Viral Immunity

[Guest guest]

Hi folks:

THIS MAY (POSSIBLY) TURN OUT TO BE A VERY IMPORTANT STUDY.

Experience with viral infections in mice suggests that viral immunity

may be impaired during caloric restriction because of inadequate

energy reserves reflected in low body weight. That seems to be in

conflict with anecdotal reports here of fewer cases of viral

infections since starting CR.

Nevertheless, if this study is accurate and applies to humans, then

it likely will have important implications if Avian Flu ever

arrives. The implications might be that one should eat considerably

more temporarily, to increase energy reserves, if there is a

realistic possibility of catching a serious type of flu.

May 2006. PMID: 16614394.

" Malnutrition and Energy Restriction Differentially Affect viral

Immunity " .

The comments associated with FIGURE 1 in the study are:

" FIGURE 1. Weight loss occurs in mice with influenza infection due

to a decrease in energy intake and an increase in energy demands.

Young and aged mice can lose up to 35% of their body weight and

recover from infection, which suggests a critical weight indicative

of sufficient energy reserves to recover from infection. Lifelong ER

results in a 30% decrease in starting weight that may be only

marginally above this critical threshold. In the case of aged ER

mice, 100% mortality was observed by day 7, before an adaptive T cell

response, suggesting a primary influence of underweight on innate

immunity. "

When asked whether sufficient energy supplies could be maintained by

extra feeding, either by mouth or intravenously, either before or

during a flu infection, the author's reply was:

" ....................... In our next studies, we are doing precisely

what you have asked: to determine if the immune response to

influenza can be restored by refeeding prior to infection. We

suspect that it will, but have no data to support our hypothesis.

Stay tuned for our next study. "

It would be a pity for us all to succumb to Avian Flu because of

inadequate energy reserves available to fight the infection.

Rodney.