Immune deficiency
From The Nutritional Health Bible by Linda Lazarides (1997). This free database is provided for interest only. Linda's later writings refer to more up-to-date research.
Some causative factors- Chronic hepatitis
- Nutritional deficiencies
- Recreational drugs such as "poppers" (nitrites) and heroin
- Toxic overload (especially organophosphate pesticides).
High levels of vitamin E enhance several aspects of immune function. Beisel WR et al: Single-nutrient effects on immunologic functions. JAMA 245(1):53-58, 1981.
81% of 107 patients exposed to pesticides had depressed levels of T and B cells. Their condition improved as pesticides were cleared from their body. Rea WJ et al: Effects of pesticides on the immune system. J Nutr Med 2:399-410, 1991.
The antioxidant substance melatonin, produced by the pineal gland the the gut, plays an important part in immune function. If the production of melatonin is experimentally inhibited, a state of immunosuppression is produced, which disappears when melatonin is restored. A role for melatonin treatment in immunodeficiency states and cancers is proposed. Cutando A et al: Melatonin implications at the oral level. Bull Group Int Rech Sci Stomatol Odontol 1995.
Animal and human studies suggest that vitamin B6 deficiency impairs immune responses, including antibody production and white cell differentiation and maturation. A B6 deficiency has been associated with reduced immunity in the elderly, HIV+ individuals, and rheumatoid arthritis. Rall LC et al: Vitamin B6 and immune competence. Nutr Rev 51(8):217-25, 1993.
Promising nutritional researchSelenium affects all components of the immune system. A deficiency of selenium has been shown to lower resistance to microbial and viral infections, neutrophil function, antibody production, proliferation of T and B lymphocytes and effectiveness of T lymphocytes and natural killer cells. Supplementation with selenium has been shown to stimulate all these functions. Kiremidjian-Schumacher L et al: Selenium and immune responses. Environ Res 42(2):277-303, 1987.
A group of elderly subjects experienced significant stimulation of several immune system parameters after 6 months' supplementation with selenium. Peretz A et al: Lymphocyte response is enhanced by supplementation of elderly subjects with selenium-enriched yeast. Am J Clin Nutr 53(5):1323-8, 1991.
An increase in the T4/T8 lymphocyte ratio occurred in 14 test subjects treated with coenzyme Q10 supplements. Folkers K et al: Coenzyme Q10 increases T4/T8 ratios of lymphocytes in ordinary subjects and relevance to patients having the Aids related complex. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 175(2):786-91, 1991.
Supplementation with a modest amount of micronutrients improved several immune factors and decreased the risk of infection in a controlled trial on elderly people. Chandra RH: Effect of vitamin and trace-element supplementation on immune responses and infection in elderly subjects. Lancet 340:1124-1127, 1992.
Natural killer (NK) cells, which form part of the body's immune system, are known to spontaneously destroy tumour cells, virus-infected cells, and to play a primary role in surveillance. Volunteers were given either 0.5 g/kg body weight of raw garlic daily, or 1800 mg kyolic garlic daily. Compared with controls, the NK cell performance increased in both the garlic-treated groups, by 139 per cent in the raw garlic group and by 155.5 per cent in the kyolic garlic group. Kandi OM et al: Garlic and the immune system in humans: its effect on natural killer cells. Fed Proc 46(3):441, 1987.