Our immune system is composed of highly specialized cells, proteins, tissues and organs located through out the body. It includes the spleen, the thymus gland, the tonsils, the lymph nodes and ducts, the gut associated lymphoid tissue (GALT), the bone marrow and the white bloods cells. It is through the networking of these components that our immune system fights off viruses, bacteria, fungi, parasites and other foreign invaders keeping us healthy.
White Blood Cells
The white blood cells (also known as leukocytes) seek out and destroy the organisms or substances that cause disease.
Leukocytes are produced or stored in many locations throughout the body, including the thymus, spleen, bone marrow and lymph nodes. The leukocytes circulate through the body between the organs and nodes by means of the lymphatic vessels. Leukocytes can also circulate through the blood vessels. In this way, the immune system works in a coordinated manner to monitor the body for germs or substances that might cause problems.
There are two basic types of leukocytes: Phagocytes and Lymphocytes:
Phagocytes are white blood cells that chew up invading organisms. A number of different cells are considered phagocytes. The most common type is the neutrophil, which primarily fights bacteria. If doctors are worried about a bacterial infection, they might order a blood test to see if a patient has an increased number of neutrophils triggered by the infection. Other types of phagocytes such as macrophages, basophils, and eosinophils each have their own jobs to make sure that the body responds appropriately to a specific type of invader.
Lymphocytes are white blood cells that allow the body to remember and recognize previous invaders and help the body destroy them. There are two kinds of lymphocytes: the B lymphocytes and the T lymphocytes. Lymphocytes start out in the bone marrow and either stay there and mature into B cells, or they leave for the thymus gland, where they mature into T cells. B lymphocytes and T lymphocytes have separate jobs to do: B lymphocytes are like the body's military intelligence system, seeking out their targets and sending defenses to lock onto them. T cells are like the soldiers, destroying the invaders that the intelligence system has identified.
Here's how it works
Antigens are foreign substances that invade the body. When an antigen is detected, several types of cells work together to recognize and respond to it. These cells trigger the B lymphocytes to produce antibodies, specialized proteins that lock onto specific antigens. Antibodies and antigens fit together like a key and a lock.
Once the B lymphocytes have produced antibodies, these antibodies continue to exist in a person's body, so that if the same antigen is presented to the immune system again, the antibodies are already there to do their job. That's why if someone gets sick with a certain disease, like chickenpox, that person typically doesn't get sick from it again. This is also why we use immunizations to prevent getting certain diseases. The immunization introduces the body to the antigen in a way that doesn't make a person sick, but it does allow the body to produce antibodies that will then protect that person from future attack by the germ or substance that produces that particular disease.
Although antibodies can recognize an antigen and lock onto it, they are not capable of destroying it without help. That is the job of the T cells. The T cells are part of the system that destroys antigens that have been tagged by antibodies or cells that have been infected or somehow changed. (There are actually T cells that are called "killer cells.") T cells are also involved in helping signal other cells (like phagocytes) to do their jobs.
Antibodies can also neutralize toxins (poisonous or damaging substances) produced by different organisms. Lastly, antibodies can activate a group of proteins called complement that are also part of the immune system. Complement assists in killing bacteria, viruses, or infected cells.
All of these specialized cells and parts of the immune system offer the body protection against disease. This protection is called immunity.
Humans have three types of immunity:
- Innate Immunity
- Adaptive Immunity
- Passive Immunity
Innate Immunity
Everyone is born with innate (or natural) immunity, a type of general protection that humans have. Many of the germs that affect other species don't harm us. For example, the viruses that cause leukemia in cats or distemper in dogs don't affect humans. Innate immunity works both ways because some viruses that make humans ill --- such as the virus that causes HIV/AIDS --- don't make cats or dogs sick either.
Innate immunity also includes the external barriers of the body, like the skin and mucous membranes (like those that line the nose, throat, and gastrointestinal tract), which are our first line of defense in preventing diseases from entering the body. If this outer defensive wall is broken (like if you get a cut), the skin attempts to heal the break quickly and special immune cells on the skin attack invading germs.
Adaptive Immunity
We also have a second kind of protection called adaptive (or active) immunity. This type of immunity develops throughout our lives. Adaptive immunity involves the lymphocytes (as in the process described above) and develops as children and adults are exposed to diseases or immunized against diseases through vaccination.
There are two types of adaptive Immunity:
Humoral Immunity— mediated by the secretion of immunoglobins (antibodies) by B cells in response to bacteria and viruses. It involves a variety of substances found in the humors, or body fluids. These substances interfere with the growth of pathogens and clump them together so they can be eliminated from the body.
Cellular Immunity— Cell-mediated immunity is an immune response that does not involve antibodies but rather involves the activation of macrophages, natural killer cells (NK), antigen-specific cytotoxic T-lymphocytes, and the release of various cytokines in response to an antigen.
Passive Immunity
Passive immunity is "borrowed" from another source and it lasts for a short time. For example, antibodies in a mother's breast milk provide an infant with temporary immunity to diseases that the mother has been exposed to. This can help protect the infant against infection during the early years of childhood.
Everyone's immune system is different. Some people never seem to get infections, whereas others seem to be sick all the time. As people get older, they usually become immune to more germs as the immune system comes into contact with more and more of them. That's why adults and teens tend to get fewer colds than kids --- their bodies have learned to recognize and immediately attack many of the viruses that cause colds.
