How IMMUN will help you boost your immune system

"Winter is coming." Some may think of the famous quote from Game of Thrones, while others will think of a season with red noses, colds and flu - and how to best prepare for this. For many people, the cold weather equals the common cold. Although wind, rain and snow are not directly responsible for you getting sick, viruses have better conditions for spreading in the cold weather. Therefore, it is important that you take good care of your immune system so that it is ready to fight the unwanted "guests" - especially in these times, with a worldwide pandemic.

 

About 80% of your immune system is in your gut. To strengthen that is to say to strengthen its defenses. That is why we at PremindBiotics have developed a natural supplement, IMMUN, which, together with a healthy diet, will keep your immune system strong and ready to fight unwanted "guests".

The winter can be harsh. With few hours of sunshine, low temperatures and rain, it can be difficult to avoid colds etc. When it comes to supporting your immune system, it all starts in your gut. But what does your immune system really consist of?

Your immune system can be defined as a complex network of tissues, cells and molecules that protect the body against disease (1). A large part of the immune system is GALT, which stands for "gut-associated lymphoid tissue". In addition, about 80% of your immune system cells are found in GALT (2). GALT interacts with the gastrointestinal functions, for example by increasing the intestinal permeability in response to stimulation, such as a meal. GALT also protects the intestine and prevents potentially harmful substances in the intestine from reaching the blood circulation. Unfortunately, our current lifestyle, Western diet and stress can lead to weakening of this barrier and lead to increased intestinal permeability, a so-called leaky gut, which in turn can lead to increased vulnerability to infections. (2)

The path to a strong immune system is a healthy diet, exercise and stress reduction. Here at PremindBiotics, we want to help you boost your immune system further. That is why we have created a unique prebiotic composition, IMMUNE, with specially selected plants, roots and fruits, which are rich in flavonoids, alkaloids, fiber and natural vitamin-C, which support your immune system from the gut off.

Our products are based on our own research conducted at our laboratories in Copenhagen. In our protected (patent pending) research, we designed and validated the IMMUN composition. The ingredients are encapsulated in acid-resistant capsules that also neutralize the taste. In this way, we ensure that the bioactive ingredients are not destroyed by the stomach acid, as well as that their full capacity can be reached.

Here is a quick overview the science behind some of the main ingredients of IMMUN, and how they can help you get through the cold winter.

Acerola cherries
Acerola, also known as Barbados cherry, is a tropical fruit, extremely rich in Vitamin C with an astonishing 1678 mg per. 100 g, ~ 30 times more than oranges! (3). Acerola is also a rich source of antioxidants such as carotenoids, phenols, anthocyanins and flavonoids. Studies show that more cells in the immune system need vitamin C to perform their tasks (4). Vitamin C deficiency can result in a poorly performing immune system. In addition, researchers found that Acerola has mild anticancer and antimicrobial properties (5).

Turmeric
Turmeric root has been used in Indian cuisine for centuries. It is known for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Turmeric is rich in polyphenols such as curcuminoids. A number of serious studies suggest that curcumin - a type of curcuminoid - may help deal with oxidative and inflammatory conditions. (6,7). Inflammation is very important for wound healing and for protecting our body from unwanted "invaders". However, chronic inflammation can have a negative impact on our health. Curcumin has been shown to exert immunomodulatory effects on several cells and organs of the immune system (8).

A recent clinical study showed that supplements with turmeric have one positive effect on the intestinal microbiome. They found that the participants in the study have increased the content and diversity of the intestinal microbiome (= more resistant intestine) and improved symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome - IBS (9).

Black garlic
Garlic has been used for centuries in both food and medicine. Our IMMUN blend also contains black garlic. Black garlic is a type of aged garlic that has undergone a so-called Maillard process. It is rich in antioxidant compounds such as polyphenols and organic sulfur compounds (10). Compared to fresh garlic, black garlic has 5 to 8 times more phenolic compounds, which means that it has higher antioxidant activity than fresh garlic. (11). Several studies have shown that black garlic has potent anti-inflammatory properties (12). What's more, black garlic is well known for its antimicrobial properties due to a compound called allicin that kills bacteria like Salmonella, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, all of which cause diseases (13). In addition, garlic is a rich source of prebiotics and nourishes your gut's good "bugs" (14). 

In addition to these ingredients are IMMUNE filled with flavonoids from orange peel and rose hips, anthocyanins from blueberries and gingerol alkaloids from ginger. All in all, there are plenty of naturally occurring ingredients that can support your immune system. Here at PremindBiotics, we have carefully selected evidence-based botanicals that have been shown to strengthen your immune system in times of increased need.

To ensure that you do everything to keep your immune system at 100%, try to combine IMMUNE with RO and reduce your stress level (which can also make your immune system more vulnerable to infections) and achieve peace of mind.

1. Parkin et al. (2001): An overview of the immune system. Lancet; 357 (9270): 1777-89.
2. Vighi et al. (2008): Allergy and the gastrointestinal system. Clin Exp Immunol; 153 (Suppl 1): 3–6.
3. USA food database; https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/171686/nutrients
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6. Hewlings et al. (2017): Curcumin: A Review of Its ’Effects on Human Health. Foods; 6 (10): 92.
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10. Kimura et al. (2017): Black garlic: A critical review of its production, bioactivity, and application. J of Food and Drug Anal; 25 (1): 62-70.
11. Kim et al. (2012): Comparison of phenolic acids and flavonoids in black garlic at different thermal processing steps. J of funct foods; 5 (1): 80-86.
12. Kim et al. (2014): Aged black garlic exerts anti-inflammatory effects by decreasing no and proinflammatory cytokine production with less cytoxicity in LPS-stimulated raw 264.7 macrophages and LPS-induced septicemia mice. J Med Food; 17 (10): 1057-63 h
13. Bayan et al. (2014): Garlic: a review of potential therapeutic effects. Avicenna J Phytomed. 4 (1): 1-14.
14. Sunu et al. (2019): Prebiotic activity of garlic (Allium sativum) extract on Lactobacillus acidophilus. Vet World; 12(12): 2046–2051.