AHCC® and Weight Gain

Weight. One powerful word that demands the attention of almost everyone at some point during their lives. A word that usually comes after it demands even more attention. Gain. These words together, weight gain, could serve as a two-word story of struggle for many people. This is true whether they struggle to lose the unhealthy weight that they have gained or struggle to gain more healthy weight. 

Weight gain, and its familiar foe, weight loss, gets most of the attention in this conversation. That will be the focus here. Unhealthy weight gain is the cause of much anxiety. While poor diet is usually the biggest contributing factor for this anxiety, there are certainly other unintentional causes for weight gain. Stress and lack of exercise may be other contributing factors.

One thing most people don’t consider during this conversation of unhealthy weight gain is the role their immune system plays. Along with a balanced diet and regular exercise, maintaining a healthy weight is also a key to a healthy and strong immune system.

INDEX
The Immune System: How It Works
Weight Gain and The Immune System
AHCC®AHCC and Extra Immune System Support
Benefits of AHCC®AHCC for Immune System Support
Final Thoughts

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The Immune System: How It Works

Immunity plays an important role in how we feel when we wake up in the mornings and how we feel when our head hits the pillow at night. Our immune system is working around the clock, fighting for our health, even when we are fast asleep. Ignoring our immune system health is like ignoring our diet -- it can only be ignored for so long before problems arise. Your immune system’s main function is to steer you clear from harm.

When Immune Function is Weakened

There are signs that could clue us into the fact that we have a weakened immune system. Here are a few to consider:

• Constant fatigue: When you’re not eating well or not getting enough sleep, it can lead to a feeling of being run down and exhausted. Fatigue can be a red flag that your immune system is weakened.
• Stomach and digestion issues: Being able to digest food properly plays an important role in our immune system health. The health of the body’s intestinal bacteria has a strong correlation to the body’s immune system’s overall health. Signs that you could have a weakened immune system may be frequent diarrhea, ulcers, gas, constipation, cramping, or bloating.
• Frequently ill: Every time you turn around, you seem to always be dealing with a cold, a sore throat, a cough, or even the flu. If you deal with these on a regular basis it could be a sign that your immune system needs some help. 
• Slow to heal: Do you have scrapes, bruises, or scabs that seem slow to heal? Or do you deal with lingering colds? These could all be signs that the body’s immune system is weakened. 

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How a Healthy Immune System Works

The immune system is an active and complex system within your body made up of organs, tissues, and an army of cells. It is always on the hunt for pathogens that are roaming around in your body uninvited.  

Two basic systems make up the types of immunity in your body: innate immunity and adaptive immunity. Each has a unique function, but each also has the same goal in mind; your health. 

The innate immune system is first on the scene when unwanted pathogens invade your body. Innate immunity is responsible for launching an immediate, non-specific first wave of attack against unwanted pathogens. It brings friends along to help: 

• Natural killer (NK) cells: These white blood cells (WBC) knights specialize in launching an attack against unhealthy invaders by recognizing and destroying abnormal or infected cells. They do this by injecting granules into them, causing them to explode.
• Cytokines: Next, we have the cytokines, known as our immune signaling cells. These chemical messengers communicate with other cells and work to coordinate an immune response. A round of applause, please.
• Macrophages: We can’t forget about these WBC. These bacteria destroyers engulf and ingest both bacteria and cellular debris. Their immune response helps fight against infections as they help activate other cells to join the fight. 

The adaptive immune system is not as quick to fight as the innate immune system, but its role is just as important. It is responsible for a specific, targeted response to recognized microbes. 

• Dendritic cells: These WBC mediate the cellular immune response and help support cytokine production, working within your adaptive immune system to initiate an adaptive immune response.

• B and T cells: These WBCs, called lymphocytes, work to deliver a specific and targeted response to microbes that it identifies, eliminating compromised cells within the body. It also produces surplus cytokines.

