Copyright 2005
Other than taking a decent amount of exercise and following
a healthy diet, we may feel there is little we can do to
help our bodies maintain themselves. However, it is
possible to boost the immune system and encourage cell
production through the use of supplements containing
nucleotides – the body’s essential cell building blocks.
The body has an ongoing demand for new cell production, and
must create cells at the same rate at which its cells die.
To do this, a typical cell must double its mass and
duplicate all of its contents in order to produce the two
new ‘daughter’ cells.
This multiplication of a cell starts with the doubling of
the information (inter-phase) - namely the DNA. Previously
we discussed how the DNA is formed by the five key
nucleotides. A normal DNA consists of 3 billion nucleotides.
It is only after this multiplication of the DNA that the
M-phase can start. This is where the two cell nuclei are
formed and the cells start to divide into two separate
cells.
Cell proliferation is a lengthy and complicated process,
dependent mainly on energy and supply of the specific
building blocks, the five key nucleotides.
Research has shown that by providing extra dietary sources
of nucleotides, the multiplication of these new cells can
be speeded up. This applies to the following cell types:
Intestinal mucosa cells – the cells lining the gut
Bone marrow cells, namely leukocytes (especially
Lymphocytes) – more commonly termed as the white blood
immune cells
Erythrocytes – Red blood cells
Certain brain cells
For years, nucleic acids and nucleotides were considered
essential nutrients. Now these nucleotides are
increasingly considered to be limiting in certain diets and
during periods of stress and illness.
It was thought that the body could synthesise sufficient
nucleotides to meet its physiological demands via ‘de novo’
synthesis of nucleotides. However, research during the last
several years indicates that this is not correct. There
are certain conditions in which the body requires dietary
nucleotides to meet its physiological requirements.
These conditions include:
Rapid growth
Limited food supply
Stress
Chronic disease
Bacterial and viral infections
In these situations, metabolic demand exceeds the capacity
of the ‘de novo’ synthesis, and therefore dietary
nucleotides become conditionally essential.
Importantly, dietary nucleotides may also spare the
energetic costs of ‘de novo’ synthesis of nucleotides.
Critical point in nutrition: energy
Building nucleotides by the ‘de novo’ process requires lots
of time and energy. Supplementing purified nucleotides to
the diet reduces the proportions required to manufacture,
while accelerating all active processes and saving energy
also.
Supplementary nucleotides have been demonstrated to enhance
the efficiency of a number of vital organs; these include:
Immune organs including the bone marrow
Liver
Intestines
Consequently, supplementary nucleotides have an effect on a
number of vital functions:
Immunity
Production of stress hormones
Digestion and absorption of nutrients
Vitality and well-being
Focussing on Immunity
Nucleotides are an essential part of an healthy immune
system, because they have been shown to support the
following:
The reversal of malnutrition or starvation-induced
immunosuppression
Enhancement of T-cell maturation and function
Enhancement of natural killer cell activity
Increase of delayed cutaneous hypersensitivity
Aiding resistance to infectious agents such as
Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans
Modulation of T-Cell responses toward type 1 CD4 helper
lymphocytes or TH1 cells.
In layman’s terms, nucleotides help to boost the immune
system by speeding up the process of creating new defence
cells, which are essential for the body to fight infections.
Reducing the effect of an infection
In 2003 a double-blind placebo controlled trial was carried
out by Dr Isobel Davidson at Queen Margaret University
College, Edinburgh. This clinical trial was carried out to
test the effects of nucleotides on reducing the severity of
specific symptoms, secondary infections and healing time
after a natural infection by the cold or flu virus. The
findings showed that the specific formula of nucleotides
significantly reduced the symptoms of painful sinuses and
earache. Over the first six days of taking the nucleotides
or a placebo, the discomfort level was on average greatly
reduced for the nucleotide patients:
Dry mouth: 30% less
Sore throat: 20% less
Muscle aches: 15% less
Headache: 40% less
Salivary IgA (antibody) concentrations were similar at
recruitment, but the subsequent to this were higher in
general for the nucleotide group. For the layman, higher
antibody levels indicate a greater immune response.
Preserving a strong immunity
The positive effects of supplementary nucleotides on
immunity was also backed up with another placebo controlled
trial carried out by Professor Lars McNaughton, University
of Bath, 2002. McNaughton tested the effects of nucleotides
on athletes under both short-term and high intensity, and
moderate endurance exercise. Again these results were
significant and conclusive. Athletes on the nucleotide
treatment showed a 25% higher IgA concentration after 90
minutes endurance exercise, compared with the placebo
group.
The stress hormone, cortisol, was 10% reduced for the
nucleotide supplemented group. High cortisol levels have
been shown to impede the effectiveness of disease fighting
cells. Hence, the placebo group showed a greater drop in
antibodies. High decreases in IgA (antibodies) are thought
to be a reason for increased levels of Upper Respiratory
Tract Infection (e.g. colds and flu) for athletes and
people suffering high levels of stress.
In conclusion, the body needs nucleotides to help support a
healthy immune response. The body can normally take these
from food, but in times of stress, illness, poor diet or
rapid growth, dietary nucleotides become conditionally
essential; supplementing all five nucleotides has been
shown to preserve a strong immunity, and reduce the
severity of infections.
About the Author:
Dave Mcevoy: A great resource for nucleotides is Nucell
Active. For more information visit http://www.nucell.co.uk
, or to purchase go to http://www.mind1st.co.uk
