How to Reduce Inflammation
Calcium, dairy consumption, and low calorie diets reduce inflammatory stress
We have recently shown 1alpha,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol increased oxidative stress and inflammatory stress in vitro, whereas suppression of 1alpha,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol with dietary calcium decreased oxidative and inflammatory stress in vivo. However, dairy products contains additional factors, such as angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, which may further suppress oxidative and inflammatory stress. Accordingly, this study was designed to study the effects of the short-term (3 wk) basal suboptimal calcium, high-calcium, and high-dairy diets on oxidative and inflammatory stress in mice. Adipose tissue reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and NADPH oxidase mRNA and plasma malondialdehyde (MDA) were reduced by the high-calcium diet compared with the basal diet and ROS and MDA were further decreased by the high-dairy diet. The high-calcium and -dairy diets also resulted in suppression of adipose tissue tumor necrosis factor alpha and interleukin (IL)-6 mRNA compared with the basal diet, whereas an inverse pattern was noted for adiponectin and IL-15 mRNA. Consequently, we conducted a follow-up evaluation of adiponectin and C-reactive protein in archival samples from 2 previous clinical trials conducted in obese men and women. Twenty-four weeks of feeding a high-dairy eucaloric diet and hypocaloric diet resulted in an 11 and 29% decrease in CRP, respectively (post-test vs. pre-test), whereas there was no significant change in the low-dairy groups. Adiponectin decreased by 8% in subjects fed the eucaloric high-dairy diet and 18% in those fed the hypocaloric high-dairy diet. These data demonstrate that dietary calcium suppresses adipose tissue oxidative and inflammatory stress.
http://jn.nutrition.org/content/138/6/1047.long
Selenium reduces inflammatory cytokines in autoimmune thyroid patients
Our objective was to compare the effect of selenomethionine (organic form of selenium available over the counter) on monocyte and lymphocyte cytokine release and systemic inflammation in patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis. Selenomethionine inhibited lymphocyte release of IL-2, interferon-γ, and TNF-α, which was accompanied by a reduction in plasma C Reactive Protein levels. CONCLUSIONS: Selenomethionine exhibits a systemic antiinflammatory effect in euthyroid females with Hashimoto's thyroiditis. This action, which correlates with a reduction in thyroid peroxidase antibody titers, may be associated with clinical benefits in the prevention and management of Hashimoto's thyroiditis, particularly in subjects receiving both agents.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21508145
Fish oil lowers prostaglandins
Dietary fish oil causes its prostaglandin-lowering effects through three different mechanisms. First, much fewer prostaglandins are made from omega 3 fatty acids as compared to the omega 6 family of fatty acids that originate in the diet from leafy vegetables and other plant sources. Second, the omega 3 fatty acids compete with omega 6 fatty acids for the same binding site on the COX 1 enzyme that converts the omega 6 fatty acids to prostaglandin. The more omega 3 fatty acids present to block the binding sites, the fewer omega 6 fatty acids are able to be converted to prostaglandin. Third, although omega 3 fatty acids also are converted to prostaglandins, the prostaglandins formed from omega 3 are generally 2 to 50 times less active than those formed from the omega 6 fatty acids from dietary plants.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/04/060404085719.htm
3 grams fish oil lowers levels of one inflammatory marker in dialysis patients
Dialysis patients received 3 g omega-3 per day for 2 months. The difference noted in hemoglobin, albumin, ferritin, CRP, triglyceride, total, LDL and HDL-cholesterol before and after supplementation with omega-3 fatty acid was not statistically significant. However, the use of omega-3 decreased the serum levels of TNF-α significantly. The mean TNF-α level was 6.91 before supplementation, which decreased to 2.35 after supplementation with omega-3. We conclude that the use of 3 g of omega-3 per day caused significant decrease in serum levels of TNF-α in the dialysis population, and its use is recommended in such patients.
