| Enhancing the Immune System
with Velvet Antler by Scott Owen Hayes Traditional Chinese medicine has for thousands of years utilized the antler for keeping healthy. Based on today's technology, science can now provide the how and why it works, whereas the Chinese based it on the positive results of taking it internally. Antler was prized for the winter months especially, to maintain the body's ability to fight off illnesses such as colds and flu. The whole antler possesses the ability to stimulate the production of white blood cells, (leukocytes), thus modulating the immune system. The immune system allows our bodies to protect itself against a wide range of infecting pathogens and infectious agents. Pathogens are microorganisms or substances which are capable of producing disease or illness within the body. They can include bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites. The balance of the "terrain" (the body's internal environment and the condition of the cells within) is a term that can simplify the understanding of the overall health of the body. Our body, like a battlefield, is constantly at war at the cellular level. This occurs every moment of our life. When the pathogens have the desirable cellular conditions, they can imbalance the terrain, or outnumber the "good guys." We then can become ill or even die as a result. Keeping our bodies in good health helps to keep the terrain in balance, thus allowing our body to defend itself against these pathogens. The immune cells The immune system is comprised of various types of immune cells. These cells have many different functional attributes. The "good guys" are white blood cells (leucocytes). In some situations, they may fight until their death to keep us healthy. Leukocytes are divided into three different categories: granulocytes, monocytes and lymphocytes. Granulocytes include basophils, neutrophils and eosinophils. There are two major cells: B lymphocytes and T lymphocytes. Both are produced in the bone marrow. T lymphocytes mature in the thymus gland. L-arginine, an amino acid found in velvet antler, may enhance the activity of the thymus gland, which assists in the development of the T cell lymphocytes. Both B lymphocytes and T lymphocytes have different functions while performing important roles in the immune system. B cell lymphocytes produce antibodies. Immunoglobulins are antibodies. There are five classes of immunoglobulins: IgG, IgA, IgM, IgE and IgD, some of these having sub-classes. Each class performs specific duties within the immune system. Antibodies are one of two vital antigen-recognition molecules found on the T cell, known as T cell receptors. An antigen is an agent that stimulates the immune response. T cell lymphocytes provide important pathogen-destroying functions while also assisting the B cell lymphocytes in their role. Monocytes are precursors to the foreign pathogen-eating cells known as macrophages. The term macrophage comes from the Greek origin, meaning big eater. Lymph nodes usually swell during an infection due to the increase maturation and proliferation, (along with lymphocytes). [Church (1999) showed an increase of monocytes in rats given velvet antler extracts. In addition, Li and Wang (1990) cited Chinese studies showing that treatment of rats with a velvet antler extract resulted in marked increases in the numbers of monocytes, suggesting the presence of components that might affect the immune system.] Neutrophils, a granulocyte, are involved in the inflammatory response. During the initial phase of infection, neutrophils are phagocytic (eat cells), by leaving the blood and entering the tissue, thus destroying the pathogens. They produce granules containing enzymes and bactericide chemicals, which literally destroy the cell by breaking it down, similar to a macrophage. [In New Zealand, researchers have found that extracts from velvet antler increased neutrophil levels in the mice were two- to three-fold for antler. The higher levels of neutrophils increased the body's ability to resist injury and disease.] Cytokines are found in velvet antler. Cytokines are chemical messengers of the immune cells. They signal between cells during an immune response and regulate many other cells of the immune system.. Two types of cytokines are interferons and interleukins. Interferons limit the spread of infections by protecting the cells from attack. Interleukins are important factors to "acute phase response." Interleukin-1 (IL-1) seems to induce fever, initiating immune response, inflammation and inducing sleep. Interluekin-2 (IL-2) stimulates the growth of T lymphocytes. Depending on the interleukin, different reactions in the body are precipitated. There are more than 30 different known types of interleukins to date. Natural killer cells, a certain type of lymphocyte, may also be stimulated by the use of velvet antler. These cells differentiate themselves from cytotoxic T cells, in that they do not need stimulation by an antigen. The immune system is complex in nature. The body's ability to ward off infections in the form of foreign pathogens depends solely on a healthy immune system. Not only can these defensive immune cells interact with foreign pathogens, they have the ability to remember and recognize disease or illness causing pathogens, giving lasting immunity in the body. These memory cells reside in tissue or circulate throughout the body, awaiting to respond again. This secondary response to a previous foreign pathogen is usually more rapid and stronger against specific diseases or illnesses. A healthy diet, a clean environment and dietary supplements like velvet antler may help to enhance your immune system and keep you in better health. Immune enhancement was still observed even in low doses of velvet antler, possibly due to the cytokines found in velvet antler. [Suttie and Haines, 1996]. Scott Owen Hayes is a dedicated researcher who is involved in activities providing accurate comprehensive information on the efficacy of herbs, vitamins and nutraceuticals. He provides his clients with a basic knowledge of herbal, homeopathic and naturopathic remedies, and he is a consultant to retailers and manufacturers. Contact him at herbalpi@yahoo.com Copyright © 2003 Scott Owen Hayes |
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