Understanding our immune system
The immune system is a crucial network of biological systems that detects and protects us from harmful invaders of the body, and a weak immune system can put you at higher risk of various medical conditions like infections and illnesses. While some autoimmune disorders are caused by genetics, poor immunity is often the result of external factors like nutrition and lifestyle.
Causes of poor immune system (External)
- Nutrition
Nutrition plays a key role in regulating immune function by providing adequate nutrients in sufficient concentrations to immune cells. In fact, 70% of the immune system is located in the gut, where the diverse gut microbiome resides. The gut microbiome, made up of trillions of bacteria and other microbes, interacts directly with the immune system.
A fiber-rich diet supports the health and diversity of the gut microbiome, which in turn reduces inflammation and strengthens immune responses. In contrast, a diet high in animal proteins, sugar, processed foods, and saturated fat results in less microbial diversity.
- Lifestyle
Beyond diet, other lifestyle factors can also impact the gut microbiome and immune function. Lack of exercise, smoking, excessive drinking, and poor sleep can all disrupt the delicate balance of the gut and immune system.
For instance, drinking could reduce the number of T cells responsible for producing antibodies that protects us from pathogens.
How our immune system is related to our gut microbiome?
Our gut microbiome helps the body maintain a stable internal environment when it is faced with external changes. This is known as homeostasis. The gut microbiome supports this homeostatic regulation through several key mechanisms:
- Immune system support: The gut microbiome helps keep the immune system alert and responsive, enabling it to effectively detect and combat harmful pathogens that could disrupt the body's equilibrium.
- Fiber digestion and intestinal fortification: Gut bacteria break down dietary fiber into beneficial short-chain fatty acids. These compounds then work to strengthen the intestinal wall and barrier function, further preserving homeostasis.
- Additionally, the gut microbiome helps regulate the body's inflammatory responses. Inflammation is a normal immune defense mechanism that fights disease-causing microbes and repairs damaged tissues. preventing it from becoming excessive or inappropriate, so that it responds to injury or infection but doesn’t attack healthy body tissue.
Probiotics and our immune system
Emerging research is increasingly revealing the critical connections between a diverse, beneficial gut microbiome and a healthy, well-functioning immune system.
In a recent study, scientists examined the relationships between gut microbiome diversity, dietary interventions, and immune system outcomes in two groups of 18 participants over a 10-week period. One group consumed a diet rich in dietary fiber, while the other group was given a diet high in probiotic-containing fermented foods.
The high-fiber diet was associated with maintaining a stable, diverse gut microbiome composition. Notably, the group consuming the fermented food diet experienced an increase in microbiome diversity, alongside a reduction in markers of systemic inflammation, with the primary cause being the probiotics contained within fermented foods. Thus, Probiotics is a great way to help restore microbial balance and enhance immune function for supporting robust immune defenses.
Probiotic strains related to our immune system
Bifidobacterium Species: Bifidobacteria help maintain gut barrier function and promote the development of regulatory T cells, which suppress excessive inflammation.
Lactobacillus species (plantarum, paracasei, rhamnosus): They can enhance the activity of natural killer cells, macrophages, and other immune cells, as well as reduce risk of autoimmune disorders
Akkermansia muciniphila: This strain has been shown to strengthen the gut barrier and modulate immune responses, potentially reducing inflammation.
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