Nutritional approaches for Immune health
Sue McGarrigle ND DipION CNHC mBANT
Confined spaces with people sneezing and coughing, damp and cold, lack of sunlight, combine that with stress of some kind, poor sleep, an underlying health problem or some kind of infection or inflammation and our body’s defence mechanisms are taxed to the max. We may also be taking antibiotics which will weaken us further through their indiscriminate effects on our good bugs whose critical role underpins our resistance to disease. Our immune system is capable of mounting an instant response through innate immunity or can mobilise slower responses with adaptive immunity. Inflammation as part of the normal process should rise and fall. However a variety of factors can contribute to ongoing inflammation, autoimmune responses and/or weakened immunity. Making sure we have a healthy bacterial population but also eating nutrient dense foods may be lacking in many individuals.
Certainly the crucial missing elements of diet such as fermented foods, oily fish and green vegetables combined with our typical processed diet further weakens immunity. The thymus provides T-cells and in particular T-reg cells which when deficient, are now being highlighted in recent research as a major factor in many diseases including autoimmune conditions. Stimulating the thymus has long been popular using in particular Echinacea but I prefer a less stimulating but nourishing approach to helping the immune system.
Black Elderberries (Sambucus Nigra) are well known as supportive agents against common colds and flu. Hippocrates referred to the Elder tree as his ‘medicine chest’. Other noted classical healers regarded the Elder as one of nature’s greatest healing plants. Prior to antibiotics, elderberry fruit was one of the main ingredients found in many herbal preparations. Elderberry contains tannins and viburnic acid, both known to have a positive effect on diarrhoea, nasal congestion and improve respiration.
Today Elderberry is used in the form of an extract for treating the common cold, flu and Herpes virus infections and is often recommended for use as a complementary therapy, alongside vitamin C and zinc to support the natural process of recuperation. Elderberry is rich in polyphenols, including anthocyanins which are thought to have immunomodulating and anti-inflammatory effects and in particular cyanidin 3-glucoside. Several sources show its antioxidant capacity is high compared to other well-known fruits such as cranberry, blueberry and mulberry. Vitamins A and C plus a good source of calcium, iron and vitamin B6 are also present as well as sterols and essential oils.
Elderberry extract inhibits hemagglutinin activity and replication of several strains of flu viruses A and B. In vitro, elderberry fruit extract has also been found to inhibit H1N1 ‘swine’ flu. Elderberry flavonoids bind to H1N1 virions and prevent the virus from entering host cells. A 2011 study found that elderberry inhibited Gram-positive bacteria Streptococcus pyogenes, Group B and C Streptococci and Gram-negative Branhamelia catarrhalis all of which cause upper respiratory infections. S.pyogenes has also been implicated in autoimmune conditions. The antimicrobial activity of Elderberry extract has also been demonstrated against the growth of 13 common nosocomial Gram-positive and Gram-negative pathogens including Staphlococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
A 1995 Israeli study involved 27 adults and children with Influenza B Panama. Flu symptoms resolved in 90% of the elderberry group within two to three days, symptoms in the placebo group within six days. This is partially due to the fact that elderberry inhibits neuraminidase, the enzyme used by the virus to spread infection to host cells. A study in 2004 of 60 patients, 54 with influenza A and six with influenza B used a 10 point visual analogue scale to measure improvement in several flu symptoms such as aches, pains, coughing frequency, sleep quality, respiratory mucus discharge and nasal congestion; (0 for no improvement and 10 for pronounced improvement). Mean VAS scores were 9 by day 4 in the elderberry group and less than 1 in the placebo group. In addition the use of rescue medication such as paracetamol or a nasal spray was significantly less in the elderberry group.
Animal studies have shown that excessive sinus secretions and swelling have been reduced by elderberry with an improvement in immune function. Studies at Graz University, Austria found that elderberry extract reduces oxidation of LDL cholesterol.
A favourite ingredient of mine that I also use at a low nourishing dose for effective non specific immune reinforcement is Beta 1,3,1,6 Glucans which for good bioavailability is derived from the cell wall fragments of yeast. Cereal grains such as oats and barley which are also a source are used more for cardiovascular disorders. Beta Glucans are also found in certain mushrooms such as Shitake and Maitake. This is possibly another missing element of our diet as modern processing removes a lot of yeast. The Victorians as an example had yeast rich foods in their diets and used to eat lots of watercress, stoneground breads and unfiltered beer as well as lots of fresh fruits and vegetables and did not suffer a sedentary lifestyle. Adjusting for specific mortality rates they were a pretty healthy lot judging by today’s standards.
Beta Glucans are able to stimulate nonspecific immunity. Beta 1,3,1,6 Glucans do this by having a specific receptor cell on macrophages and other immune cells that when activated stimulates a cascade of immune activity. These cells are part of the immune system's first line of defence and play an essential and pivotal role in the initiation and maintenance of the immune response. After ingestion of Beta Glucans, activated macrophages will more quickly attack, ingest and destroy foreign cells. They render bacteria, viruses and other pathogens harmless by phagocytosis and activate cytokines which regulate immunity, as well as interferon gamma important in combating viruses. Activation can be through a variety of stimuli which can be too toxic or pathogenic but using Beta Glucan the most active of the glucans orally, is safe and non-toxic. CR3 is a unique receptor found on neutrophils, monocytes and NK cells.
CR3 activates phagocytosis and destruction of pathogenic or tumorous cells. Since the immune system will typically label an invader with iC3b, or monoclonal antibodies can be used to deposit iC3b on tumours, the addition of Beta Glucans can ensure that both of the CR3 binding sites are more likely to be filled. As a result, a more active immune response to the challenge can be mounted.
When Beta Glucans bond to neutrophil receptors this improves their destructive capacity and helps with chemotaxis migration to where the infection or inflammation is located. In people with digestive issues caution is advised with Brewer’s yeast. There are many reasons why people have weakened immunity, some have serious conditions and for others recurrent infections which seem to drag on for weeks. Optimising immune health is vital and can have far reaching and positive consequences.
