Immune Health

Originally posted 10th March 2020 by Brad Parkinson.

Resistance and recovery from disease are mostly dependent on how well our immune system is functioning. The immune system’s primary function is to protect us against the effects of the microbial pathogens that we encounter daily. In addition, it helps us to react against foreign substances and abnormal/cancer cells. The lymphatic system functions to protect against invasion by facilitating specific immune responses against microbes or abnormal cells. Lymph, several lymphatic organs and tissues (such as the spleen and thymus) as well as the red bone marrow, form the lymphatic system.

The immune system responds to an invader with a primary and secondary defence.

Primary: The innate or non-specific response:

The innate immunity functions immediately upon engagement with an invader. It is immediate and therefore not always specific; however, it helps to differentiate invading pathogens from host cells triggering phagocytosis (the ingestion of pathogens & foreign matter).

There are two categories of the innate defence mechanisms:

1) First-line defenders — skin, mucous membranes and fluids such as mucus, urine, vomit and acidic vaginal secretions.

2) Second-line defenders — antimicrobial proteins, natural killer cells, phagocytes and inflammatory responses.

 Secondary: Adaptive or specific/acquired immunity.

The adaptive immune response can take several days or weeks to develop. Unlike innate immunity, adaptive immunity is extremely precise and exhibits an immunological memory, cleverly remembering invading pathogens. Any subsequent exposure to these same pathogens leads to a more vigorous and rapid response.

Naturopathic approach:

Our immune system protects us against the multitude of pathogens we face each day and is crucial to our health and wellbeing. Diseases such as HIV, cancer and autoimmune conditions are relatively newly characterised and thus undocumented by traditional herbalists. Instead, the prevailing conditions of the immune system the traditional herbalists dealt with were caused by illnesses such as the plague, tuberculosis, anthrax and leprosy. These conditions share a similarity with the immune conditions that contemporary herbalists and modern-day Naturopaths help to manage, in that they were all recognised to have a microbial origin; for example, the tuberculosis bacillus is implicated in tuberculosis and the bacillus Mycobacterium leprae in leprosy. Therefore, the focus of the modern-day Naturopathic physician is to remove the offending pathogen. This idea is central to contemporary Naturopathic management of immune conditions.

Naturopathic medicine views the body as a self-regulating organism. The Naturopath is merely the facilitator, enhancing the proper function of the immune system so that it can ward off disease, protecting and supporting it against further damage. The Naturopathic physician recognises a range of causative factors for conditions of the immune system and considers all causative triggers as potential treatment areas. Including increased intestinal permeability, increased circulating immune complexes, food allergy or intolerance or underlying infective organism. To best treat immune disorders, the Naturopathic physician must understand that the presence of a microbial infection combined with a susceptible/vulnerable immune system causes immune-compromising events.

Viral infections and acute respiratory illnesses

A virus is a minute organism that is a lot smaller than bacteria and fungi and is unable to reproduce on their own. Viruses invade the host’s cells, taking over so that they can replicate within them. Viruses may be classified according to nucleic material (DNA/RNA), arrangement of nucleic acid (Single or double strand) or structure (Enveloped/non-enveloped). Antibiotics are generally considered ineffective against viral infections and therefore should not be used.

Respiratory infections are caused by invading pathogens that colonise the respiratory system. While most are self-limiting and resolve with time, they can be quite severe. Influenza killed approximately 334 people in New South Wales in 2019, aged between 20 years to 64 years (33 people), and 65+ years (301 people). In 2017 there were 559 laboratory-confirmed influenza deaths in New South Wales, two of which were under 5 years old and another four deaths between the ages of 5 and 19 years. In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) estimates that 36,000 deaths are caused by influenza each year, with higher mortality rates in the elderly, who have weaker immune systems.

SARS-CoV-2 virus (COVID-19):

Of immediate concern right now is Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). This virus is responsible for the outbreak of the 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19). As of 11.30 pm 10th March 2020, the total amount of cases worldwide is 116,055 and climbing. There have been 4089 deaths reported and 64,630 people who have recovered from the illness. The SARS-CoV-2 virus and COVID-19 disease are affecting 115 countries and territories around the world and one international conveyance (The Diamond Princess).

To put the relevant COVID-19 information into perspective, the “Information is Beautiful” website has created some easy to read infographics here: https://informationisbeautiful.net/visualizations/covid-19-coronavirus-infographic-datapack/?fbclid=IwAR1psZ4B4dBTC8UYPipbGP_GYUJU4CNTTb6uesNP40bmSz5zbQ7hivBscyE

What can be done to improve immune function and prevent the severity of a viral infection like SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19)?

