With the rise in popularity of CBD and other cannabis compounds, health experts have found an alternative for opioids, which is not considered the safest way to treat sickle cell disease patients. New research studies have shown that cannabis compounds may provide better solutions to people suffering from years of chronic pain issues without harming life. Opioids treat chronic pain until today. The recent rise in deaths associated with it has been a cause of concern for the government health authorities. As they look for better alternatives to address the critical chronic pain problems, CBD has shown promise.
What is sickle cell disease?
Sickle cell disease or SCD is a genetic health complication. The red blood cell disorder causes the problem. In sickle cell disease, red blood cells, which move in small blood vessels and carry out oxygen to other parts of the body, become hard and sticky. Due to their shape like a sickle — a farm tool — it becomes difficult for them to move around in vessels. These sickle cells have a short life span. The hardened sickle cells find it difficult to move around, and dead cells clog the blood flow to key organs of the body.
The persistent problem can cause continuous pain, infection, chest syndromes, and strokes. However, in most cases, sickle cell disease is present at birth. In SCD, a baby receives two sickle cell genes from each parent. Sickle cell disease can be diagnosed with a simple blood test. The diagnosis may happen before or at the time of birth. In patients, especially children affected due to sickle cell disease, it’s important to carry out timely diagnosis and further treatment.
Kids affected due to this health problem are more susceptible to infection. For now, there’s only one cure for sickle cell disease — bone marrow transport, or called stem cell transplant. Bone marrow is a fatty tissue that is present inside the center of the bones. It is responsible for forming blood cells. In a bone marrow transplant, blood transfusion happens from one person to another whose bone marrow stops producing red blood cells. The procedure is highly risky. Sometimes, it can lead to death if the bone marrow, which is transplanted, is not a close match. Usually, a person in close relation — like a brother or sister — can donate bone marrow to a severely sick person.
What is the role of red blood cells in our body?
Red blood cells are the most important cells in our body as they carry oxygen from the lungs to other parts of the body. They also bring back CO2 to our lungs for further release. Any deficiency in red blood cell formation can cause a serious health crisis, making us feeble and prone to various illnesses. In sickle cell disease, red blood cell formation is either improper or inadequate. Sometimes, they are also missing hemoglobin. This makes oxygen delivery a really tough task for them.
The anemic condition of red blood cells also affects other blood cells in our body, including neutrophilia, monocytes, and B and T lymphocytes. Red blood cells also have a lifespan of up to 4 months. This means that any distorted red blood cells in our body will remain in the system for this period before they get recycled in the liver. That’s why a normal sickle cell disease treatment lasts around 3-4 months before new red blood cells are formed.
Is CBD a cure for sickle cell disease?
Research conducted by the University of California -Irvine in July 2020 found that cannabis is a “safe” and “effective” treatment. Especially for those affected due to sickle cell disease. In this study, conducted by researchers Kalpna Gupta and Dr. Donald Abrams, it was found that cannabis may be the safest way forward to treat patients going through immense chronic pain from sickle cell disease. Professor Gupta said cannabis could also replace opioids to address chronic pain as they are least harmful than the latter.
Advocating for larger clinical trials to better understand the impact of cannabis compounds on SCD, the researchers said that out of all the forms of cannabis, vaporized cannabis was found to be the most effective. A lower amount of cannabis enters the body’s circulation through vaping. Thus increasing patients’ capacity to endure chronic pain with time. In this study, the patients given vaporized cannabis reported less pain with time. Especially in their daily activities like walking, sitting, or sleeping.
Is CBD a solution for sickle cell anemia?
Scientists observe various methods to understand better the impacts of cannabis or cannabinoid compounds on sickle cell anemia. Observational research has so far found that CBD could also be the safest and best method to treat pain sensitivity. Scientists believe CBD can be used to activate cannabinoid receptors in our body. This process reduces the frequency of neurological inflammation and boosts blood flow in our body. Regulated CBD usage can also impair specific proteins and enzymes in the body. Which further reduces the frequency of blood blockage.
The CBD also stimulates the Endocannabinoid (ECB) system present in our body, leading to chronic pain relief due to sickle cell disease. Those consuming CBD — which comes with no side effects like psychoactive disorders caused due to opioid use — also experience better sleep, less anxiety, and increased appetite. More research will find the full impact of CBD in patients suffering from this critical disease. If it proves to be successful in mitigating the risks, CBD could soon be the best alternative for sickle cell anemia.
In essence, cannabis and its other compounds seem to have shown efficiency when addressing sickle cell disease issues. However, the studies that have been conducted so far are smaller in scale. These smaller trials now need to be backed up with large-scale clinical trials to understand better the role of cannabis in sickle cell disease management.