Fish oil reduces prostaglandin activity, saturated fat accelerates autoimmune disease
The type of dietary fat dramatically affects the onset of autoimmune disease in lupus-prone female mice. Disease development was strikingly slowed in mice fed a diet containing quantities of omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil). By 10 months of age, 94% of the fish oil mice were still living, whereas all the mice fed a saturated fat diet (lard) were dead. Those mice fed a corn oil diet were intermediate with 35% alive at the 10-month time evaluation. It is likely omega-3 fatty acids of fish oil reduce immune-complex-induced glomerulonephritis through production of prostaglandin metabolites with attenuated activity and/or through altering cell membrane structure and fluidity, which may, in turn, affect the responsiveness of immune cells.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3565532
Choline lowers inflammation
Compared to those whose diets contained <250 mg/day of choline, subjects whose diets supplied >310 mg of choline daily had, on average:
- 22% lower concentrations of C-reactive protein (pro-inflammatory)
- 26% lower concentrations of interleukin-6 (pro-inflammatory)
- 6% lower concentrations of tumor necrosis factor alpha (pro-inflammatory)
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=nutrient&dbid=50
Soy and resveratrol may improve Th1/Th2 ratio
Genistein (a phytoestrogen in soy) at the concentrations of 10(-6) and 10(-7)M and resveratrol at the concentrations of 10(-6)M decreased significantly the IFNgamma/IL-10 ratio. This decrease was comparable to that of estradiol at the concentrations of 10(-7)M. From our in vitro experiments we conclude that genistein and resveratrol, similarly to estradiol, by decreasing the IFNgamma/IL10 ratio may shift the Th1/Th2 balance towards the Th2 response.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16716911
Low doses of garlic improve Th1/Th2 ratio, high doses worsen it
Normal placental explants and explants from women who had preeclampsia were cultured in the presence of various garlic concentrations. The lowest garlic concentration increased the normal explant production of IL-10 by 29.2% while inhibiting the production of IL-6 by 23.5% (normal explants) and TNFalpha by 19.4% (preeclamptic explants). Garlic resulted in an increase in IL-10 production at lower doses (normal explants only) and inhibition of the production of IL-10 at higher doses (normal and preeclamptic explants). Garlic also resulted in a dose-dependent reduction of IL-6 and TNFalpha. Initially there was no change in soluble TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand/Apo-2L production; however, at the highest garlic concentrations there was a significant increase in production. We thus conclude that garlic may have an immunomodulatory effect on normal and preeclamptic placentas.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16226132
Antioxidants may prevent Th1 dominance
Several inflammatory cytokines are induced by oxidant stress. The fact that cytokines themselves trigger the release of other cytokines and also lead to increased oxidant stress makes them important in chronic inflammation.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cytokine
Probiotic yogurt lowers onemarker of inflammation by 29%
Subjects consumed daily 200 g probiotic yoghurt containing Lactobacillus acidophilus La5 and Bifidobacterium animalis BB12 (10(7) CFU g(-1) for each) or 200 g conventional yoghurt for 9 weeks. The results showed that the probiotic yogurt brought about a decrease in the serum hs-CRP level, from 10.44 to 7.44 microg mL(-1). There was no significant change in the conventional yogurt group in the serum hs-CRP level (12.55 to 14.51 microg mL(-1). The probiotic yogurt had no effect on TNF-alpha (from 73.75 to 77.91 pg mL(-1). Serum TNF-alpha did not change in the conventional yogurt group. In conclusion probiotic yogurt significantly decreased hs-CRP in pregnant women but had no effect on TNF-alpha.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21936251
Probiotics may raise Th1 cytokines
Lactobacillus plantarum No. 14 strongly induced the gene expression of Th1-type cytokines.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20834165
Dairy lowers inflammatory markers by 16%, 5% and 12%
The ATTICA study is a cross-sectional survey that enrolled 1514 men (18-87 years old) and 1528 women (18-89 years old) from the Attica region in Greece. RESULTS: We observed that C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) levels of individuals consuming between 11 and 14 servings of dairy products per week were almost 16%, 5%, and 12% lower, respectively, than in those consuming fewer than 8 servings, while those consuming more than 14 servings per week had 29%, 9%, and 20% lower levels of CRP, IL-6, and TNF-α, respectively, even after adjustments were made for age, gender, smoking, physical activity, body mass, dietary habits, and other potential confounders. CONCLUSION: We identified an inverse association between dairy products consumption and levels of various inflammatory markers among healthy adults.
