New research: "smart" vitamin A plays multiple roles in the immune system, depending on the body’s needs

(NaturalNews) It’s been known for a long time that a lack of vitamin A can make you susceptible to infections. On the other hand, some research has shown vitamin A can suppress the immune system. What gives? Now researchers think they know. It turns out vitamin A is a remarkably “smart” vitamin. It integrates both pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory immune responses in the gastrointestinal tract (GI), depending on what the body needs. So vitamin A pumps up the pro-inflammatory response when necessary to zap GI infections and it cools down the immune system to help prevent autoimmune responses. That’s the conclusion of a study recently published by Cell Press in the journal Immunity . Researchers from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases found the vitamin A metabolite retinoic acid (RA)and one of its receptors (RAR) have specific anti-inflammatory properties which induce production of regulatory T cells. The result? A dampening of the immune response to self and foreign antigens, including the bacteria that are normally present in the gastrointestinal tract. However, the scientists also found evidence that RA helps stimulate a pro-inflammatory immune response, when needed, to overcome infection. Dr Jason Hall, primary author of the study, and colleagues demonstrated through their new research that immune responses to infection and vaccination were compromised when there was a lack of vitamin A. They also documented that RA triggers the T cells driving these responses. Based on their findings, the research team thinks the vitamin A metabolite RA influences the immune response during the early stages of activation and can pump up the capacity of the host to develop regulatory or inflammatory responses. This is especially important in the GI tract. After all, the gastrointestinal system needs to tolerate constant exposure to food and the beneficial microbes that colonize the GI tract while at the same time maintaining the capacity to rapidly respond to encounters with any disease-causing infectious agents. “These conflicting pressures confront the immune system responsible for defending the gastrointestinal tract with a unique challenge. In our study, we identified RA/RAR signaling pathway as a fitting system to accomplish these identified RA/RAR tasks, promoting generation of regulatory T cells and likely tolerance during normal conditions and adaptive T cell responses when faced with pathogens,” senior study author Dr. Yasmine Belkaid explained in a statement to the media. Simply put, the research team’s studies reveal a fundamental role for vitamin A in the development of both regulatory and inflammatory arms of GI immune responses. These findings add to the growing body of evidence that nutritional status is a broad regulator of the immune system. For more information: http://www.eurekalert.org/jrnls/cell/pages/immunity.php

Breastfed babies make stronger, healthier adolescents

(NaturalNews) A new study published in the Journal of Nutrition adds more evidence to the fact that breastfed babies end up healthier and more vibrant than babies that are not breastfed. Enrique Garcia Artero and his colleagues from the University of Granada determined that breastfeeding leads to increased muscle muscle mass, greater athletic performance, and overall improved health as children grow into adolescence. “Our objective was to analyze the relationship between the duration of breastfeeding babies and their physical condition in adolescence,” explained Artero concerning the study. “The results suggest further beneficial effects and provide support to breastfeeding as superior to any other type of feeding.” Artero and his team evaluated over 2,500 children, both breastfed and non-breastfed. They observed larger leg muscles in breastfed children compared to non-breastfed children, and breastfed children were also able to jump farther than non-breastfed children in a horizontal jumping test. Researchers also observed that the longer a child was breastfed, the better her or she performed physically later in life. “Until now, no studies have examined the association between breastfeeding and future muscular aptitude,” added Artero. “However, our results concur with the observations made as regards other neonatal factors, such as weight at birth, are positively related to better muscular condition during adolescence.” Breast milk contains a wide range of vital immunological factors that are necessary for young children to develop healthy immune systems. Without these nutrients, children are more prone to allergies, skin disorders, obesity, diabetes, and other serious illnesses. Additionally, the vital nutrients in breast milk are needed for proper brain development and intelligence formation. Breastfeeding is also beneficial to mothers as it lowers their risk of developing both breast cancer (http://www.naturalnews.com/028469_brstfeeding_brst_cancer.html) and type-2 diabetes (http://www.naturalnews.com/029631_brstfeeding_diabetes.html). Sources for this story include: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2011-01/f-sf-mmi010511.php

Antioxidants help arteries stay healthy in people at risk for heart disease

(NaturalNews) Antioxidants are substances that protect cells against the effects of free radicals — molecules produced when the body breaks down food or is exposed to environmental toxins and radiation. Free radicals are believed to play a role in heart disease, cancer and other disorders. So it makes sense that antioxidants could help protect or even treat many health problems. However, some poorly designed studies have given antioxidants mixed results (http://www.naturalnews.com/023357_pharmas_antioxidants_vitamins.html) and resulted in the mainstream media reporting that antioxidants are virtually worthless. But new research provides hard evidence that taking antioxidant supplements long-term produces dramatic benefits in people with multiple cardiovascular risk factors. That’s the conclusion of a randomized, controlled trial of vitamin C, vitamin E, coenzyme Q10 and selenium capsules. The research results, just reported in BioMed Central’s journal Nutrition and Metabolism , show these dietary antioxidants produce multiple positive effects on sugar and fat metabolism, blood pressure and arterial flexibility (which allows blood to move freely through the body). The study was conducted by scientist Reuven Zimlichman and his research team at Wolfson Medical Center in Israel. They randomly divided 70 high blood pressure patients into two groups. One group was given antioxidants supplements and the other took placebo capsules for six months. Those taking the antioxidants received vitamin C (1000 mg/day), vitamin E (400 i.u/day), coenzyme Q10 (120 mg/day) and selenium (200 mcg/day). Tests at the beginning of the trial, after three months, and again after six months documented that patients in the antioxidant group had marked improvements in their cardiovascular health. They had more elastic arteries and better blood sugar levels. In addition, their cholesterol profiles were healthier with a significant increase in HDL, the so-called “good”, heart-protective cholesterol. In fact, the researchers concluded “antioxidant supplements have the potential to alleviate atherosclerotic damage..” “Antioxidant supplementation significantly increased large and small artery elasticity in patients with multiple cardiovascular risk factors. This beneficial vascular effect was associated with an improvement in glucose and lipid metabolism as well as significant decrease in blood pressure,” Dr. Zimlichman said in a statement to the media. “The findings of the present study justify investigating the overall clinical impact of antioxidant treatment in patients with multiple cardiovascular risk factors.” More hopeful news for heart patients: another study by Dr. Zimlichman and colleagues published in the June issue of the Journal of Cardiovascular Pharmacology , found that taking the amino acid L-arginine long-term also helped people with multiple cardiovascular risk factors. In this randomized, placebo-controlled trial, 90 patients were assigned to receive either oral L-arginine capsules or placebo capsules. After six months, tests indicated those taking L-arginine had improved vascular health — including a significant decrease in systolic blood pressure. For more information: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20604917 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20531213 http://www.naturalnews.com/021976.html