Vitamins A and E For Immune System

Immune system lowers body protective potential when the body for a long time is affected by radionuclides, heavy metals, pesticides, tobacco smoke, and when the body at this time lacks such natural antioxidants as vitamins A, E, C, beta-carotene, macro- and microelements (calcium, selenium), organic components of plant tissues (bioflavonoids).

The system of antioxidant defense requires consumption of vitamins containing antioxidants as this system plays a very important role in prevention of damages caused by foreign agents. Vitamins E, A, C, beta-carotene, selenium and zinc have immune-stimulating effects – they aggravate immune response in form of virus abtibodies production and production of interferons which disturb virus production in body cells and mobilize anti-cancer immunity.

Vitamin E deficiency leads to lowering of antibodies formation and lymphocyte activity. Admission of Vitamin E increases disease-resistance at all ages and it is most useful for aged people. Nutritional sources of Vitamin E: wheat, porridges from ungrained cereals, green parts of plants, liver, egg yolk, leaf lettuce, sunflower oil.

Vitamin A perfectly stimulates immunity by activating cytotoxic functions of T-lymphocytes and macrophages which provide anti-cancer and anti-viral defebse, resistance to autoimmune and immunodeficient conditions. It is necessary to consume daily 1,5 mg of Vitamin E for the normal work of immunity and its acting against cancer.

Vitamin A deficiency leads to immunity disorders: lowering of B-lymphocites rate, disoreds in antibodies production against microbes. Here most of all is affected cell-mediated immunity: the activity of cells, which are first who monitor cancerous cells, gets lowered, If immunity works normally, those cells fight cancer at its embryon state. Remember that excessively high doses of Vitamin A may lead to balance disorder in certain parts of immune system, so high doses should not be taken. Vitamin A deficiency weakens body immune system and it cannot fight viral infections. Also vitamin A deficiency may provoke allergy for albumens, milk, chicken meat, and this shows with following signs: dry skin, small rash, loss of hair, visual loop. Vitamin A is useful for mentation, attention concentration and reaction rate. Two forms of vitamin A:
- retinol, which is ready-to-use vitamin found in butter, milk, egg yolks, fish oil, liver;
- provitamin A (carotin) found in apricots and other yellow fruits, carrots, green vegetables, cabbage, lettuce, potatoes, plum.

How Your Immune System Works

Human immune system nicely responses to the entering of foreign molecules (called antigens) into the body - it localizes antigens, then neutralizes them to destroy them. When immune system works normally, it is able to protect us from a great range of contagious diseases including our own pathologic cells which are formed in the body.

However, when immune system begins to work incorrectly or stops its work entirely, this may result in such severe diseases as AIDS or cancer. Normal immune reaction may occur naturally when agents of viral infection enter the body or may be activated artificially with the help of various vaccines.

Most vaccines contain dead or very weak microorganisms which cause development of particular disease (pathogens) . These microorganisms just activate immune reaction and do not cause the disease itself. Immunity acquired after vaccination is as strong as natural immunity which appears after body fight with viral infection. However, vaccination not causes in man usual disease symptoms in order to produce normal defensive reaction of immune system. Vaccination is performed gradually against viruses causing such diseases as measles, parotitis, roseola, influenza, poliomyelitis, hepatitis, and also some bacterial infections.

The effectiveness of body immune system work reduces slowly, and as a result with aging immunity becomes weak. It was found that most of cancers which appear in older people result from “aging” of immune system.