Immune Health Gut Check #2

Continued from Yesterday:

The young have proven worthy immune research subjects, as three months of supplementation with a synbiotic preparation (Lactobacillus helveticus R0052, Bifidobacterium infantis R0033, Bifidobacterium bifidum R0071, and fructooligosaccharide [FOS]) for three months decreased the risk of occurrence of common infectious diseases in children and limited the risk of school day loss.5 The randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter study was conducted in 135 young school-age children (3 to 7 years old) during a winter period and involved supplementation with either ProbioKid (n=62), from Institut Rosell, or a placebo (n=73). Results showed the relative risk reduction was a significant 25 percent in the probiotic group compared to the placebo group.

Synbiotics were also the focus of a 2010 report on research conducted by scientists from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, and Annamalai University, Chidambaram, India.6 In the community-based, double-masked, randomized controlled trial, children 1 to 3 years of age were randomly assigned to receive either control milk (n = 312) or milk fortified with 2.4 g/day of prebiotic oligosaccharide and 19 million CFU/d of probiotic Bifidobacterium lactis HN019 (n = 312). Incidence of dysentery episodes decreased by 21 percent, pneumonia by 24 percent and severe acute lower respiratory infection (ALRI) by 35 percent in the intervention group, compared to controls. Further, children taking the synbiotic milk had a 16-percent and 5-percent reduction in days with severe illness and high fever, respectively.

Most children receive their first immune boost from their mothers via mother’s milk, which contains many immune compounds. As a supplement, bovine colostrum (mother’s milk from cows) offers similar nutrients and compounds, including proline-rich polypeptides (PRPs) that function as signaling peptides produced by activated macrophages and activated T-cells. PRPS, also known as colostrinins, are thought to contain active peptides that impact immune cytokines such as IFN or interferon.

Research presented at the 2007 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) annual meeting in San Diego showed PRPs from colostrum modulated cytokines in 62 allergy patients after supplementation via throat spray used every four hours for seven days. All subjects showed significant-to-moderate relief from both seasonal, food and other allergy symptoms.

In 2010, a study conducted by NIS Labs revealed an extract from colostrum whey (as Immunel™, from Sterling Technology) rapidly improved immune defense mechanisms in human subjects. Specifically, the double blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled, cross-over human clinical pilot study found Immunel supplementation improved activation and function of immune cells participating in anti-bacterial and anti-viral defense mechanisms, and improved phagocytic activity and immune surveillance by NK cells. The researchers noted the effect was most pronounced between one and two hours after supplementation.


http://www.naturalproductsinsider.com/articles/2011/01/immune-health-gut-check.aspx

http://www.depsyl.com

http://back2basicnutrition.com/

http://bionutritionalresearch.olhblogspace.com/