The process of inducing an immune response is called immunization. It may be either natural through infection of a pathogen, or artificial, though the use of a serum or vaccine. The heightened resistance acquired when the body responds to infection is called active immunity. Passive immunity results when the antibodies from an actively immunized individual are transferred to a second, nonimmune subject. Active immunization, whether natural or artificial, is longer-lasting than is passive immunization because it takes advantage of immunologic memory.
Scientists can now produce antibody-secreting cells in the laboratory by a method known as hybridoma technique. Hybridomas are hybrid cells made by fusing a cancerous, or rapidly reproducing, plasma cell and a normal plasma cell obtained from an animal immunized with a particular antigen. The hybridoma cell can produce large amounts of identical antibodies, called monoclonal, or hybridoma, antibodies, which have widespread in medicine and biology.
Disorders of the Immune System
Disorders of the immune system can be broken down into four main categories:
- Immunodeficiency disorders (primary or acquired)
- Autoimmune disorders (in which the body's own immune system attacks its own tissue as foreign matter)
- Allergic disorders (in which the immune system overreacts in response to an antigen)
- Cancers of the immune system
Immunodeficiency Disorders
Immunodeficiencies occur when a part of the immune system is not present or is not working properly. Sometimes a person is born with an immunodeficiency --- these are called primary immunodeficiencies. (Although primary immunodeficiencies are conditions that a person is born with, symptoms of the disorder sometimes may not show up until later in life.) Immunodeficiencies can also be acquired through infection or produced by drugs. These are sometimes called secondary immunodeficiencies. Immunodeficiencies can affect B lymphocytes, T lymphocytes, or phagocytes. Some examples of primary immunodeficiencies that can affect kids and teens are:
- IgA deficiency is the most common immunodeficiency disorder. IgA is an immunoglobulin that is found primarily in the saliva and other body fluids that help guard the entrances to the body. IgA deficiency is a disorder in which the body doesn't produce enough of the antibody IgA. People with IgA deficiency tend to have allergies or get more colds and other respiratory infections, but the condition is usually not severe.
- Severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) is also known as the "bubble boy disease" after a Texas boy with SCID who lived in a germ-free plastic bubble. SCID is a serious immune system disorder that occurs because of a lack of both B and T lymphocytes, which makes it almost impossible to fight infections.
- DiGeorge syndrome (thymic dysplasia), a birth defect in which children are born without a thymus gland, is an example of a primary T-lymphocyte disease. The thymus gland is where T lymphocytes normally mature.
- Chediak-Higashi syndrome and chronic granulomatous disease both involve the inability of the neutrophils to function normally as phagocytes.
Acquired immunodeficiencies usually develop after a person has a disease, although they can also be the result of malnutrition, burns, or other medical problems. Certain medicines also can cause problems with the functioning of the immune system.
Secondary immunodeficiencies include:
- HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) infection/AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) is a disease that slowly and steadily destroys the immune system. It is caused by HIV, a virus which wipes out certain types of lymphocytes called T-helper cells. Without T-helper cells, the immune system is unable to defend the body against normally harmless organisms, which can cause life-threatening infections in people who have AIDS. Newborns can get HIV infection from their mothers while in the uterus, during the birth process, or during breastfeeding. People can get HIV infection by having unprotected sexual intercourse with an infected person or from sharing contaminated needles for drugs, steroids, or tattoos.
- Immunodeficiencies caused by medications. Some medicines suppress the immune system. One of the drawbacks of chemotherapy treatment for cancer, for example, is that it not only attacks cancer cells, but other fast-growing, healthy cells, including those found in the bone marrow and other parts of the immune system. In addition, people with autoimmune disorders or who have had organ transplants may need to take immunosuppressant medications. These medicines can also reduce the immune system's ability to fight infections and can cause secondary immunodeficiency.
Autoimmune Disorders
In autoimmune disorders, the immune system mistakenly attacks the body's healthy organs and tissues as though they were foreign invaders.
Autoimmune diseases include:
- Lupus is a chronic disease marked by muscle and joint pain and inflammation. The abnormal immune response may also involve attacks on the kidneys and other organs.
- Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis is a disease in which the body's immune system acts as though certain body parts such as the joints of the knee, hand, and foot are foreign tissue and attacks them.
- Scleroderma is a chronic autoimmune disease that can lead to inflammation and damage of the skin, joints, and internal organs.
- Ankylosing spondylitis is a disease that involves inflammation of the spine and joints, causing stiffness and pain.
- Juvenile dermatomyositis is a disorder marked by inflammation and damage of the skin and muscles.
Allergic Disorders
Allergic disorders occur when the immune system overreacts to exposure to antigens in the environment. The substances that provoke such attacks are called allergens. The immune response can cause symptoms such as swelling, watery eyes, and sneezing, and even a life-threatening reaction called anaphylaxis. Taking medications called antihistamines can relieve most symptoms.
Allergic disorders include:
- Asthma, a respiratory disorder that can cause breathing problems, frequently involves an allergic response by the lungs. If the lungs are oversensitive to certain allergens (like pollen, molds, animal dander, or dust mites), it can trigger breathing tubes in the lungs to become narrowed, leading to reduced airflow and making it hard for a person to breathe.
- Eczema is an itchy rash also known as atopic dermatitis. Although atopic dermatitis is not necessarily caused by an allergic reaction, it more often occurs in kids and teens who have allergies, hay fever, or asthma or who have a family history of these conditions.
- Allergies of several types can occur in kids and teens. Environmental allergies (to dust mites, for example), seasonal allergies (such as hay fever), drug allergies (reactions to specific medications or drugs), food allergies (such as to nuts), and allergies to toxins (bee stings, for example) are the common conditions people usually refer to as allergies.
