Relevance to Immunocompetence

Specific nutrients are essential cofactors for immune system function and nutritional balance is essential for the integration of immune system functions. Nutrient deficiencies impair immune responses and can lead to frequent infections and increased mortality. Also, during aging, immune function is gradually lost as the thymus gland involutes and antigenic exposures accumulate. Two studies have suggested that this immune function decline may be slowed or even reversed through detection and correction of specific nutrient deficiencies. For example, zinc is critical to the maintenance of an effective immune response. This mineral performs catalytic, structural and regulatory roles within the immune system. Numerous studies have shown that once a deficiency has been identified, appropriate supplementation can lead to reduced episodes of infection, improved clinical state, and better recovery after strenuous athletic performance.

B vitamins are also critical to optimal immune function. Vitamin B6 deficiency has been shown to depress both cell-mediated and humoral immune responses, whereas supplementation was found to improve immune function. Vitamin B12 deficiency has also been linked to poor immune function, and B12 therapy was also found to improve immune function in B12 deficient individuals. Finally, clinical and experimental evidence indicates that biotin also plays an essential role in the capacity of the immune system to respond to antigenic challenge. Specific amino acids have also been found to have beneficial immunomodulary effects. Arginine has a role in enhancing lymphocyte response to mitogens, and its use as a supplement during times of injury has proven beneficial to healing. Glutamine is an essential fuel for the proliferation and differentiation of human lymphocytes and has been observed to promote phagocytosis by macrophages.

Of all the nutrients obtainable from foodstuffs, antioxidants may be the most beneficial to the organism in general and to the immune system in particular. Tissue injury from oxidants is particularly hazardous because phagocytic cells produce reactive oxygen species in their defensive role against infection. Sufficient neutralizing antioxidants are therefore required to prevent injury to immune cells and to surrounding tissue. Evidence suggests that boosting immune function with antioxidants results in greater protection against acute infections as well as chronic disease, such as cancer, throughout one's life.
SpectraCell's Spectrox test will evaluate the functional antioxidant capacity of a patient's
lymphocytes, thereby providing an estimate of the capacity of their immune system to protect against oxidative damage. The associated glutathione test will provide a functional estimate of the glutathione reserve of the cells as well. Glutathione, a sulfur containing tri-peptide, functions as a major scavenger of reactive oxygen species, thereby protecting lymphocytes from oxidative damage and enhancing immune function.

The functional bioavailability of essential nutrients supports immunocompetence in many ways. The FIA™ tests measure the growth response of the individual's lymphocytes to mitogenic stimulation under a variety of nutrient depletion conditions. These results aid in identification of specific nutrient deficiencies that could impair the immune system's response to antigenic challenge, thereby, potentially decreasing the frequency of infections and reducing the possibility of developing chronic disease.

REFERENCES

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