Ask the doctor

I'm interested in what role the immune system plays with regard to anti-aging and what I can do to maintain my immune system in this respect.

--A.E., Buffalo, New York

Aging is accelerated--or even caused--by the accumulation of waste products in the body or by cellular damage to various parts of the body. Alzheimer's disease, for instance, is caused by damage to the brain; multiple sclerosis is caused by damage to the nervous system; and emphysema is caused by damage to the lungs.

Of these three conditions, multiple sclerosis and emphysema are commonly caused by immune system reactions. That is, the tissues affected by these conditions were damaged not by an outside invader but by one's own immune system.

The bottom line is that the immune system must be kept in balance. An overactive immune system can cause allergies and autoimmune reactions, while an underactive one can allow diseases that drain the body of its strength and accelerate aging.

How do you achieve a balanced immune system? Here are some ideas to help you get started.

To maintain healthy natural killer (NK) cell activity, which protects the body against outside invaders and internal problems, I recommend mushroom products. The immunopolysaccharide complexes found in mushrooms have been shown to enhance NK cell activity and "modulate" the immune system. Modulation in herbal medicine means to counteract the effects of stress and bring a process back to normal levels.

To achieve this balance, you can eat mushrooms, but the amount required to produce a therapeutic benefit is rather high, so I suggest supplements where the manufacturer can isolate a particular polysaccharide complex and offer it in concentrated form. Active hexose correlated compound (AHCC) is one such product.

Another herb that has the ability to modulate the immune system using polysaecharides is astragalus. Astragalus is a tonifying herb, which means it can be taken for long periods of time without side effects. It's available as a capsule, liquid, teabag and concentrated powder; I suggest following the manufacturer's label for dosage information. Ashwagandha, from the Eastern Indian form of herbal medicine called Ayurveda, also has modulating properties similar to astragalus.

Green tea contains a compound called epigallocatechin, which has been shown in studies to stimulate the production of immune cells and to be antibacterial. There has also been research showing that green tea drinkers generally live longer and have fewer diseases.

Dr. Ervolino is happy to answer your health questions. Email him at askdre@adelphia.net.

Frank Ervolino, ND, lives in Palm City, Florida. He's on the staff of Jupiter Medical Center Hospital as an acupuncturist. He received his doctorate of naturopathic medicine and a master's of science degree in acupuncture from Bastyr University in Seattle, Washington. In 2003, he was appointed by the governor to the Florida State Board of Acupuncture.

COPYRIGHT 2005 PRIMEDIA Intertec, a PRIMEDIA Company. All Rights Reserved.
COPYRIGHT 2005 Gale Group