- Anaphylactic shock - Anaphylaxis is a severe allergic reaction that occurs rapidly and causes a life-threatening response involving the whole body. This reaction can lead to difficulty breathing and shock ultimately leading to death. For an anaphylactic reaction to occur, you must have been exposed in the past to the substance that causes the reaction, called the antigen. This is called "sensitization."
- A bee sting, for example, may not cause an allergic reaction the first time.
- Another bee sting may produce a sudden, severe allergic reaction known as anaphylaxis or anaphylactic shock.
These reactions usually occur within seconds to minutes of exposure. Occasionally, they are delayed. You may develop sensitivity and anaphylaxis to a substance that you have been exposed to many times in the past without a reaction, and often people don't recall the previous exposure.
Cancers of the Immune System
Cancer occurs when cells grow out of control. This can also happen with the cells of the immune system. Lymphoma involves the lymphoid tissues and is one of the more common childhood cancers. Leukemia, which involves abnormal overgrowth of leukocytes, is the most common childhood cancer. With current medications most cases of both types of cancer in kids and teens are curable.
Although immune system disorders usually can't be prevented, you can help your child's immune system stay stronger and fight illnesses by staying informed about your child's condition and working closely with your doctor.
Researchers have demonstrated that a healthy diet and exercise are very important factors in maintaining a strong immune system. Additionally, studies have proven that proper supplementation not only enhances our immune response but also increases the effectiveness of vaccines, so help yourself and your family by taking the most complete immune system enhancer available anywhere.
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Beta Glucan is a natural substance found in such foods as oats, barley, mushrooms and yeasts. Technically, Beta Glucan (Beta 1,3/1,6 Glucan) is classified as a highly refined carbohydrate, made up of a string of glucose molecules, with the fats, proteins and other polysaccharides removed. Beta Glucan used to be very expensive to extract and purify, but recent technological break throughs have resulted in much more cost effective methods, so that now it has become available much cheaper than ever before. Beta Glucan is recognized by the FDA and is given a GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) rating.
Beta glucan is the strongest immunity enhancer known to science. It contributes potent, diverse, overall enhancements to the immune system, having a systemic effect that can best be described as non-specific immune stimulation combined with free-radical scavenging activity. Considered a biological response modifier of the immune system, beta glucan has been shown to stimulate both humeral and cell-mediated immunity as well as to activate macrophages more effectively than any other agent known. Activating macrophages strengthens the immune system signifiantly and protects against various pathogens. One example of the result of macrophage activation is the appearance of gamma interferon which increases the production of nitric oxide and superoxide, directly leading to an immunological war on microorganisms.
Nothing rivals beta glucan for immune enhancement. There is no other substance man-made or natural that has the published studies, as does beta glucan, to back up it's immune enhancing ability.
Numerous scientific studies on animals and humans, originating from such prestigious institutions as the University of Saskatchewan in Canada, Baylor College of Medicine, Brown Medical School, Tulane University and Harvard Medical School have demonstrated the great value beta glucan has to strengthen our immune systems and even the potential to help against tumors and cancer growth.
In four different published studies, performed at the University of Saskatchewan (Microbiol. Immun. 41, 1997), (Microbiological Immunity v. 42, 1997), (International Journal of Parasitology v. 27, 1999) and (FEMS Immmunology v. 35, 2003) researchers repeatedly demonstrated the amazing power beta glucan has to stimulate the immune system. Dr. Joyce Czop, at Harvard University, described the mode of action of beta glucan in stimulating the immune system: "there is a specific receptor for beta-1-3-glucan on the surface of certain cells, called macrophages that when activated, stimulate a cascade of events turning the body into "an arsenal of defense". Other studies have found such potential uses as fighting infections, improving intestinal flora, irritable bowel syndrome, diabetic conditions, ulcers and digestion.
Recent independent experiments completed at Baylor College of Medicine in the laboratory of Professor Phil Wyde, Ph.D., also indicate the oral effectiveness of Beta-1,3-glucan in stimulating non-specific immunity. Peritoneal macrophages doubled their phagocyte activity in mice fed with Beta-1,3-glucan. This systemic effect of oral application is comparable to that achieved by injection, which makes this material a unique and very valuable oral immunostimulant.
When Beta-1,3-glucan was added to the antibiotic regime in animals challenged with different bacterial pathogens (Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Escherichia coli and others) and viral pathogens (Herpes virus), a reduced amount of antibiotics or antivirals was needed to cope with the infection.
Beta-1,3-glucan also has an antifungal effect, shown in experiments with Candida albicans. Such a broad anti-infective spectrum of Beta-1,3-glucan can be explained only by the fact that the immunostimulation produced by this unique material is non-specific.
Animal and human cell culture studies have shown that beta glucan can stimulate several aspects of immune function, such as phagocytosis and interleukin production through a number of mechanisms.
Medical Doctors and researchers at Brown Medical School and Rhode Island hospital have discovered that beta 1,3-D glucan, binds to receptors on neutrophils, the most abundant type of immune cell in the body. The beta glucan caused the neutrophils to take a more direct path to the site of infection rather than the indirect route normally taken.
Neutrophils are attracted to the site of an infection by blood proteins called chemoattractants and are among the first cells of the body to respond to a challenge due to infection or injury. Normally, neutrophils use such chemoattractants as interleukin-8 to travel to the site of infection. However, when neutrophils were treated with beta 1,3-D glucan, the neutrophils bypassed the IL-8 and went directly to the source of infection. Beta 1,3-D appeared to accomplish this by increasing the neutrophils ability to sense complement fragments emanating from the site of an infection. As a result, beta glucan helps neutrophils locate the epicenter of the bacterial infection within tissue.
