Want Effective Immune Support? Then Stop Pigeon-Holing Botanicals

If we want our patients’ immune systems to be robust, we must take a wider view of immune health. After all, immune system support is really about whole-body health. If a patient’s body is under strain from various comorbidities, it will be more challenging to endure threats to the immune system. That’s why the botanicals and other ingredients are crucial to maintain whole-body biochemistry in a way that strengthens the immune system and maintains optimal overall health. In this article, I’ll focus on three powerful ingredients that have widespread health effects.

Berberine’s Multifaceted Uses

This botanical boasts some multi-factorial benefits to health. For example, it supports healthy blood sugar and insulin metabolism¹ and cholesterol already in the normal range.² It also supports colon health.³ Berberine maintains a healthy inflammatory response and has antioxidant actions, two properties that make it useful in many aspects of health.⁴ In regards to immunity, it has antiviral effects and immune-regulatory actions.⁴ Berberine also has immunomodulatory effects in autoimmunity.⁵

N-Acetyl Cysteine (NAC): An Antimucolytic and More

NAC clears excess mucous from the body. In a warm and moist body, mucous is the ultimate petri dish for unwanted organisms, whether the initial irritation is from an allergen or a virus.

NAC is known for its ability to promote healthy immune function and maintain the health of the respiratory system by reducing mucous,^6,7, but it also has been studied in other applications such as heart and neuropsychiatric health.⁸ NAC’s primary mechanism of action involves raising levels of glutathione, the master antioxidant. Increasing glutathione levels is linked to cognitive function, liver health, blood sugar and insulin support, skin health, and immunity.⁹

Reduce Susceptibility with Olive Leaf Extract

Olive leaf extract is known for its ability to defend against unwanted microbes.¹⁰ Olive leaf extract is another ingredient in Tru Immune Support with many clinical applications beyond immunity.

Olive leaf extract has antioxidant properties, supports healthy blood pressure already in the normal range, maintains insulin and glucose metabolism and healthy cholesterol, and promotes heart health.¹¹ Some research suggests it also can support a healthy inflammatory response in the bone marrow and other areas of the body and assists with weight management.^11,12

One randomized, placebo-controlled, crossover trial of 46 men found that olive leaf extract improved insulin sensitivity in middle-aged, overweight men.¹³

By taking olive leaf extract and paying attention to diet and lifestyle, we are positively helping mitigate comorbidities that increase susceptibility toward contracting microbial issues and lead to less favorable outcomes.

Counteract Inflammation

All of the ingredients mentioned in this article aid the body against inflammation. When our defenses are down, we increase our likelihood of getting sinusitis, bronchitis, and pharyngitis. As the designation “itis” suggests, these are all inflammation-related conditions.

Hence, an immune support product doesn’t just mirror an allopathic approach to antimicrobial therapy; it embraces the concept that botanicals have been used as food for humanity for millennia, which means they are used in both a preventative and acute capacity to support a healthy inflammatory response.

References:

1. Yin J, Xing H, Ye J. Efficacy of berberine in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Metabolism. 2008;57(5):712-717.
2. Zhao JV, Yeung WF, Chan YH, et al. Effect of Berberine on Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors: A Mechanistic Randomized Controlled Trial. Nutrients. 2021;13(8).
3. Chen YX, Gao QY, Zou TH, et al. Berberine versus placebo for the prevention of recurrence of colorectal adenoma: a multicentre, double-blinded, randomised controlled study. Lancet Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2020;5(3):267-275.
4. Babalghith AO, Al-Kuraishy HM, Al-Gareeb AI, et al. The role of berberine in Covid-19: potential adjunct therapy. Inflammopharmacology. 2022;30(6):2003-2016.
5. Ehteshamfar SM, Akhbari M, Afshari JT, et al. Anti-inflammatory and immune-modulatory impacts of berberine on activation of autoreactive T cells in autoimmune inflammation. J Cell Mol Med. 2020;24(23):13573-13588.
6. Assimakopoulos SF, Aretha D, Komninos D, et al. N-acetyl-cysteine reduces the risk for mechanical ventilation and mortality in patients with COVID-19 pneumonia: a two-center retrospective cohort study. Infect Dis (Lond). 2021;53(11):847-854.
7. Shi Z, Puyo CA. N-Acetylcysteine to Combat COVID-19: An Evidence Review. Ther Clin Risk Manag. 2020;16:1047-1055.
8. Raghu G, Berk M, Campochiaro PA, et al. The Multifaceted Therapeutic Role of N-Acetylcysteine (NAC) in Disorders Characterized by Oxidative Stress. Curr Neuropharmacol. 2021;19(8):1202-1224.
9. Diotallevi M, Checconi P, Palamara AT, et al. Glutathione Fine-Tunes the Innate Immune Response toward Antiviral Pathways in a Macrophage Cell Line Independently of Its Antioxidant Properties. Front Immunol. 2017;8:1239.
10. Borjan D, Leitgeb M, Knez Ž, Hrnčič MK. Microbiological and Antioxidant Activity of Phenolic Compounds in Olive Leaf Extract. Molecules. 2020;25(24).
11. Vogel P, Kasper Machado I, Garavaglia J, Zani VT, de Souza D, Morelo Dal Bosco S. Polyphenols benefits of olive leaf (Olea europaea L) to human health. Nutr Hosp. 2014;31(3):1427-1433.
12. Lockyer S, Corona G, Yaqoob P, Spencer JP, Rowland I. Secoiridoids delivered as olive leaf extract induce acute improvements in human vascular function and reduction of an inflammatory cytokine: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over trial. Br J Nutr. 2015;114(1):75-83.
13. de Bock M, Derraik JG, Brennan CM, et al. Olive (Olea europaea L.) leaf polyphenols improve insulin sensitivity in middle-aged overweight men: a randomized, placebo-controlled, crossover trial. PLoS One. 2013;8(3):e57622.