Our Immune System, Stress and Saffron
Winter is coming and as many have learned regarding infectious agents, the variation between infection and disease remains a societal and individual experience[1]. Whilst there is, for every pathogen, a threshold at which an infection becomes problematic; all the immune system must do is suppress its rise below this line to keep you free of adverse outcomes. This capability varies seasonally and from one person to another, albeit there remains a high level of germline-encoded innate response in the human population. Adaptive or learned immunity of course has a wide range of response-related influences.
Nutrition and the Immune System
The underlying constant refrain of prior commentary is that nutrition is a modifiable component of immune competence and that regardless of age, gender, or health status, optimising immune-related nutrition ensures the most competent response but also reduces metabolic disturbance that contributes to vulnerability. The Journal Nutrients in May 2021 published a systematic review and meta-analysis exploring the role of micronutrients and supplementation in relation to Covid-19[2]. Concluding that “a robust immune system has general protective effects against disease infection and severity”. Micronutrients are shown to be fundamental in strengthening and maintaining immune function. The authors concluded their review showing that micronutrients in their entirety have effects on COVID-19 incidence and severity outcomes. “Individuals without micronutrient deficiency had reduced odds of COVID-19 incidence and disease severity“.
It seems as people are integrating their experiences with higher numbers of new people, other respiratory infections are also on the rise, particularly, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), Rhinoviruses and Norovirus.
Planning (rather than just reacting) to keep the immune system functioning for all infectious diseases especially those of a respiratory nature should be a public health policy. Especially recommendations around zinc, vitamins C and D[3]. However, the quality of many nutrition studies results in ‘difficult to qualify’ outcomes. Whilst nutrition outcome-based research studies are improving, the reported outcomes remain open to interpretation and bias[4].
Regardless, the disconnect between the public grasp of the relevance of nutritional importance in the generation of immune capacity, and the prevention of metabolic disturbance is described as a concept, posited by the French intellectual Pierre Bourdieu. It is in effect, an issue ‘hidden in plain sight’, that is largely ignored because it seems slow-moving, technical, or vaguely familiar due to our cultural biases.
In turn, the dubiousness of sterilising immunity as a guaranteed solution to infection is a reminder that just about any immune response can be overwhelmed if exposures are heavy and frequent enough. The best we can aim for is ‘functional‘ immunity, where our immune response is more like a flame retardant than a firewall, that keeps bad burns at bay. Our future with SARS-CoV-2, then, will be more about domesticating the virus than eliminating it[5].
Mood Management
The impact of uncertainty creates different levels of anxiety. Some seem to thrive on creating chaos, but most find they must utilise resources to manage it. The costs to each person differ, but there is a direct connection between stress and immune response and chronic exposure is causally involved in the development of mental and physical disease[6].
Stress refers to a state in which adverse stimuli threaten an organism’s homeostasis[7]. The organism subsequently generates a compensatory response of the sympathetic–adrenal–medullary system and hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis activation. As a result, catecholamine and cortisol are released and trigger downstream effects on metabolic, cardiovascular, immune, and gastrointestinal functions, among others. Underlying psychoneuroimmune interactions which lower immune response to viral infections become important components of clinical care and prediction, improving mood and reducing most forms of adverse stress and conferring a risk reduction in the face of Covid-19 related infection. Lifestyle interventions generate a benefit by reducing detrimental stress-related changes.
The psychoneuroimmune mechanisms by which a healthy diet influences the brain are manifold, e.g. modulation of neurotransmitters and neurotrophins, reduction of inflammation, and reduction of oxidative stress. Nutraceuticals such as omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (ω−3-PUFAs), N-acetylcysteine, S-adenosylmethionine, B- and D-vitamins, pre-and probiotics also demonstrate selective intervention against known deficiencies. The same nutrients required for immune system health are required for mental health.
Saffron
One long-used plant-derived compound from saffron has shown non-addictive benefits related to stress management, particularly related to enhanced sleep[8]. Saffron extracts, from the beautiful Crocus flower, have been shown to contribute to emotional and mental balance[9], helps to support relaxation, and to maintain a positive mood[10]. Six clinical trials have shown that 30mg of Iranian saffron extract significantly corrects severe mood troubles compared to placebo, with the first significant positive effects observed after only 1 week. And what’s more, 30mg daily saffron extract provides the same effectiveness as well-known pharmaceutical mood stabilisers, such as fluoxetine and imipramine, without any adverse effects[11].
Another open study using 15mg of saffron extract twice daily for 30 days showed improved mood after only 15 days. In addition, after 30 days, more than 50% of subjects felt better sleep quality[12]. 3 out of 4 people feel happier and more relaxed after only 15 days on 30mg saffron extract.
It also has the potential to enhance the immune response to Covid-19[13]. This safe and effective supplement also aids memory and is likely to be a suitable supplement for adolescents and others seeking to cover multiple interactive psycho-neuro-immuno-modulatory systems safely and quickly[14].
Conclusion
Reports are accumulating that acute resolvable challenges to neuroendocrine activation, i.e. short intense stress response activating events (that include exercise, forest walking, yoga, humour, social interactions etc), can improve the immune defence against viruses[15].
The antidote for a virus-favouring immune constellation, therefore, seems to be a well-trained neuroendocrine-immune stress response. Which can be generated by a balanced degree of activation alternating with relaxation, supported by optimum nutrition, the use of natural stress mediators and supplementation that shapes an immune response that is optimally equipped for the challenges imposed by new infectious agents and chronic non-infectious disease-promoting activities.
Dr Elisabeth Philipps PhD BSc (Hons) BSc Nutr Med AFMCP
Dr Elisabeth Philipps is a clinical neuroscientist and functional medicine practitioner and runs a health consultancy specialising in brain health, the endocannabinoid system and phytocannabinoids including C*B*D and medicinal cannabis. She regularly presents at conferences and events and provides expert opinion for the national press, specialist healthcare publications and health companies. You can connect with Elisabeth via:
www.drelisabethphilipps.com | instagram – @drelisabethphilipps | Twitter – @drphilipps | Linked In – Dr Elisabeth Philipps
References
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[9] Bian Y, Zhao C and Lee SM-Y (2020) Neuroprotective Potency of Saffron Against Neuropsychiatric Diseases, Neurodegenerative Diseases, and Other Brain Disorders: From Bench to Bedside. Front. Pharmacol. 11:579052.
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