Tag

Immune System

All articles tagged with #immune system

health1 day ago•5 min saved

Beyond Sunshine: A Dietitian’s Take on Daily Vitamin D and When It Truly Helps

A dietitian explains why she takes a daily vitamin D to maintain sufficient levels, noting that benefits are greatest when correcting a deficiency rather than adding to already sufficient levels. Evidence suggests adequate vitamin D supports bone health, immune function, and respiratory health, and may lower all-cause mortality risk in deficient individuals. Those with sufficient levels may not notice daily improvements, and excessive dosing can lead to hypercalcemia, so vitamin D supplementation should be guided by medical advice.

via Prevention|

#health #immune-system #nutrition

health2 days ago•6 min saved

New Review Links Alcohol to Dozens of Health Conditions Across the Body

A major review in Addiction synthesizes decades of evidence showing alcohol contributes to dozens of diseases and injuries across nearly every organ, weakens immune defenses and raises infection risk, and while some harms can lessen with reduced or stopped drinking, many damages persist; potential heart benefits of light drinking remain disputed.

via SciTechDaily|

#alcohol #cancer #disease

health-and-medicine4 days ago•5 min saved

D2 Vitamin Supplements May Undercut the Body’s Potent D3, New Analysis Suggests

A meta-analysis and related studies flag that vitamin D2 supplements can lower circulating vitamin D3, the more effective form, while vitamin D3 appears to better support immune function. The findings prompt consideration that D3 could be the preferred supplement for most people, though individual needs and further research remain important.

via ScienceDaily|

#health-and-medicine #immune-system #supplementation

health10 days ago•7 min saved

The Silent Alarm: What Chronic Stress Does to Your Body—and How to Stop It

Chronic stress triggers the body’s fight‑or‑flight response with adrenaline and cortisol, boosting energy in the moment but diverting resources from digestion, repair and immunity when it’s constant. This can raise infection risk, obesity, depression and may influence neurodegenerative processes; individual tolerance varies with life experience and resilience. For acute stress, slow, regulated breathing and regular exercise can dampen the response, while chronic stress may require therapies like CBT or mindfulness plus lifestyle changes and social support. If stress is persistent, seek help and reduce unnecessary stressors (e.g., social media, unsolvable conflicts).

via The Guardian|

#breathing #cbt #cortisol

health20 days ago•12 min saved

Pneumonia Hits Seniors Hard—What Raises Risk and How to Protect Them

Pneumonia is a leading cause of hospitalization, with adults 65 and older about 10 times more likely to be hospitalized and severe cases carrying mortality up to around 20%. The danger comes from both the infecting pathogen and an aging, often multi‑ill, immune system. Vaccines (flu, pneumococcal, COVID‑19, RSV) and managing chronic conditions can reduce risk, while lifestyle choices (hydration, nutrition, exercise, avoiding smoking) and general infection control (hand hygiene, staying home when sick, masking around vulnerable people) also help protect older adults.

via HuffPost|

#elderly #health #immune-system

science20 days ago•7 min saved

Muscles as Endocrine Partners: Movement Is Medicine for the Whole Body

Muscles release signaling molecules called myokines when they contract, influencing immune function, brain health, metabolism, bones, and cardiovascular health. Exercise elevates myokines (e.g., IL-6, irisin, BDNF) and exerkines, promoting fat loss, insulin sensitivity, neuroplasticity, immune surveillance, bone remodeling, and even cancer suppression. A sedentary lifestyle raises disease risk, making regular movement essential for overall health.

via ScienceAlert|

#brain #exercise #immune-system

science24 days ago•42 min saved

Thymus: The aging immune regulator linked to longevity and cancer therapy

Scientists are reframing the thymus—a two-lobed gland behind the breastbone—as a central regulator of aging and immune health, with healthier thymuses linked to longer lifespans, lower cancer and heart-disease risk, and better responses to cancer immunotherapy; researchers are pursuing thymus rejuvenation and engineered thymic tissue to boost vaccines and transplant tolerance.

via Yahoo|

#aging #cancer-immunotherapy #immune-system

health25 days ago•6 min saved

Vitamin D's emerging links to diabetes risk, brain biomarkers, and gut immunity

New studies suggest vitamin D may influence several chronic diseases: high-dose vitamin D (4,000 IU/day) reduced progression from prediabetes to type 2 diabetes in people with AC/CC variants of the vitamin D receptor gene, but had no benefit for others and excess doses carry risks; higher vitamin D levels in midlife were linked to lower tau protein, a biomarker for Alzheimer's, years later but not with beta-amyloid and the study had limitations; in inflammatory bowel disease, 12 weeks of vitamin D supplementation reduced gut inflammation and promoted a more balanced immune response (increasing IgA, decreasing IgG), indicating potential as an adjunct therapy. Overall, vitamin D is not a cure-all and results are preliminary, needing replication and careful medical supervision.

