It might start with a sniffle, sneeze, headache or scratchy throat. There might be body pains, soreness, nausea, or difficulty breathing or swallowing. At best, getting sick is discomforting. At worst, it is dangerous to long-term health. It can affect your ability to work, exercise and socialize, not mention the impact on your wallet. Beyond contagious microbial infection seasons, environmental pollution is taking its toll on immune systems year-round. Luckily, the immune system offers a complexity of defenses, the green movement is picking up steam and the natural products marketplace offers a diverse inventory of potent remedies.
Some boost, some modulate and some fill in the holes of key nutrient deficiencies that influence immunity. Overall, natural immune health products strive to help your immune system efficiently identify and neutralize any health threats.
While the benefits of these helpful natural remedies are often claimed in general descriptions, the research on how various compounds can help the immune system are quite specific. Thus, it is important to learn the immune system's parts and functions, in order to understand how natural products can help.
There are two main stages of immunity, passive (innate) and active (adaptive). Elements of passive immunity include the skin and mucosal surfaces of the nose, intestines, throat and lungs. These linings are home to immune cells, such as macrophages and neutrophils, which help initially identify compounds as antigens (foreign substance) and whether these compounds are harmful or innocuous. Among the immune responses triggered by this innate team is inflammation, which helps isolate antigens and pathogens (disease-causing substance) for neutralization.
The innate response also triggers the adaptive response, which helps eliminate pathogens. The defining tools of the adaptive response are recognition and recall. In simple terms, this phase of immunity identifies the pathogen, generates a specific response to the pathogen, and remembers the pathogen and the specific antibody produced to eliminate it. Immune cells involved in this response include the lymphocytes T cells and B cells—which both come from stem cells—as well as natural killer (NK) cells. B cells produce antibodies (immunoglobulins), which target both bacteria and viruses. T helper cells stimulate cytotoxic T cells to destroy pathogens and also stimulate production of the cytokines interferon, which interferes with aspects of viral infections and interleukin (immune communication cells).
Im-moo-nity
David Bergsma, president of Health Technology Resources, said five main factors can interfere with immune health: stress, poor nutrition, toxins, infection and trauma. "The primary consequence we experience as a result of interference by these factors manifests as a reduction in immune system communication, which reduces the immune system's effectiveness," he explained. "This reduction in communication is represented physically in the body by a reduction in the number and variability of immune communication cells available to carry out the imperatives."
Bergsma noted immune-boosting ingredients generally “stimulate” immune cells already present toward a higher level of activity. He suggested stimulation cannot reach immune communication cells that have been compromised or eliminated by the five factors of interference. On the other hand, he said "modulation" suggests more of a regulatory effect.
"[Recognizing and remembering] are dependent upon the presence of a highly variable array of immune communication cells and are activities of what is known as adaptive immunity," he explained. "If the array is compromised, the immune system will struggle and innovate to create optional solutions that may or may not be successful. This struggle reduces immune capability and introduces the potential for undesirable outcomes."
One dietary supplement that addresses adaptive immunity is bovine colostrum, mother's milk for calves. Lab tests revealed colostrum can modulate cytokine production, stimulating the release of IFN-gamma, IL-10 and IL-2.1 Clinically, immunomodulatory results from bovine colostrum supplementation in adults have included increased production of IL-12 and an antigenic-dependent impact on IFN-gamma production—enhanced IFN-gamma in response to weak stimulation and inhibited IFN-gamma after strong stimulation.2
Additional study on trained male cyclists undergoing a 40-km time trial showed 10 g/d bovine colostrum for five weeks suppressed post-exercise decreases in cytotoxic T cells and immunoglobulin-G (IgG) concentrations.3 Researchers also noted a trend toward reduced incidence of upper respiratory illness in subjects taking colostrum.
Several products derived from colostrum have achieved similar results. Ai/E10, a refined lacteal complex based on colostrum, can increase immune surveillance and transfer immunological information among cell groups.4 The ingredient was designed to supply immunoactive compounds that are often depleted by prolonged stress, poor diet and other immune-compromising factors.
Unpublished trials have shown Ai/E10 supplementation in healthy adults and those with chronic illness can increase NK cell activity significantly, while increasing general well-being. In one trial, 200 mg of Ai/E10 t.i.d. for 15 days generated a clear “modulated” immune response in adults, elevating key immune markers occurring in concert with each other, which is consistent with observations of the immune system’s ability to recognize and respond.