http://www.jacn.org/content/29/4/357.long
N-acetyl cysteine protects pregnancy from maternal inflammation
Maternal infection or inflammation may induce fetal inflammatory responses and potentially fetal brain injury. We sought to determine whether prophylactic n-acetylcysteine, a known antiinflammatory, may modulate the fetal cytokine response to maternal lipopolysaccharide (an endotoxin injected to create a strong immune response). N-acetyl cysteine before lipopolysaccharide injection significantly reduced the fetal IL-6 and IL-1 beta response. Fetal IL-10 was not attenuated by any treatment. N-acetyl cysteine attenuated both maternal pro- and antiinflammatory responses to lipopolysaccharide injection. CONCLUSION: Maternal N-acetyl cysteine suppressed fetal and maternal inflammatory responses to maternal lipopolysaccharide injection. These results suggest that prophylactic N-acetyl cysteine may protect the fetus from maternal inflammation.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19344884
Soluble fiber improves Th1/Th2 ratio
We show that a diet rich in soluble fiber protects mice from endotoxin-induced sickness behavior by polarizing mice Th2 when compared to a diet containing only insoluble fiber. Mice fed soluble fiber became less sick and recovered faster from endotoxin-induced sickness behaviors than mice fed insoluble fiber. In response to intraperitoneal endotoxin, mice fed soluble fiber had up-regulated IL-1RA and reduced IL-1β and TNF-α in the brain as compared to mice fed insoluble fiber. Importantly, mice fed soluble fiber had a basal increase in IL-4 in the ileum and spleen which was absent in MyD88 knockout mice. Con-A stimulated splenocytes from mice fed soluble fiber showed increased IL-4 and IL-5 and decreased IL-2, IL-12 and IFN-γ when compared to mice fed insoluble fiber. Likewise, endotoxin-stimulated macrophages from mice fed soluble fiber demonstrated decreased IL-1β, TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-12 and nitrate and increased IL-1RA, arginase 1 and Ym1 when compared to mice fed insoluble fiber.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20138982
High fiber intake lowers C-reactive protein by 63%
High sensitivity C-reactive protein (CRP) is a marker of acute inflammation. A total of 524 subjects had multiple measurements of CRP and dietary factors. The average total dietary fiber intake was 16.11 g/d. Average serum CRP was 1.78 mg/L. We observed an inverse association between intake of total dietary fiber (separately for soluble and insoluble fiber) and CRP concentrations in both cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses. The likelihood of elevated CRP concentrations was 63% lower (odds ratio: 0.37) in participants in the highest quartile of total fiber intake than in participants in the lowest quartile.
http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/83/4/760.full
Immunotherapy improves Th1/Th2 ratio
Fifty-two women with unexplained recurrent miscarriage were chosen as an experimental group. Each patient was injected with her husband's mononuclear cells as immunotherapy. To date, 42 of the 52 patients have become newly pregnant. Of the 42, 34 patients have already delivered (successful group) and 3 are now pregnant, while the remaining 8 cases experienced repeated miscarriage (unsuccessful group). The percentage of TH2 cells significantly increased in the total patient population, while the TH1/TH2 ratio significantly decreased in the total patient population and in the successful group. These findings suggest that immunotherapy with the husband's mononuclear cells for unexplained recurrent miscarriage induces a dominant state of TH2 cells in the patients.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16647376
The ratio of Th1/Th2 chemokine receptors was decreased in repeat miscarriage women after immunotherapy, while no significant change was identified in the Tc1/Tc2 after immunotherapy.