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Weight Gain and The Immune System

Simply put, maintaining a healthy weight puts less stress on your body. This includes less stress on your organs, tissues, and your immune system. It stands to reason that living with an unhealthy weight does the opposite. 

A healthy diet of important micronutrients and regular exercise does wonder for the immune system and the cells that make it work. However, most people are unaware that weight gain affects the body’s immune system at the fundamental level. 

Weight gain and obesity have been shown to impair immunity in the following areas of the immune system:

• A decreased in cytokine production
• Natural killer (NK) cell dysfunction
• Reduction in dendritic cell and macrophage function
• Decreased response to antigen/mitogen (B cell) stimulation

A balanced diet and regular exercise are certainly ways to improve a weakened immune system caused by weight gain. However, extra immune system support is also an option to further strengthen normal immune system functions.

AHCC® and Extra Immune System Support 

As discussed above, the immune system is a wildly complex and vital system for overall health. A compromised and weakened immune system puts the body at risk for any threats. 

AHCC® offers support to the body’s normal immune function and its goal to maintain overall wellness.* AHCC® has been studied widely for over 20 years and is shown useful in supporting the body’s normal immune system functions.*

As a functional extract, AHCC® is derived from the roots of various healing mushrooms and is best known for its immuno-modulating properties.* These immune-enhancing properties help to promote and support proper immune system response and overall health.*

AHCC® is known as a biological response modifier. Simply put, AHCC® gives the body the extra support it needs during its natural immune response by helping it fight the invaders and threats to your health caused by various foreign pathogens.* 

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Benefits of AHCC® for Immune System Support

Here are a few benefits of AHCC® and its role in immune system support as it modifies both the innate and adaptive immune response:

• AHCC® helps to support and maintain optimal natural killer (NK) cell activity by as much as 300-800%*
• Increases production of cytokines production during normal immune system function*
• Promotes optimal T-cell activity by as much as 200%*
• Increases populations of macrophage activity*
• Increases the activity and number of dendritic cells*

Final Thoughts

Our weight is something that seems to concern us at some point in our lives. Unhealthy weight gain can be a cause for concern, especially when it brings health issues along with it. Various lifestyle factors, such as poor diet and lack of exercise, can contribute to weight gain. Most understand the health issue involved with unhealthy weight gain, but many overlook its role on the body’s immune system. 

This makes maintaining a healthy weight an essential key to a strong and healthy immune system. Our body’s immune system is made up of a complex set of organs, tissues, and cells that strive to keep the body clear from threats. The job never stops, but it can be done poorly.

Pathogens with bad intentions are kept at bay by a strong, properly functioning immune system. Weight gain, and obesity, can impair normal immune functions within the body, such as causing a decrease in cytokine production and a reduction in dendritic cell and macrophage function. In addition to proper diet and exercise, extra immune support can be beneficial. 

AHCC® supplements can provide the extra immune support needed during times when the body’s immune system needs a little help.*

AHCC® is a natural, functional food derived from mushrooms with immune-supporting properties.* It helps to promote proper immune system response and overall health by supporting the body’s normal immune system functions.* It does this by supporting both the innate and adaptive immune systems.* AHCC® supports these systems by maintaining NK cell activity, enhancing cytokine production, promoting T-cell and macrophage activity, as well as helping to increase the number and activity of dendritic cells.* 

Next time you are making plans to tackle weight gain with a healthy diet and regular exercise, don’t forget your immune system!

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*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food & Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

Sources:

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/unintentional-weight-gain

https://www.obesityaction.org/community/article-library/obesity-and-the-immune-system/

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/01635580801993280

https://www.ahcc.net/blogs/news/why-exercise-is-key-to-your-immune-system-health/

https://www.ahcc.net/blogs/news/why-do-i-need-a-strong-immune-system/

https://www.ahcc.net/blogs/news/ahcc-what-are-the-benefits/

https://www.ahcc.net/pages/what-is-ahcc/