Aging of immune system

Young people have a vigorous immune system that constantly check and fight potential diseases. Wherefore as we age past 60 years a marked decline in our immune system affects all the relative functions. It’s an accelerated aging also known as immune senescence, causing the lost of the ability to defend against cancers and infections, because of more and more failing immune cells. We all have three barriers against cancers, bacteria, viruses and infections, which are heavily affected by our natural aging:

Reduction of bone morrow production (the main fabric of our immune cells), which stops making fresh immune system cells, in terms of size and composition. Such reduction in stem cells activity leaves us with reduced numbers of ALL the circulating cell lines. 

Reduction in potency of immune cells (because they’ve lost the ability to constantly, perfectly, totally renovate): the remaining ones are always strained. Such cells are important because prevent serious infections, keeping a constant patrol out for emerging cancers and boosting immunity after a vaccine.

Reduction in the production of cytokines (protein molecules secreted by cells in order to fix the immune system, notifying their various components of a need for attack or cleaning up an infection or repair damaged tissue, etc.), less effective in regulating excessive inflammation (therefore leading to destruction of neurons, joints and endothelium, increased frailty, more exposure to infections).

The good news is that we can partially intervene to reverse the process in favour of each of the above three barriers of defence. Of course you already know a wide variety of supplements, vitamins and minerals to help. But consider these three in particular: Pu-erh tea, Reishi mushrooms and Cistanche. All of them with a milleniums-old history of improving health and longevity. In details:

Pu-erh Tea Extract – derived from fermented, ripened leaves of Camellia sinensis. It stimulates bone marrow activity and enhance the constituents of the circulating immune cells. It also lowers inflammatory levels of cytokines. It’s distinguished from other types of teas by the degree of fermentation, because is a post-fermented tea. Or a ripened tea, if you like. This natural microbial fermentation enhances the availability of beneficial molecules.

Reishi mushroom extract - has a very broad-spectrum immune system coverage, e.g. protecting against herpes simplex, influenza viruses, hepatitis B virus, cancer and even HIV. Thanks to an increased circulation of white blood cells while enhancing antibody-producing cells, stimulating activity of cells that devour bacteria and guide them to their targets.  

Cistanche – is a desert plant commonly used in traditional Chinese medicine. Its extracts have the same benefits of Pu-erh tea and Reishi mushroom: boosting the numbers of circulating white blood cells (such as macrophages) and increasing T cells (which are involved in recognizing new threats and remembering old threats to our health). It stimulates production of bone marrow as well.

Growing older is associated with more health threats, but nowadays more than ever we have increasing powerful weapons to partially reverse the aging immune senescence.     

….Always humble,

Angiolino

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