This information is from Nutri Advanced and refers to the ImmunoBlast supplements. An amazing supplement giving multiple nutrients to assist your immune system.

Poor Immune Function is Widespread


Fast paced 21st century living and poor diets can literally play havoc with immune function. Problems such as increased susceptibility to illness and longer recovery times hint at a weakened immune system. Further down the line, the immune system can become out of balance leading to widespread inflammation. More serious problems with auto-immunity have become increasingly common as the immune system begins to lose its ability to distinguish between self and non-self cells.

Unfortunately, many people are unaware that the typically stressful demands of 21st century living coupled with a poor diet can have such a negative effect on the immune system. Most are also ‘too busy’ to be ill, yet a weakened immune system all too often leads to regular time off work to recuperate.

Immunity and Sports Performance


For athletes, a weakened immune system means missed training sessions and under performance. Perhaps unsurprisingly, many athletes function in a permanently immuno-compromised state, simply because of the toll that intense physical training takes on their body.

Research has shown that high intensity exercise results in a temporary weakening of the immune system, creating an ‘open window’ for opportunistic pathogens to attack. This can negatively impact training sessions and get in the way of performance gains.

Providing nutritional support and nurturing the optimal environment for a healthy functioning immune system is absolutely key for long term optimal health, and particularly critical for athletes regularly engaged in high intensity training sessions and competitive events.

Supporting Optimal Immune Function


Beta 1-3/1-6 Glucans in ImmunoBlast


Wellmune WGP® is a naturally-occurring beta 1-3/1-6 glucan derived from the cell walls of a proprietary strain of yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Wellmune WGP® beta 1-3/1-6 glucan acts as a biological response modifier by triggering the body’s natural protective immune strategies; it uniquely enhances the function of the immune system without over stimulating it.

Beta 1-3/1-6 glucans specifically bind to receptors on neutrophils, the most abundant immune cell found throughout the body (60-70% of all immune cells are neutrophils) and activate their anti-microbial activity, which includes immune cell migration to the injury site as well as increased phagocytosis.

Much research has now been carried out on this innovative, immune-supportive nutrient, with results consistently demonstrating its effectiveness in helping to protect the immune system against harmful physical or lifestyle stress.

In a 2012 double blind placebo-controlled study researchers recruited 324 marathon runners who were given either 250mg Wellmune WGP® beta 1-3/1-6 glucan or placebo daily. Results showed that beta glucan supplementation significantly reduced the number of days that the subjects reported both general health problems as well as cold/flu symptoms. Researchers concluded this was likely due to alterations in monocytes, plasma cytokines and improved mucosal immunity.3


Daily supplementation with Wellmune WGP® beta 1-3/1-6 glucan has been found to be helpful in reducing symptoms and improving quality of life in allergy sufferers.6 

Further studies have shown significant benefits for improving mood state and upper respiratory tract infections in stressed women.7

A wealth of research to date demonstrates the potential widespread application of this innovative natural supplement. Wellmune WGP® beta 1-3/1-6 glucan has been proven to be a natural, safe and effective way to support the immune system, without over stimulation, in individuals of all ages. It has been shown to be of particular help to athletes regularly engaging in high intensity exercise.

Vitamin C


Vitamin C is possibly the single most important nutrient for the immune system. A water-soluble nutrient, it is essential for the formation of adrenal hormones and the production of lymphocytes as well as being a potent antioxidant.

Clinical research has shown that vitamin C in large enough amounts, has considerable anti-viral and anti-bacterial effects.8 Vitamin C is synthesised internally by most organisms except humans (and a few other notable exceptions) and so must be consumed regularly to maintain optimal levels.

Vitamin A


Vitamin A plays an essential role in maintaining the first line of defence: the epithelial and mucosal surfaces and their secretions. These systems constitute a primary non-specific host defense mechanism. In addition, vitamin A stimulates and/or enhances numerous immune processes, including anti-tumour activity, enhancement of white blood cell function, and increased antibody response.9 If used properly, vitamin A is non-toxic and forms a vital part of the body’s  defense system.

Beta-Carotene


Beta-carotene is the plant form of vitamin A, found in abundance in fruits and vegetables. It is converted by the body into vitamin A, and supports the function of the thymus gland via its antioxidant activity.

Vitamin E


Vitamin E interacts with a A and C, acting as a primary antioxidant and scavenger of toxic free radicals. The activity of vitamin E is an integral part of the body’s complex defense system and has been shown to be effective in improving the functioning of B- and T-cells in particular.10

Zinc


Zinc is involved in virtually every aspect of immunity. When zinc levels are low, the number of T cells decrease, thymic hormone levels lower, and many white blood cell functions critical to the immune response cease. Fortunately, all these effects are reversible upon adequate zinc administration.11,12

Vitamin D


Statistics now show that we are experiencing epidemic levels of vitamin D deficiency; a critical nutrient for many aspects of immunity. Chronic vitamin D deficiency is now strongly associated with an increased risk of dying from colon, prostate, breast and ovarian cancer.13 Vitamin D’s anti-cancer power is thought to be due to its ability to block the growth of new blood vessels that allow tumours to grow, a process called angiogenesis.