http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/123326507/abstract
Magnesium reduces inflammatory cytokines in pregnant women
We found reduced maternal TNF-α and IL-6 production following magnesium sulfate treatment. In summary, magnesium sulfate reduced cytokine production in intrapartum women, term and preterm neonates, demonstrating effectiveness in those at risk for inflammation-associated adverse perinatal outcomes. By probing the mechanism of decreased cytokine production, we found that the immunomodulatory effect was mediated by magnesium and not the sulfate moiety, and it was reversible. These findings establish a new paradigm for innate immunoregulation, whereby magnesium plays a critical regulatory role in NF-κB activation, cytokine production, and disease pathogenesis.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22611240
High magnesium intake associated with lower inflammatory markers
After adjustment for age, ethnicity, clinical center, time of blood draw, smoking, alcohol, physical activity, energy intake, BMI, and diabetes status, magnesium intake was inversely associated with high-sensitivity C reactive protein, IL-6, TNF-alpha-R2, and sVCAM-1. Similar findings remained after further adjustment for dietary fiber, fruit, vegetables, folate, and saturated and trans fat intake. Multivariable-adjusted geometric means across increasing quintiles of magnesium intake were 3.08, 2.63, 2.31, 2.53, and 2.16 mg/l for hs-CRP; 2.91, 2.63, 2.45, 2.27, and 2.26 pg/ml for IL-6; and 707, 681, 673, 671, and 656 ng/ml for sVCAM-1. An increase of 100 mg/day magnesium was inversely associated with hs-CRP (-0.23 mg/l), IL-6 (-0.14 pg/ml), TNF-alpha-R2 (-0.04 pg/ml), and sVCAM-1 (-0.04 ng/ml). CONCLUSIONS: High magnesium intake is associated with lower concentrations of certain markers of systemic inflammation and endothelial dysfunction in postmenopausal women.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19903755
High vitamin D associated with lower levels of one inflammatory marker
Although IL-6, IL-10, and CRP did not have a statistically significant relationship with vitamin D concentrations, linear regression models revealed a significant inverse relationship between serum vitamin D and TNF-alpha concentrations. This relationship remained significant after controlling for potential covariates such as body fat mass, menopausal status, age, or hormonal contraceptive use. CONCLUSION: Serum vitamin D status is inversely related to TNF-alpha concentrations in healthy women, which may in part explain this vitamin's role in the prevention and treatment of inflammatory diseases. Results gleaned from this investigation also support the need to re-examine the biological basis for determining optimal vitamin D status.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18652680
Low vitamin D results in augmented immune response
Vitamin D causes a shift in cytokine production by dendritic cells by inhibition of interleukin-12 (IL-12) and IL-23 with an increase in IL-10 production, resulting in change of T cell polarization from a T helper 1 (Th1) and Th17 response to a Th2 and regulatory T cell (Treg) predominant response (Penna and Adorini, 2000; van Halteren et al., 2002; Unger et al., 2009). Lack of suppression of the Th17 response in vitamin D deficiency likely contributes to the augmented immune response in vitamin D deficiency.
Exercise associated with lower levels of inflammatory markers
Physically active male subjects had significantly lower results of homocysteine (14.3 vs. 16.5) and interleukin-6 (2.9 vs. 6).
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22086451
Dietary saturated fat, added sugar, and body fat associated with higher inflammation
Energy and omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid intakes were inversely correlated with adiponectin concentration. Saturated fat intake was correlated with IL-6 levels, leukocyte count, and added sugar to CRP. Fat mass also showed a correlation with CRP.
Higher BMI associated with inflammation
Body mass index was positively correlated with several markers of inflammation including plasma levels of TNF-α, CRP, and ICAM-1.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3225315/