This ability to make neutrophils bypass IL-8 and go directly to the site of infection results in a more rapid response to infection and a faster microbial clearance and healing.
Studies have shown that administration of beta glucan to people with AIDS increases IL-1 and IL-2 levels. Mild fevers were seen in many of these people one hour after taking beta glucan. The onset of fever was associated with a peak in IL-1 activity, suggesting a fever-producing response from beta glucan.
Beta glucan is recommended before and after cancer surgery to enhance healing, reduce the chance of infection and inhibit recurring and/or metastatic cancer.
In general, beta glucan stimulates macrophages and improves all immune functions, including phagocytosis (ability to engulf foreign cells and particles) release of certain cytokines (intercellular hormones) IL-1, IL-6, GM-CSF, interferons, and the processing of antigens.
Unlike many other immune support supplements, beta glucan can not over stimulate your immune system. The macrophage stays in an alert or ready mode until the presence of "non-self" entities such as viruses, bacteria, fungi, cancer, parasites, etc. are detected, at which time the macrophage is activated and becomes the first line of defense against any invader.
Alpha Lipoic Acid (also known as thioctic acid or lipoic acid) is a very powerful, natural antioxidant, and is a very important supplement to take for enhancing the immune system. Alpha Lipoic Acid is found in potatoes, broccoli, and liver and also occurs naturally in our bodies, but not in the free form. The body actually converts Alpha Lipoic Acid (ALA) to DiHydro Lipoc Acid (DHLA).
ALA and its cousin DHLA are often referred to as the "ultimate universal antioxidants". They (referred to collectively as LA) are the only antioxidants that are both fat and water soluble. Both can actually cross the blood/brain barrier to enter the brain. These unique qualities are important, because it means that LA can access all parts of all cells, giving it tremendous ability to scavenge free radicals wherever they may be. Additionally, LA can also recharge other antioxidants that have been used up. In the body, LA helps regenerate other antioxidants such as vitamin C, vitamin E and glutathione.
In addition to serving as the hub of the body's antioxidant network, lipoic acid is the only antioxidant that can boost the level of intracellular glutathione, a cellular antioxidant of tremendous importance. Besides being the body's primary water-soluble antioxidant and a major detoxification agent, glutathione is absolutely essential for the functioning of the immune system. Scientists have known for a decade that maintaining a high cellular level of glutathione is critical for life and crucial for health.
Raising glutathione levels has been shown to alter the cytokine balance in favor of a Th1 immune response mode (the anti-cancer and anti-viral mode of the immune defense) (Peterson JD et al., 1998) Agents that deplete glutathione, such as ethanol, have been shown to impair the body's immune defense. TNF-a (tumor necrosis factor alpha), increased in many diseases of aging, has been shown to be involved in depletion of cellular glutathione. and is thought to be a major factor in the immune decline associated with aging (Phelps DT et al., 1995).
People with chronic illnesses such as AIDS, cancer and autoimmune diseases generally have very low levels of glutathione. White blood cells are particularly sensitive to changes in glutathione levels, and even subtle changes may have profound effects on the immune response. It was shown that glutathione deficiency in HIV-infected individuals correlates with decreased survival (Herzenberg LA et al., 1997).
Dr. Packer and Chandan K. Sen, researchers from Finland, have described how alpha-lipoic acid regulates aspects of the immune system, and in particular, T-lymphocytes. They have discovered that ALA boosts glutathione levels in T cells, These two researchers, along with other scientists, have reported how alpha-lipoic acid may help people with HIV or other immune suppressed conditions.
In a pilot study, supplementation with 150 mg of ALA 3 times per day was shown to increase plasma ascorbate, glutathione and T-helper cells and to optimize the ratio of T-helper cells to T-suppressor cells. Other studies have demonstrated the ALA helps to inhibit HIV replication by decreasing the activity of reverse transcriptase and to delay apoptosis (programmed cell death) of Thymus cells - the immune system's number one line of defense.
The practical problem for those who wish to maintain healthful glutathione levels is that taking glutathione itself as a supplement does not boost cellular glutathione levels, since glutathione breaks down in the digestive tract before it reaches the cells. Therefore, the discovery that lipoic acid can effectively boost glutathione levels has very important implications in the prevention and treatment of numerous diseases.
We actually get very little Lipoic acid in our food, Broccoli (one of the best food sources) for example, contains a mere 100 micrograms per 100 gram serving. This means you would have to eat over two pounds of broccoli to get one single milligram.
ALA supplementation is the only way to get the benefits of this powerful universal antioxidant and to enjoy the resulting increase in intracellular glutathione, which is vital to the immune system functioning.
Colostrum is the pre-milk fluid produced from the mother's mammary glands during the first 72 hours after birth. Colostrum provides life-supporting immune and growth factors that insure the health and vitality of the newborn.
Colostrum is the first food of life! Immune and growth factors in colostrum provide the newborn with the essential nutrients needed to begin a healthy life. Intended to be the first substance a newborn ingests, it is safe for all ages. While it's relatively new on the market, colostrum has been used for thousands of years to help maintain the health of people worldwide. For adults, supplementing with colostrum can help restore and sustain health.
