Role of sugars in human neutrophilic phagocytosis
Albert Sanchez 1, J. L. Reeser 1, H. S. Lau 1, P. Y. Yahiku 1, R. E. Willard 1, P. J. McMillan 1, S. Y. Cho 1, A. R. Magie 1, and U. D. Register 1
1 From the Departments of Nutrition, Biostatistics, and Environmental Health in the School of Health, and the Department of Microbiology, Pathology, and Anatomy in the School of Medicine, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, California 92354
This study can be accessed at: http://www.ajcn.org/content/26/11/1180.abstract
A major part of our immunity relies on cells called neutrophils, a type of leukocyte or white blood cell, which circulate in our blood streams and mop up any bacteria, viruses or other foreign bodies they come across. This process is called phagocytosis. The measure of how many organisms one leukocyte can eat in an hour is called the 'leukocytic index' (LI). It is a simple measure: if a leukocyte eats 10 organisms in an hour, its leukocytic index is 10.
The study investigated the effect that various sugars had on reducing the leukocytes ability to ingest and kill off invading bacteria. It revealed that:
(a) glucose reduced the leukocytic index from 16.2 to 9.6 - a drop of 40.5%
(b) fructose reduced the leukocytic index from 15.5 to 8.5 - a drop of 45.1%
(c) sucrose reduced the leukocytic index from 15.2 to 8.6 - a drop of 44%
(d) honey reduced the leukocytic index from 15.9 to 9.7 - a drop of 39%
(e) orange juice reduced the leukocytic index from 16.6 to 9.6 - a drop of 42.1%
(f) starch reduced the leukocytic index from 15.7 to 13.6 - a drop of 13.4%
The greatest effects occur between 1 and 2 hr after a meal, but the effects were still significant 5 hr after feeding.
Any person who eats largely carbohydrate-based meals, particularly those containing sugars, and snacks with carbohydrate-based meals spread throughout the day, could lose up to half their immunity to disease for much of the waking day
.AMAZON UK Natural Health and Weight Loss
AMAZON USA Natural Health & Weight Loss