Researchers in Belgium have recently shown that vitamin D lowers C-Reactive Protein (CRP), a measure of inflammation in the body, in critically ill patients.15 Even small amounts of vitamin D, about 500iu per day, lowered inflammation by more than 25% in a small group of critically ill patients. Another marker of inflammation (IL-6) was reduced even more. The researchers also found that critically ill patients were profoundly deficient in vitamin D.

The body of research behind vitamin D means that it is now not viewed simply as a vitamin with a role in promoting bone health, but as a complex hormone that helps to regulate immune system function.

Long-term vitamin D deficiency has been linked to immune disorders such as Multiple Sclerosis (MS), Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), Type 1 Diabetes (IDDM), Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) and some cancers.16-18 Researchers have found experimentally, that vitamin D deficiency results in the increased incidence of autoimmune disease. Data is now also emerging that suggests there may be a role for vitamin D in the development of self-tolerance.19

Since vitamin D isn’t naturally present in many foods, it isn’t possible to achieve optimal vitamin D intake from food sources alone. The major source (80 – 100%) of vitamin D is actually sunshine; vitamin D is primarily manufactured in the skin on contact with sunshine. Most experts now agree that supplementation is currently the safest and most effective method of achieving optimal vitamin D status. Supplements should contain vitamin D in the form of vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol), since this is the form naturally produced by the skin upon exposure to sunlight and data has shown this is the most efficient form at increasing serum vitamin D levels.20

References
1. Hackney AC, Koltun KJ The immune system and overtraining in athletes: clinical implications. Acta Clin Croat. 2012 Dec;51(4):633- 41.
2. Eda N, Shimizu K et al. Altered Secretory Immunoglobulin A on skin surface after intensive exercise J Strength Cond Res. 2012 Dec 17. [Epub ahead of print]
3. Navalta JA, Carpenter KC, et al. Baker’s Yeast Beta Glucan Supplementation Reduces The Number Of Cold/Flu Symptomatic Days After Completing A Marathon. American College of Sports Medicine 59th Annual Meeting San Francisco, CA May 30, 2012
4. Carpenter KC, Breslin WL et al. Baker’s yeast β-glucan supplementation increases monocytes and cytokines post-exercise: implications for infection risk? British Journal of Nutrition 21st May 2012 FirstView Article : pp 1-9
5. Carpenter KC, Breslin WL et al. The Effects of Yeast β-Glucan Supplementation on Monocyte and Cytokine Response to Exercise. Presented to the International Society of Exercise Immunology. July 11-13, 2011. St. Catherine’s College, University of Oxford, United Kingdom
6. Talbott SM, Talbott JA et al. Baker’s Yeast Beta-Glucan Supplement Reduces Allergy Symptoms and Improves Quality of Life in Ragweed Sufferers Presented at Experimental Biology 2011. April 2011. Washington, D.C.
7. Talbott SM, Talbott J et al. Beta-Glucan Supplement Reduces URTIs & Improves Mood State in Stressed Women Presented to the American College of Nutrition. October 10, 2010. New York, NY
8. Bendich A. Vitamin C and immune responses. Food Technol 41, 112-114, 1987.
9. Semba RD. Vitamin A, immunity, and infection. Clin Inf Dis 19, 489- 499, 1994.
10. Burton GW and Traber MG. Vitamin E: Antioxidant activity, biokinetics, and bioavailability. Annu Rev Nutr 10, 357-382, 1992.
11. Dardenne M, et al. Contribution of zinc and other metals to the biological activity of the serum thymic factor. Proc Natl Acad Sci 79, 5370-5373, 1982.
12. Bogden JD, et al. Zinc and immunocompetence in the elderly: Baseline data on zinc nutriture and immunity in unsupplemented subjects. Am J Clin Nutr 46, 101-109, 1987.
13. Li, Kong et al. 1, 25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 is a negative endocrine regulator of the rennin-angiotensin system. J Clin Invest 2002, 110: 229-238
14. Pilz, Dobnig et al. Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention. 2008, Volume 17, Number 5, Pages 1228-1233, doi:1055-9965.EPI- 08-0002 “Low Serum Levels of 25-Hydroxyvitamin D Predict Fatal Cancer in Patients Referred to Coronary Angiography”
15. Van den Bergeh, Roosbroeck et al. Bone turnover in prolonged critical illness: effect of vitamin D. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2003 Oct; 88 (10): 4623-32
16. Hypponen, Laara et al. Intake of Vitamin D and risk of type 1 diabetes: a birth-cohort study. Lancet. 2001; 358 (9292): 1500-1503
17. Munger, Zhang et al. Vitamin D intake and incidence of multiple sclerosis. Neurology. 2004; 62 (1): 60-65
18. Merlino, Curtis et al. Vitamin D intake is inversely associated with rheumatoid arthritis: results from the Iowa Women’s Health Study. Arthritis Rheum. 2004; 50 (1): 72-77
19. Catorna MT, Mahon BD. Exp Biol Med (Maywood). 2004 Dec; 229 (11): 1136-42 Mounting evidence for vitamin D as an environmental factor affecting autoimmune disease prevalence.
20. Trang HM, Cole DEC, Rubin et al. (1998) American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 68, 854-858 ‘Evidence that vitamin D3 increases serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D more efficienctly than does vitamin D2’.