We know that cow's milk provides our bodies with vitamin D and calcium, but our four-legged friends provide an even more powerful substance for our health, -- bovine colostrum. Colostrum is the nutrient-rich, pre-milk fluid that is secreted by the mammary glands of female mammals to nourish their young. Bovine (cow) colostrum is nearly identical to human colostrum but research confirms it is four times richer in immune factors than human colostrum. Best of all, bovine colostrum is beneficial to all mammals -- humans -- and pets as well!
Immune factors in colostrum can help balance and support a healthy immune system; which is the key to good health. Growth factors supply the necessary building blocks for the newborn, enhancing the growth of cells, muscles, tissue, bone and cartilage. As we age, our bodies produce less and less of these vital factors, increasing signs of aging, and making it more difficult for us to fight disease.
Pollution, toxins, carcinogens, smoking, alcohol and overuse of antibiotics can lead to a decrease in our immune response, resulting in disease. Colostrum can help restore the body's ability to function properly in both newborns and adults. It even works great for our pets!
Most experts agree that the majority of disease and illness begins in the gastrointestinal tract. Pathogens (viruses, bacteria, yeast, and fungus) enter the body through our nose, ears, and mouth and can attach themselves to the lining of the bowel, where they grow and multiply, causing a huge variety of diseases. Colostrum helps inhibit the binding of pathogens to the bowel lining, so they are unable to proliferate.
All humans are exposed to these deadly invaders throughout their lives. Unfortunately, these days, they are in the air we breathe and the food we eat. When our bodies are healthy, our immune system fights off these pathogens without needing any help. However, if our immune system is compromised in any way (which is unfortunately true for most of us), colostrum can help our bodies restore proper immune function.
Vitamin C In the 65 years since its discovery, vitamin C has come to be known as a "wonder worker." It's easy to see why: In addition to its role in collagen formation and other life-sustaining functions, vitamin C serves as a key immune system nutrient and a potent free-radical fighter. This double-duty nutrient has been shown to prevent many illnesses, from everyday ailments such as the common cold to devastating diseases such as cancer.
Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin and is known as ascorbic acid . . . meaning "without scurvy" (the disease caused by a vitamin C deficiency). Most species of animals have the ability to synthesize Vitamin C in their liver from glucose. Human beings however, are among only a handful of animals, including primates and guinea pigs, who cannot produce their own supply of vitamin C. We depend on ascorbic acid for many aspects of our biochemical functioning, and so we have no choice but to obtain this nutrient in our diet or through supplementation.
Vitamin C can be found in fruits such as oranges, grapefruits, tangerines, lemons, limes, papaya, strawberries and cantaloupe. Vitamin C and bioflavonoids - the watersoluble substances that help to protect your capillaries - are found in the white linings of these and other plants. Many vegetables also pack in vitamin C including tomatoes, broccoli, green and red bell peppers, raw lettuce and other leafy greens.
Vitamin C is absorbed by an active transport system located in the gut and then reabsorbed through the kidneys. Since the absorption mechanisms in the gut and kidneys can reach a saturation point, it is better to take multiple doses of vitamin C throughout the day than one large dose.
Vitamin C can enhance the body's resistance to an assortment of diseases, including infectious disorders and many types of cancer. It strengthens and protects the immune system by stimulating the activity of antibodies and immune system cells such as phagocytes and neutrophils.
Much like the immune system itself, which operates at a cellular level, the hardworking vitamin C reaches every cell of the body. The concentration of vitamin C in both blood serum and tissues is quite high. In fact, this nutrient plays a major role in the manufacture and defense of our connective tissue, the elaborate matrix that holds the body together. It serves as a primary ingredient of collagen, a glue-like substance that binds cells together to form tissues.
Vitamin C assists the immune system in two of its primary functions: to rid the body of foreign invaders and to monitor the systems for any sign of tumor cells. It accomplishes these vital tasks by stimulating the production of white blood cells, primarily neutrophils, which attack foreign antigens such as bacteria and viruses. It also boosts the body's production of both antibodies and interferon, the protein that helps protect us from viral invaders and cancer cells.
As a constituent of collagen, vitamin C may contribute to our immune defenses in an even more fundamental way: our skin and the epithelial lining of the body's orifices, both of which contain collagen, serve as our first line of defense against foreign invaders. They prevent these invaders from entering the body in the first place, where the immune system would have to go to war against them.
Beyond that, vitamin C acts against the toxic, mutagenic and carcinogenic effects of environmental pollutants by stimulating liver detoxifying enzymes. It also stimulates the production of PGE1, a prostaglandin which assists lymphocytes, the defender cells in our immune system.
As the following studies demonstrate, vitamin C can enhance the immune function in a number of ways:
- Healthy adults. In a 1981 study, healthy adults received 1 gram of vitamin C intravenously. One hour later, the neutrophil motility and leukocyte transformation in the subjects' blood had increased significantly. Other studies support the finding that vitamin C enhances the leukocyte function. It has also been shown to decrease bacteriological activity.
- Chronically ill adults. Recent studies show that vitamin C has a positive effect on patients suffering from a variety of chronic disorders. In one large study, 260 patients with viral hepatitis A took 300 mg of vitamin C a day for several weeks. The researchers, who studied immune indicators, such as serum immunoglobulin and neutrophil phagocytosis, concluded that vitamin C "exerts a remarkable immuno-modulating action."
- A study of 14 patients with chronic brucellosis found that vitamin C "might partially restore peripheral, monocyte function and help the monocyte-macrophage system to mount an effective immune response against [the infection]. In 60 patients with perennial allergic rhinitis, an ascorbic acid solution lessened symptoms in roughly three-fourths of the patients. And asthmatic patients who were treated with vitamin C before their airway was constricted via exercise had much less difficulty breathing.
