Carbohydrates and Immune Function - Exposing dietary and medical misinformation.

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Books and papers by Barry A Groves exposing dietary and medical misinformation

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* Health and Healing *

Friday, April 12, 2002 8:49 AM

Carbohydrates and Immune Function - Exposing

dietary and medical misinformation.

 

 

- http://www.second-opinions.co.uk/leukocytic_index.html -

Carbohydrates and Immune Function

 

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The high level of sugar in modern diets has been of concern for many

years, mainly because of its contribution to malnutrition by replacing more

essential nutrients. But, while this is an important consideration, there is

more to this trend.

 

The big killers up to the early Twentieth Century were diseases caused by

bacteria and viruses. These were largely eradicated by better public sanitation

and housing, and clean water supplies. After WWII, with the widespread use of

antibiotics and vaccination, it was thought that infectious disease could be

conquered. But over the last half of the Twentieth Century, we have seen an

increase in previously 'conquered' or rare diseases, such as tuberculosis,

meningitis, influenza and even the common cold.

 

In the constant fight against disease, our bodies have a sophisticated

defence mechanism - our immune system. Part of this system are cells called

neutrophils, a type of leucocyte or white blood cell, which circulate in our

blood streams and mop up any bacteria or other foreign bodies they come across.

This process is called phagocytosis. While phagocytosis is an energy requiring

mechanism that needs an adequate supply of the blood sugar, glucose, (1) too

much glucose has the effect of reducing the neutrophils' ability to ingest and

kill off invading bacteria. (2) (3)

 

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 neutrophils that we rely on to kill any invading bacteria and viruses

form 60% - 70% of the white blood cells in our bodies. They are generally much

more active than any other blood cell. It can be disastrous to our health,

therefore, if their effectiveness is compromised in any way. But this is exactly

what happens if we eat too much carbohydrate and too much sugar in particular.

 

By 'sugar' I do not mean just the white, granulated stuff we serve from a

bowl on the table; this is called 'sucrose' but the term sugar applies to

glucose, fructose (fruit sugar), maltose (grain sugar), honey (a mixture of

glucose, fructose, sucrose and dextrin).

 

Test results

 

In a 1973 study, after an overnight fast and after their leucocytes had

been tested for phagocytosis activity and their leukocytic index (LI) had been

recorded, subjects were fed 100 grams of a specific carbohydrate (a sugar or

starch). The table below shows that all forms of carbohydrate - starch as well

as sugars - reduced the neutrophils' effectiveness at destroying bacteria and

other micro-organisms. (2)

 

Fasting level of LI Lowest point of LI Time before returning to

normal

Glucose 16.2 9.6 More than 5 hours

Fructose 15.5 8.5 More than 5 hours

Sucrose 15.2 8.6 More than 5 hours

Honey 15.9 9.7 More than 5 hours

Orange juice 16.6 9.6 More than 5 hours

Starch 15.7 13.6 More than 5 hours

 

This study was confirmed in 1976 by Ringsdorf, et al. (3) They tested the

effect of sugar (sucrose) by giving their subjects 24 ounces of sugar sweetened

Cola. In this test the leucocytic index of all their subjects was reduced by

50%. In other words, the ability of their disease-fighting blood cells was

halved.

 

Diabetics

 

Diabetics should be particularly careful not to consume much

carbohydrate-based food, particularly any that is sweetened, as they have been

found to have impaired phagocytic activity when compared to normal subjects, and

are thus at significantly greater risk. (4) (5) (6) (7)

 

 

 

Consequences

Based on these studies, any person who eats largely carbohydrate-based

meals, particularly those containing sugars, and snacks with small

carbohydrate-based meals spread throughout the day -- as the latest advice

suggests we should -- could lose up to half their immunity to disease for much

of the waking day.

 

No wonder cancers and infectious diseases are increasing.

 

 

 

 

References

 

1. Cohn ZA, Morse SI. Functional and metabolic properties of

polymorphonuclear leucocytes. 1. Observations on the requirements and

consequences of particle ingestion. J Exptl Med 1960; 111: 667

 

2. Sanchez A, et al. Role of sugars in human neutrophilic phagocytosis. Am

J Clin Nutr 1973; 26: 1180-84

 

3. Ringsdorf WM jr, Cheraskin E and Ramsey RR jr. Sucrose, Neutrophilic

Phagocytosis, and Resistance to Disease. Dent Surv 1976; 52 (12): 46-48

 

4. DaCosta JC, Beardsley E. The resistance of diabetes to bacterial

infection. Am J Med Sci 1908; 136: 361.

 

5. Richardson R. Measurement of phagocytic activity in diabetes mellitus.

Am J Med Sci 1942; 204: 29.

 

6. Schauble MK, Baker RD. The inflammatory response in acute alloxan

diabetes. AMA Arch Pathol 1957; 64: 563.

 

7. Bybee JD, Rodgers DE. The phagocytic activity of polymorphonuclear

leukocytes obtained from patients with diabetes mellitus. J Lab Clin Med 1964;

64: 1.

 

Last updated 12 April 2002

 

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