via Medical News Today|

#alzheimers-disease #diabetes #health

health26 days ago•8 min saved

D2 Vitamin May Undercut D3, Reinforcing a Preference for Vitamin D3

A meta-analysis finds vitamin D2 supplements can lower circulating vitamin D3, suggesting vitamin D3 is typically more beneficial for bone and immune health and should be the default choice when possible; D2 and D3 are not interchangeable, and access to plant-based D3 sources is growing.

via SciTechDaily|

#health #immune-system #nutrition-supplementation

health1 month ago•9 min saved

Honey Won’t Cure Seasonal Allergies, Experts Say

Experts say ingesting honey hasn’t been scientifically proven to relieve seasonal allergy symptoms, though honey offers anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits. Local honey is not proven to reduce pollen sensitivity because bees don’t pollinate wind-pollinated plants. Honey is safe for adults and children over one year, but not for babies under one. For allergies, doctors recommend a management plan with avoidance strategies and treatments (nasal sprays, antihistamines, and immunotherapy), along with tracking pollen counts to limit outdoor exposure. The piece also reviews unfiltered, pure honeys as pantry options rather than allergy cures.

via NBC News|

#health #health-benefits #honey

science1 month ago•38 min saved

Mud, moss and learning: Finland's biodiverse playgrounds boost children's immune development

Finland's two-year study across 43 daycare centers swapped artificial surfaces for natural materials (soil, sand, moss, forest floor) in about 75 children, finding fewer disease-associated skin bacteria like Streptococcus, gut microbiome shifts linked to reduced inflammation, and increased immune-regulating T cells—suggesting daily exposure to environmental microbes may strengthen early immune development.

via Yahoo Creators|

#biodiversity #finland #immune-system

science1 month ago•32 min saved

Thymus health linked to longer life, new AI study finds

AI analysis of CT scans shows adults with healthier thymus tissue have around 50% lower risk of death, 63% lower risk of heart disease, and 36% lower risk of lung cancer, challenging the idea that the thymus shrinks and becomes irrelevant after puberty; a second study also linked thymic health to better responses to cancer immunotherapy, suggesting thymus health could help gauge aging risk and guide treatment.

via Yahoo Lifestyle Canada|

#aging #cancer #immune-system

health1 month ago•264 min saved

Vitamin D Boost May Help Reset Immune Response in Some IBD Patients

A study in Cell Reports Medicine followed 48 adults with inflammatory bowel disease and low vitamin D, giving 50,000 IU of vitamin D weekly for 12 weeks. After three months, many participants reported better quality of life, reduced disease activity, and lower inflammatory markers in stool, with the immune system shifting toward greater tolerance of gut bacteria and a more favorable gut microbiome. The findings suggest vitamin D can support immune and gut health in IBD and possibly other autoimmune conditions, though it’s not a universal cure and dosing should be guided by a clinician through regular blood work and tailored advice.

via AOL.com|

#cell-reports-medicine #gut-microbiome #health

health1 month ago•4 min saved

The Immune Drama Behind Seasonal Allergies

Seasonal allergies happen when pollen is misread as a threat by the immune system. Dendritic cells help sensitization, antibodies cluster on mast cells, and subsequent pollen exposure releases histamine and other chemicals that inflame the eyes, nose, and airways, causing itching, congestion, and a runny nose. Eosinophils can prolong symptoms, and about a quarter of US adults are affected, sometimes after one exposure or across several seasons. Treatments like antihistamines and nasal steroids dampen the inflammatory response, while saline rinses help flush out irritants. Different seasons bring different pollen, but effective management is possible with medication and avoidance strategies.

via The New York Times|

#antihistamines #health #histamine

health1 month ago•69 min saved

Keratin 16 acts as a brake on skin inflammation, hinting at new psoriasis therapies

A new study finds keratin 16 normally suppresses skin inflammation by dampening type I interferon signaling; when KRT16 is mutated or absent, inflammation spikes, linking keratin 16 to conditions like pachyonychia congenita, psoriasis, and eczema. The researchers suggest targeting interferon signaling could yield new treatments, as an interferon inhibitor reduced skin lesions in a mouse PC model.

via Live Science|

#health #immune-system #inflammation