It’s important to emphasize that CBD Oil is not a miracle cure! The foundation of maintaining good health is regular exercise, a balanced diet, and a stress-free lifestyle. CBD does not replace any of these! In Hungary and most EU countries, CBD is classified as a “novel food” because its widespread use before 1997 was not confirmed, so no claims about disease prevention or cure can be made regarding CBD-containing products.

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