SARS-CoV-2 is an enveloped, helical capsid, (-) sense ssRNA virus.

These viruses are easier to sterilise than non-enveloped viruses, have limited survival outside host environments, and typically must transfer directly from host to host. Enveloped viruses possess high adaptability and can change in a short time to evade the immune system. Enveloped viruses can cause persistent infections.

While there certainly has not been any clinical trials done on SARS-CoV-2, there has been a lot of research done on different nutrients and various herbal medicines that reveal strong antiviral properties. Some research has been done on HIV and SARS-Cov (the original SARS virus in 2002) which may or may not be beneficial against SARS-CoV-2. A recent report from Spain revealed that the HIV drug lopinavir-ritonavir, an antiretroviral drug sold under the brand name Kaletra, helped a 62-year-old man recover from COVID-19. Once we understand the mechanism of action that has a proven effect against the virus, herbal medicines that exhibit the same action may prove to be of some benefit.

Recent research will be published in the 16th March 2020, online issue of Cell, Host and Microbe, by a team of researchers at La Jolla Institute for Immunology, in collaboration with researchers at the J. Craig Venter Institute. They have provided the first analysis of potential targets for effective immune responses against the novel coronavirus. The researchers used existing data from known coronaviruses to predict which parts of SARS-CoV-2 are capable of activating the human immune system. The researchers have acknowledged that SARS-CoV-2 is most closely related to SARS-CoV, the original SARS virus of 2002.

This research is significant because several herbal medicines have been shown to exhibit an antiviral effect against SARs-CoV and therefore have the potential to be effective against SARS-CoV-2. In addition to the antiviral actions these herbs exhibit, they also have a host of other benefits, including other immune-enhancing actions. When used correctly, herbal medicines are incredibly effective at enhancing and balancing immune activity, exhibiting antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal, antimicrobial, antiparasitic and immune-modulating actions.

Nutritional supplementation:

Currently, there is a clinical trial underway using 12g to 24g of vitamin C Infusion for the Treatment of Severe 2019-nCoV Infected Pneumonia. This news is promising and illustrates the importance of vitamin C in maintaining robust immune health. It’s important to note that these high doses can not be achieved with oral supplementation. Liposomal (fat-soluble) vitamin C or high-quality vitamin C supplements with lots of bioflavonoids are the best options orally.

Other nutrients that exhibit antiviral actions are:

Quercetin: Antiviral- In vitro: against HSV-1, HSV-2 and adenoviruses, polio-virus type 1, parainfluenza virus type 3 and respiratory syncytial virus.

Vitamin E: Antiviral - Direct antiviral effect against HIV in vitro.

Zinc: Antiviral - shown to have a similar effect to vitamin E against HIV in vitro. Deficiency state plays a vital role in HIV progression.

Selenium: Antiviral – RCT: showed lower viral load in HIV-positive people 200mcg/day. In vitro: influenza A strain. Deficiency state plays an essential role in HIV progression.

Magnesium: Antiviral – A deficiency state plays a vital role in HIV progression.

Vitamin A: Antiviral – A deficiency state plays an essential role in HIV progression.

B vitamins: Antiviral – A deficiency state plays a vital role in HIV progression.

Betacarotene: Antiviral – A deficiency state plays an important role in HIV progression.

Lysine: Lysine has an inhibitory effect on the multiplication of HSV in cell cultures, acting as an antimetabolite by competing with arginine for inclusion into viral replicative processes. As such, lysine retards the viral growth-promoting action of arginine.

Recommendations:

Concerning SARS-CoV-2, I would consider Quercetin because it is a synergistic bioflavonoid that works well with vitamin C.

Zinc because of numerous health benefits in addition to its immune-modulating effect.

Selenium: My favourite source for boosting this nutrient is the Brazil nut. If you have thyroid issues or a prostate problem, you may require supplementation. Be advised by your health practitioner before supplementing.

To relieve stress, Magnesium and B vitamins may be needed.

Vitamin E and Beta-carotene I would get from food sources because there are a lot of negative results from supplement use in clinical trials. However, there is now good evidence for Tocotrienols as a form of vitamin E supplementation.

Vitamin A from Cod liver oil can have many benefits. You will get some vitamin D, however, to get the immune-modulating benefits and to combat viral infections, such as influenza, then you will need to supplement 2000 iu daily, perhaps more. Be advised by your health practitioner.

The lysine-to-arginine ratio is worth considering. Increase lysine foods and reduce arginine sources.

Protein to carbohydrate/sugar ratio: Keep an adequate intake of good quality protein sources in your diet and limit refined sugars or any carbohydrate that is processed or low in fibre.