The immune system process called phagocytosis, in which certain cells "eat" invading bacteria, is stimulated by vitamin C. In addition, the nutrient may reduce the suppressor activity of the mononuclear leukocytes, which weakens the overall effectiveness of the immune system.
In one study of guinea pigs (which, like humans, cannot manufacture their own vitamin C), the antibody to a particular antigen responded faster when the animals received vitamin C. Meanwhile, a study of chickens analyzed their ability to withstand E. coli challenge infection by taking 330 mg of vitamin C. Only 19% of the supplemented animals got the infection, while 76% of the unsupplemented control subjects were infected.
Vitamin C is a nutrient that has been demonstrated to have a substantial impact on human health. Researchers originally proposed that large doses of Vitamin C could decrease the incidence and the severity of the common cold.
To determine whether vitamin C can alter the function of the immune system and provide increased protection from viral infection, Susan Ritter, MD, PhD candidate, and Gailen D. Marshall, Jr., MD, PhD, both from the University of Texas Health Science Center, studied the white blood cells of patients before and after each patient took one gram of vitamin C daily for two weeks. Researchers then analyzed the immune cell types present in the blood as well as the ability of these cells to make antiviral compounds.
The number of NK cells (a cell that protects against viruses) in the peripheral blood increased after two weeks of supplementation with Vitamin C. While the number of T cells (also active in antiviral immunity) remained the same, they were more activated following vitamin C supplementation. The T cells also produced significantly more interferon-gama (an antiviral compound) and less interleukin-4 and interleukin-10 (both of which are associated with allergic disease) after two weeks of supplementation with vitamin C.
Researchers concluded that this data suggests an increase in antiviral immunity after two weeks of 1g/day vitamin C supplementation and the possible use of vitamin C to modulate the immune system in people.
As an antioxidant, vitamin C's primary role is to neutralize free radicals. Since ascorbic acid is water soluble, it can work both inside and outside the cells to combat free radical damage. Free radicals will seek out an electron to regain their stability and Vitamin C is an excellent source of electrons; therefore, it "can donate electrons to free radicals such as hydroxyl and superoxide radicals and quench their reactivity," states Adrianne Bendich in "Antioxidant Micronutrients and Immune Responses".
Vitamin B12 Specific nutrients are essential cofactors for immune system function and nutritional balance is essential for the integration of immune system functions. Nutrient deficiencies impair immune responses and can lead to frequent infections and increased mortality. Also, during aging, immune function is gradually lost as the thymus gland involutes and antigenic exposures accumulate. Two studies have suggested that this immune function decline may be slowed or even reversed through detection and correction of specific nutrient deficiencies.
B vitamins are also critical to optimal immune function. Vitamin B6 deficiency has been shown to depress both cell-mediated and humoral immune responses, whereas supplementation was found to improve immune function. Vitamin B12 deficiency has also been linked to poor immune function, and B12 therapy was also found to improve immune function in B12 deficient individuals. Finally, clinical and experimental evidence indicates that biotin also plays an essential role in the capacity of the immune system to respond to antigenic challenge.
Low blood levels of vitamin B12 appear to be widespread in HIV infection. Vitamin B12 supplementation has been shown to improve both T-cell counts and natural killer cell activity in people with significant vitamin B12 deficiency. Vitamin B12 and folate are both involved in the production of genetic material.
A deficiency of vitamin B12 has been associated with decreased immune function. In a controlled trial, people with vitamin B12 deficiency anaemia were also found to have markedly decreased levels of white blood cells associated with immune function. Restoration of vitamin B12 stores by means of injections improved levels of these immune cells, suggesting an important role for vitamin B12 in immune function.
Vitamin B12 and folic acid appear essential for proper B-cell and T-cell function.
Even people with only marginally low levels of B-vitamins show signs of weakened immune function.
Folate (Pteroylglutamic acid or Vitamin B9) or folic acid plays a crucial role in DNA and protein synthesis and is required for the normal cycle of cell division and prliferation, therefore, effecting the proliferative response of immune cells. Animal and human studies in folate deficient subjets have demonstrated reduced lymphocyte DTH response and natural killer cell activity. Cell-mediated immunity is especially effected by folate deficiency: the blastogenic response of T lymphocytes to certain mitogens is decreased in folate-deficient humans and animals, and the thymus is preferentially altered. The effects of folic acid deficiency upon humoral immunity have been more thoroughly investigated in animals than in humans, and the antibody responses to several antigens have been shown to decrease. Conversely, the phagocytic and bactericidal capacities of polymorphonuclear cells have been studied mainly in folate-deficient humans. Alterations in immune system functions could lead to decreased resistance to infections, as commonly observed in folate-deficient humans and animals.
Selenium is a significant cellular antioxidant. Certain viruses become stronger and hardier in selenium-deficient people. Similarly, selenium-deficient animals are more susceptible to cardiac damage from viruses. Animals with selenium and copper or iron deficiency have neutrophils that are less able to kill infectious organisms. Selenium supplementation may be protective against cancer in animals and humans. When vitamin E and selenium are supplemented together in animals, there is an increase in the number of immune cells. In T-cells, the supplementation of selenium suppresses HIV replication and decreases the production of cytokines that cause inflammation. Supplementation with selenium in deficient HIV-positive people has been shown to improve selenium status. Selenium deficiency correlates with viral progression and death in HIV infection more than any other micronutrient. In a few studies, blood selenium correlated with CD4+ counts, although supplementation doesn't always result in improvement in T-cell counts.
