[Immunity BEST 5] Basic health, BEST 5 ingredients for immunity

For probiotics, the functionality recognized by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety is 'helping intestinal health', but in fact, many people are taking them for immunity. It can be said that the purpose of intake is quite correct. In fact, it is the gut microbiome that is mentioned along with the four lifestyle habits of nutrition, exercise, sleep, and stress as a representative factor that affects the immune system .

The lymphocytes associated with the intestine are the largest in our body, and the mature lymphocytes of the intestinal mucosa are much more numerous than those distributed in the bone marrow. Numerous microorganisms that inhabit and pass through our intestines act as antigens, making the intestinal mucosa the front line of the systemic immune system. Intestinal microbes are known to induce secretion of antimicrobial peptides and activate the immune system through interaction with intestinal epithelial cells [1].

Among these gut microbes, probiotics are those that have beneficial effects on the human body. It has been continuously reported that the intake of probiotics helps in the improvement of various functional disorders of the gastrointestinal tract, including acute viral gastroenteritis and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). has been known [2].

In addition to improving gut health, probiotics can act as a protective agent against infections through the intestinal mucosa. Therefore, even if you do not have any particular problems with bowel movements, if you are prone to bloating after eating, or if you have chronic inflammation, it would be good to pay attention to probiotics.

[1,2] Vieira, AT, Teixeira, MM, & Martins, F.S. (2013). The role of probiotics and prebiotics in inducing gut immunity. Frontiers in immunology, 4, 445.

Earlier, we introduced ingredients that are familiar to us and can have a great effect on the immune system. The first is beta-glucan powder, a functional raw material that has been recognized for its immunity enhancement function by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety .

Beta-glucan, a type of polysaccharide in which glucose is linked by a beta bond, is a component usually found in the cell wall of yeast or mushrooms, and functions as a stimulant for the immune system that our body has innately . Since it is a component that is not originally present in our body, when beta-glucan is found in the body, our immune system recognizes it as an invasion and enters a state of alert [1].

What is unique here is that beta-glucan stimulates only the immune response and inhibits the inflammatory response [2]. So , it acts as a kind of booster that boosts the immune system . Accordingly, it not only improves immunity, but also improves infection symptoms in situations of severe physical exhaustion [3], exercise time until feeling lethargic and fatigue after exercise [4] and the like have been reported.

As such, beta-glucan is a kind of booster that acts on our immune system and can help improve fatigue and infections, especially in physically demanding situations, so it can be helpful in maintaining health in situations of fatigue caused by heavy work or schoolwork. there is. However, as beta-glucan is a non-degradable component, it is difficult to consume it meaningfully as a natural food, so it is desirable to consume it as a health functional food when selecting a product.

[1,2] Chan, GCF, Chan, WK, & Sze, DMY (2009). The effects of β-glucan on human immune and cancer cells. Journal of hematology & oncology, 2(1), 1-11.

[3] Talbott, S., & Talbott, J. (2009). Effect of BETA 1, 3/1, 6 GLUCAN on upper respiratory tract infection symptoms and mood state in marathon athletes. Journal of sports science & medicine, 8(4), 509.

[4] Xu, X., Ding, Y., Yang, Y., Gao, Y., Sun, Q., Liu, J., ... & Zhang, J. (2018). β-Glucan salecan improves exercise performance and displays anti-fatigue effects through regulating energy metabolism and oxidative stress in mice. Nutrients, 10(7), 858.

If the beta-glucan introduced earlier is a component that boosts immunity by acting as an 'external factor' in our body, the last ingredient to be introduced today, alkoxyglycerol, is an intrinsic defense factor of our body and plays an important role in the immune response of the body. no see. It is also being studied as an adjuvant treatment for the prevention of radiation diseases caused by chemotherapy and clinical studies related to the treatment of leukemia [1].

Alkoxyglycerol is mainly distributed in organs that produce blood such as bone marrow and liver in our body, and is abundantly contained in breast milk [2]. The representative food containing this ingredient is shark liver oil, which we are familiar with, and the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety recognizes 'shark liver oil containing alkoxyglycerol' as a functional ingredient for enhancing immunity . 

Alkoxyglycerol promotes hematopoiesis , increases the production of white blood cells in the bone marrow and immunoglobulin in the serum, and enhances phagocytosis and immune response to enhance our body's resistance [3] Alkoxyglycerol is more like a component that boosts the immune system itself, if it plays a role in helping it work smoothly .

Because of these characteristics, alkoxyglycerol has a number of clinical studies involving subjects with extremely weakened immunity, such as the elderly or patients before and after surgery [3]. These studies report suppression of postoperative complications [4] and improvement of patient survival rate and survival time [5] by ingestion of alkoxyglycerol .

As such, alkoxyglycerol is a defense factor that can help strengthen the immune system itself, and it can be said to be a suitable ingredient for the recovery of the body of the elderly and patients before and after surgery . In addition, there are a number of research reports [6] on antitumor activity, so those who have had a tumor or are repeatedly found should pay attention.

[1] Pugliese, PT, Jordan, K., Cederberg, H., & Brohult, J. (1998). Some biological actions of alkylglycerols from shark liver oil. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 4(1), 87-99.

[2] Iannitti, T., & Palmieri, B. (2010). An update on the therapeutic role of alkylglycerols. Marine Drugs, 8(8), 2267-2300.

[3] Berdel, WE, Bausert, WR, Weltzien, HU, Modolell, ML, Widmann, KH, & Munder, PG (1980). The influence of alkyl-lysophospholipids and lysophospholipid-activated macrophages on the development of metastasis of 3-Lewis lung carcinoma. European Journal of Cancer (1965), 16(9), 1199-1204.

[4] Palmieri, B., Pennelli, A., & Di Cerbo, A. (2014). Jurassic surgery and immunity enhancement by alkyglycerols of shark liver oil. Lipids in Health and Disease, 13(1), 1-5.

[5] Brohult, A., Brohult, J., Brohult, S., & Joelsson, I. (1986). Reduced mortality in cancer patients after administration of alkoxyglycerols. Acta obstetricia et gynecologica Scandinavica, 65(7), 779-785.

[6] Iagher, F., de Brito Belo, SR, Souza, WM, Nunes, JR, Naliwaiko, K., Sassaki, GL, ... & Fernandes, LC (2013). Antitumor and anti-cachectic effects of shark liver oil and fish oil: comparison between independent or associative chronic supplementation in Walker 256 tumor-bearing rats. Lipids in health and disease, 12(1), 1-9.