Immune System

The human immune system is a complex adaptive defence system that has evolved over the years to protect vertebrates from invading pathogens and cancer. It is able to generate an enormous variety of cells and molecules capable of specifically recognizing and eliminating an endless number of hostile foreign invaders like viruses, fungi and bacteria. These cells and molecules are working together to create a unique network whose complexity would rival any computer system. An effective immuno response involves two major groups of cells, lymphocytes and antigen-presenting cells. The two major populations of lymphocytes are labelled B-lymphocytes (B cells) and T-lymphocytes (T-cells). The type of T cell that recognizes the antigen is known as CD4 or T helper cells. B-lymphocytes mature within the bone marrow, while T-lymphocytes, which also arise within stem cells of the bone marrow, migrate to the thymus gland to mature. The thymus gland, located in close proximity to the heart, secretes specific proteins, called thymic proteins, which signal T cells to perform a certain way. With aging comes atrophy of the thymus and altered production of thymic proteins referred to as “thymicpause”.

Immune modulation
In the past, the management of immune conditions has usually involved the use of toxic drugs in order to produce immunosuppression. Alternative therapies have looked at those natural remedies designed to strengthen the immune response, making one more resistant to disease. There is now a new branch of immunology referred to as neuro-immunomodulation. This involves the use of naturally occurring substances able to normalise the immune response. In essence taking a TH1 dominant state and pushing it to a TH2 dominant state. The same would be true of a TH2 state being pushed to a TH1 state. Hence the result is TH1/TH2 balance.

Plant sterols are natural compounds found in edible vegetable oils. Although green and yellow vegetables contain significant amounts, there seed concentrate the sterols. Most of the research on these phytonutrients (plant nutrients) has been done on the seeds of pumpkins, yams, soy, rice and herbs. Studies have shown that the oral administration of plant sterols combined with plant enzymes is able to balance TH1 and TH2 cell types.

Phytosterols
Phytosterols are basically plant fats, which have been implicated in immunomodulation. Phytosterols is the collective name for plant sterols and their sterolin glycosides. In natural foods, the ratio of sterols to sterolins is in the region of 6:1. They occur in most “live” foods, but are very sensitive to heat, cold and oxidising agents. In fact most sterols break down within 6 hours of harvest. The modern diet is almost devoid of phytosterols due to factors such as time between harvest and consumption, processing, preservation techniques etc. It follows then that that the source of phytosterols must be sought elsewhere. There are many sterol products on the market, but all of them are from a chemically extracted source and although the sterol content is much higher, the sterol to sterolin ratio is in the region of 100:1. By implication the sprout derived sterols need only be 1/6th as concentrated to reach the same meaningful concentrations to the digestive system. In addition the bioavailable benefits of sprouts imply a much higher level of sterols and sterolins than the convential products.

Each Nutricare capsule contains 600mg of plant sprouts in powder form with Phytonutrients, Sterols/sterolins, Digestive enzymes, Vitamins and Minerals.

Each Sterolandia 50 capsule contains 50% mixed vegetable and cereal sprouts as in Nutricare and 50 % organic Sutherlandia Microphylla.