Tri Methyl Glycine Trimethylglycine (TMG) also known as anhydrous betaine, is a naturally occurring phytonutrient found in a variety of plants and animals, with its highest concentrations in beets, leafy green vegetables, and legumes. Since it can be difficult to eat enough of these foods to provide the body with sufficient methyl groups, supplementation is necessary.
Chemically, TMG functions as a Methyl Donor, which is why it has a great ability to reduce elevated levels of homocysteine to normal. In fact TMG is such a good Methyl doner that in addition to effectively lowering the levels of HOMOCYSTEINE, it also increases the beneficial S-adenosyl-methionine (SAM) levels. Furthermore, after losing its methyl group, TMG becomes DMG (dimethylglycine), a well recognized energy-boosting nutrient.
TMG has got all the properties of DMG but because it has one extra Methyl Group, it is known to be a more efficient Methyl Donor than DMG. After Methyl donation, it stays useful in the metabolism as DMG thus having a double benefit. This is also known as BETAINE.
DMG is an amino acid that is predominantly found in grains. It is a member of the family of nutrients that include choline, betaine (trimethyl-glycine), sarcosine (methylglycine) and glycine. This family of compounds supplies the body with an essential biochemical group (a methyl group) that allows conversions of substances in the bodies intricate biochemical pathways.
Two research projects have been completed studying the relationship of DMG to immune functions.
The first research project, done at the Medical University of South Carolina yielded the following results. Using 120 mg. DMG for eight weeks resulted in an average of a four-fold increase in antibody production in-vivo (in the body, not a test tube) when exposed to pneumovax-SSS and a "significant" increase when exposed to streptokinase -streptodornase antigen. A third antigen, concanavalin A showed little difference in the control and DMG treated groups response. This antibody response, or humoral response, is accomplished by the B-lymphocytes. A second part of this project demonstrated the T-lymphocyte response. In normal subjects the T cell activity was increased by more than 50%. Even more important was the fact that subjects with a less than normal lymphocyte activity, in this case due to sickle cell anemia or diabetes, there was a two- to three-fold increase in lymphocyte response. As these patients are more susceptible to infections, DMG may be an especially important nutrient.
A second study at Clemson University showed similar results. The anti-body production to typhoid and influenza antigen in rabbits increased three- to five-fold. T cell populations were also increased. Further, the study demonstrated a doubling of the interferon production of T cells.
Other effects of DMG have been studied for over thirty years. The earliest interest in this nutrient stems from it's effect on athletes. In 1965 it was established that DMG increases the oxygen utilization within the cell. This alone will increase the amount of exercise one can perform. It also is useful for people travelling to higher elevations. Research at USC School of Medicine in 1979 showed that the amount of lactic acid buildup in muscles after exercise is decreased with the use of DMG. Lactic acid is thought to be one of the factors in muscular soreness after exercise.
Blood sugar levels are increased by using DMG. DMG causes the adrenal glands to secrete more corticosteroids which increase blood sugar levels, as well as affect protein and fat metabolism. It has been found to enhance liver function and to lower cholesterol levels by increasing synthesis and secretion of bile. Some skin conditions, including psoriasis and eczema, have benefitted from DMG supplementation. It also acts as an antioxidant preventing the actions of free radicals which may damage the cells of the immune system.
is derived from the berries of the fragrant, flowering Elder tree. The Elder tree berry has also been used for hundreds of years as a natural intestinal cleanser, an eye wash and to treat cold and flu symptoms. Today, elderberry is thought to be one of the most important remedies found in your medicine chest when it comes to beating the sniffles. Both the flower and the berry possess powerful antioxidant properties that help protect your health by attacking harmful free radicals that damage cells. Elderberries also nourish the circulatory system.
There are several active ingredients in Elderberries which contribute to it's tremendous healing properties. Analytical research conducted in Europe shows that elderberries are concentrated sources of anthocyanins, potent purple pigments that have great health benefits. These flavonoids, which include quercetin, have been found to protect cells from harmful invaders. Elderberries are also rich in tannins which reduce fever and promote sweating. Other compounds in elderberries are believed to bind to flu viruses and prevent them from penetrating cell walls. Elderberries are also very rich in vitamin C which may help prevent flu infection.
Ongoing research in Europe is focusing on the anthocyanins found in elderberries. According to this research, these anthocyanins possess noticably more antioxidant capacity than either vitamin E or vitamin C. The research also shows that elderberry anthocyanins enhance immune function by boosting the production of cytokines. These unique proteins act as messengers in the immune system to help regulate immune response, thus helping to defend the body against disease. Elderberry extract also reduces oxidation of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. Oxidation of LDL cholesterol is implicated in atherogenesis, thus contributing to cardiovascular disease.
In the 1980s, virologist Madeline Mumcuoglu, Ph.D., set out to determine how elderberry successfully defeats the flu. She found that the action of elderberry extract was to prevent viral hemagglutinin, or the process by which the invading cells use their spike-like projections to introduce their enzyme into healthy cell membranes. She also noticed that the viral enzyme is neutralized in the presence of elderberry extract.
During the course of Mumcuoglu's research she developed her own patented elderberry extract which she calls Sambucol. She has tested Sambucol against the flu virus and found it very effective. Upon her arrival in Israel, she continued her testing with patients from the Southern Israel flu epidemic of 1992/3. The results were extremely encouraging. Within 24 hours, 20% of those patients taking Sambucol had dramatic improvements in symptoms like fever, muscle aches and pains and coughing. By the second day, 73% were improved and by day three, 90%. In the untreated group, only 16% felt better after two days. The majority of that group took almost a week to begin feeling better.
