"Taming the Fire Within"

Fortifying Immunity and the Gut Barrier Helps Prevent Overactivated Immune Systems

J. Harvey Kellogg once said "...90% of all health problems begin in the digestive tract". Research is proving that statement to be valid.  The gut is a critical organ for meeting the body's nutritional needs, providing immunity and control of the immune system.  The homeostasis of the gut has been called "a controlled state of inflammation".  As the largest exposed body surface with the largest number of immune cells in the body, the immune system of the gut must be competent and the gut barrier functional  in order to maintain this controlled state.  Disruption of immunity or damage to the gut barrier exposes the immune system to higher levels of luminal components which initiate the immune response.  So, immune compromise can be a cause of diarrhea and gastrointestinal illness due to an increased risk of infection or lack of defense against the microflora of the gut.  Likewise, gut barrier dysfunction can lead to immune activation and inflammation initiated by exposure to endotoxin, peptidoglycans, and other by-products from the lumen of the gut. Stress, disease, therapies, malnutrition, surgery and aging are among the many known factors which affect immune competence and barrier function. 

Humoral factors, including proteins such as immunoglobulin, secreted into the gut are often not considered in the care of patients with immune compromise or gut barrier dysfunction, and they should be.  Immunoglobulins are essential proteins for immunity.  The body secretes 5-10 g sIgA per day to protect alimentary and digestive tract.  Colostrum and milk contain immunoglobulin in significant quantities because immunoglobulin is important to defending the immature digestive tract of a newborn. Immunoglobulin and other plasma proteins perform their known biological function in the gut.  Today's technologies now allow for the purification and concentration of selected humoral proteins, mainly immunoglobulins, into a protein concentrate for incorporation into therapeutic nutrition products.  In performing their proven biological functions in the digestive tract, these valued proteins have great potential in "Taming the Fire Within" the body.