Showing posts with label inflammation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label inflammation. Show all posts
Vitamin D3 Halts Inflammation to Lower Cardiovascular Disease Risk
Tuesday, May 6, 2014
Thousands of research studies have demonstrated the powerful health-promoting properties of the prohormone compound, vitamin D3. Researchers publishingin The Journal of Immunology explain the specific molecular and signaling events by which vitamin D inhibits inflammation in the human body. In a very detailed analysis, scientists show that low blood circulating levels of vitamin D do not adequately inhibit the inflammatory cascade necessary to turn off this potentially destructive mechanism.
Low levels of inflammation, normally used by the body to fight pathogenic invaders, become a primary cause of heart disease, diabetes, many cancer lines and Alzheimer’s dementia. Additional evidence reportedin the British Journal of Nutrition demonstrates that adequate vitamin D levels reduce critical markers of cardiovascular health and can lead to significant reductions in body fat in overweight and obese people. It is critical to have your vitamin D level checked, and supplement as necessary to lower inflammation levels and risk of heart disease.
Vitamin D Lowers Inflammation to Prevent Chronic Disease and Stimulate Immune Response Systems
Dr. Elena Goleva, lead scientist from National Jewish Health, found that prior studies with vitamin D show a clear and positive link between blood levels of the prohormone and a variety of different health outcomes. Dr. Goleva and her team looked for specific mechanisms to explain precisely how vitamin D functions at the cellular level to prevent disease in the human body.
Dr. Goleva and her team of researchers noted that vitamin D is a catalyst that initiates “a clear chain of cellular events, from the binding of DNA, through a specific signaling pathway, to the reduction of proteins known to trigger inflammation.” To test how vitamin D acts on immune and inflammatory pathways, team scientists exposed human white blood cells to varying levels of vitamin D and exposed them to an agent known to promote intense inflammatory responses and advance disease processes.
Vitamin D Lowers Inflammatory Markers and Increases Health-Promoting HDL Cholesterol
White blood cells that were incubated with no vitamin D or a solution of 15 ng/mL produced very high levels of the pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-6 and TNF-alpha. In vivo, these signaling messengers are known to be responsible for the development and progression of cardiovascular disease, certain forms of cancer and dementia. Cells incubated at a concentration of 30 ng/mL and above showed a significantly reduced response, while the highest level of inflammatory inhibition occurred at 50 ng/ml.
Supporting evidence for the health-promoting effect of vitamin D as reported in the journal BMJ shows marked improvement in cardiovascular biomarkers including HDL cholesterol. Additionally, researchers found the hormone-like substance lowered the risk of lipid peroxidation, the process responsible for making LDL cholesterol molecules sticky and prone to form atherosclerotic plaque. They also determined that high circulating levels of vitamin D were associatedwith “significant reductions in fat mass”in overweight and obese people.
There should be no doubt that the millions of people living with grossly sub-optimal vitamin D levels are dramatically increasing their risk of developing a plethora of potentially deadly illnesses. Health-minded individuals will ensure they maintain a circulating blood level of 50 to 70 ng/mL by means of a 25(OH)D blood test to regulate systemic inflammation and fight chronic disease.
Omega 3 Fats Found in Fish Oil Boost Immune Response to Help Fight Inflammation and Disease
Friday, February 21, 2014
Fish Oil Fats, DHA and EPA Stimulate Immune System B cells to Fight Inflammation and Disease Risk
A group of researchers from the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition at Michigan State University have published the result of their work in the Journal of Leukocyte Biology that shows how DHA-rich fish oil enhances B cell activity, a white blood cell that is critical to activate our immune response. One of the study authors, Dr. Jennifer Fenton explained “Fish oil may have immune enhancing properties that could benefit immunocompromised individuals.”
Omega-3 fat sources including fish oil include the long chain fatty acids, DHA and EPA that have been shown in a number of prior studies to reduce total body inflammation that help to lower the risk of developing many chronic illnesses including cancer, heart disease, dementia and stroke. Researchers now uncover how these special fats enhance B-cell activity, a white blood component necessary to improve immune system activity and lower inflammatory response.
Supplement Daily with A Distilled Fish Oil Capsule to Squelch Inflammation and Lower Disease Risk
Researchers used two mouse models to conduct their study, one group was fed a control diet and the other was fed a diet supplemented with DHA-rich fish oil for a period of five weeks. B cells were taken from various tissues and the scientists then looked for markers of B cell activation on the cell surface, B cell membrane changes, and B cell cytokine production to assess immune response activation.
The team found that those mice supplemented with DHA-enriched fish oil demonstrated B cell activation and antibody production to aid immune response and pathogen clearance, while damping systemic inflammation. The authors concluded “This work confirms similar findings on fish oil and B cells… and moves us one step closer to understanding the immune enhancing properties of EPA and DHA.” Adults should supplement with a distilled fish oil preparation (1,200 to 2,400 mg EPA/DHA per day) to fight inflammation and heighten immune system response.
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