Shortly afterwards, a further randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled study was conducted in Norway, where Sambucol was shown to significantly reduce the duration of flu by approximately four days. The use of rescue medication (pain relievers, etc.) was significantly less in the group receiving Sambucol than in the placebo group. The study concluded that Sambucol stimulates the healthy immune system by increasing production of inflammatory cytokines.
"I think that Sambucol has a great role to play - it really can save lives,"said Mumcuoglu. "To my knowledge, it's the only product that can cut the flu in half, before complications have a chance of setting in." Mamcuoglu insists that use of Sambucol against traditional flu viruses will help reduce the annual death rate. "If you stop the flu virus at the beginning then you stop it going to the lungs, or from creating the additional complications that are normally the cause of death," she explains.
"Furthermorre, our research has shown that the antiviral effect of Sambucol is not strain-specific," says Mumcuoglu. "It was effective against all influenza viruses tested. Another advantage of Sambucol, says Mumcuoglu is that unlike the anti-viral drug Tamiflu, which is the only treatment for bird flu now available that is thought to reduce the length and severity of flu symptoms, Sambucol has no side effects. It can also be given safely to children. Tamiflu, in contrast, cannot be given to children under 12.
Recently there has also been doubt cast on the effectiveness of Tamiflu as two Vietnamese patients, including a 13-year-old girl, developed resistance to the anti-viral drug and died. A report on this was published in the New England Journal of Medicine. Commenting on the report in the journal, Prof. Anne Moscona of Cornell University in New York said Tamiflu-resistant H5N1 "is now a reality". "This frightening report should inspire us to device pandemic strategies that do not favor the development of Tamiflu-resistant strains."
Study Shows Elderberry Extract is Effective Against Avian Flu
Recently, Retroscreen Virology, a leading British medical research institute associated to Queen Mary College, University of London, announced that Sambucol was at least 99% effective against the avian flu virus, H5N1, and in cell cultures significantly neutralized the infectivity of the virus, taken from a strain isolated in Turkey.
Another trial is now underway at Hadassah Medical Organization Ein Kerem, which is expected to confirm these findings.
The next round of trials into Sambucol's efficacy as a treatment for bird flu are likely to be completed during the year.
Andrographis Extract Andrographis paniculata is a shrub found throughout China, India and other countries in subtropical and Southeast Asia. Both the fresh and dried leaves, as well as the fresh juice of the whole plant, have been used as a popular herb in Chiinese medicine for the treatment of ailments ranging from infections and inflammation to colds and fevers. Modern science has finally taken note, and now researchers have isolated a number of the herb's active ingredients. Chief among these phytochemicals are diterpene lactones known as andrographolides, which exert their effects, on tissues of the blood cell-producing bone marrow and/or spleen. Chinese researchers have discovered that one such compound, andrographanin, enhances the ability of certain white blood cells to recognize and neutralize foreign cells such as tumor cells and viruses. It is important to note that purified, concentrated bioactive andrographolides extracted from andrographis are far more potent, at considerably lower doses, than the crude herb alone.
In animal and human clinical trials, Armenian scientists have demonstrated that andrographolides are readily absorbed into the bloodstream following the oral ingestion of andrographis herb extract. In Sweden, scientists conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of standardized andrographis extract in the treatment of upper-respiratory tract infections (the common cold). More than 200 patients participated in the clinical trial. Symptoms were subjectively rated by patients and objectively rated by physicians during the course of treatment. These ratings (scores) covered symptoms such as muscle soreness, cough, throat pain, headache, elevated temperature, nasal symptoms, watery eyes, and swollen lymph glands. "Both the total symptom score and total diagnosis score showed highly significant improvement . . . in the [andrographis] group as compared with the placebo," the researchers concluded. "In both studies, throat symptoms/signs were found to show the most significant improvement."
Russian researchers conducted a similar randomized trial of an andrographis extract preparation for the treatment of acute upper-respiratory viral infection. They concluded that the andrographis extract significantly relieved symptoms, "promoted cure," and was well tolerated. The same scientists subsequently demonstrated that andrographis markedly reduced nasal secretions and nasal congestion among schoolchildren participating in a study of cold treatments. In this study, the andrographis extract was added to standard treatment and compared to another preparation containing the immune booster echinacea extract.
Scientists in Thailand conducted a systematic review of the published literature and a meta-analysis of all randomized, controlled trials of andrographis for the symptomatic treatment of upper-respiratory tract infections. By pooling results from a number of disparate trials, they were able to arrive at an "overall estimate of effect." The studies included in their statistical analysis featured results from 433 patients. Symptom severity scores were compared between control and test patients. Based on statistical analysis of those scores, andrographis was judged to be significantly more effective in relieving cold symptoms than placebo.
In 2004, scientists at the universities of Exeter and Plymouth, in the United Kingdom, also published a review of controlled clinical trials of andrographis for the treatment of the common cold. They identified seven double-blind, controlled trials that met their rigorous criteria for inclusion. Data gathered from nearly 900 patients were included. "Collectively, the data suggest that A. paniculata [andrographis] is superior to placebo in alleviating the subjective symptoms of uncomplicated upper-respiratory tract infection," the British scientists wrote. "There is also preliminary evidence of a preventive effect." Furthermore, they noted that "adverse events" were generally mild and infrequent. Adverse events are documented during clinical trials in an effort to assess safety and tolerability of a given test substance or procedure. Based on these results, andrographis appears to be both effective and safe.
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