Diet and Immunology
The CNP Diet and Immunology Research Category consolidates research exploring the interdependent relationship between dietary intake and the immunology. To view each original study on the open internet, click “Original.” To view the CNP-written abstract summary, click “CNP Summary.” While only some of the CNP-written abstract summaries are available below for free, all abstract summaries are available to CNP members through the CNP Library Membership.
FEATURED CNP RESEARCH SUMMARY
With the rising cases of food allergies and food allergy-associated anaphylaxis in the past few decades, this 2018 review aims to address the possibility that environmental factors could play an important role. It may be that there are determinants of food allergies other than dietary habits and exposure to food allergens. Yu et al. present their current knowledge on these environmental variables - findings based on the latest experimental and epidemiological studies. The author examined various exposures that modulate skin barrier function, alter the diversity of the microbiome, and influence food processing. Additionally, the risk of developing food allergies may be affected by getting inadequate levels of sunlight exposure, the use of chemicals and pesticides that may disrupt the endocrine system, and the administration of certain pharmaceutical agents. Relevant research is lacking in quality and quantity, but there have been many new and encouraging epidemiological associations that have emerged in recent years.
CNP Research Summary can be found in the CNP Library Membership
2018
It's not just the food you eat: Environmental factors in the development of food allergies
With the rising cases of food allergies and food allergy-associated anaphylaxis in the past few decades, this 2018 review aims to address the possibility that environmental factors could play an important role. It may be that there are determinants of food allergies other than dietary habits and exposure to food allergens. Yu et al. present their current knowledge on these environmental variables - findings based on the latest experimental and epidemiological studies. The author examined various exposures that modulate skin barrier function, alter the diversity of the microbiome, and influence food processing. Additionally, the risk of developing food allergies may be affected by getting inadequate levels of sunlight exposure, the use of chemicals and pesticides that may disrupt the endocrine system, and the administration of certain pharmaceutical agents. Relevant research is lacking in quality and quantity, but there have been many new and encouraging epidemiological associations that have emerged in recent years. [NPID: immunology, immunity, the immune system, food allergies, anaphylaxis, food allergens, allergies, allergic, microbiome, gut-brain axis, gut microbiota, sunlight, pesticides, endocrine system, hormones]
2010
Stress, food, and inflammation: Psychoneuroimmunology and nutrition at the cutting edge
This 2010 article explored the interrelations between stress, food, and inflammation. There is evidence that dietary components can influence the key pathways involved in inflammation, while stressful situations and depression have been reported to modulate inflammation through the same processes. This paper discusses how stress may alter food choices, the possible induction of inappropriate metabolic reactions by stress after consumption of unhealthy foods, and the potential role of diet in affecting mood and pro-inflammatory responses to stressors. In fact, it is believed that vagus nerves are involved in changing the metabolic responses to food and inflammation. It has been documented that both depression and stress have negative impacts on vagal activation, demonstrating their contribution to the gut-brain interaction. Kiecolt-Glaser highlights that the consumption of omega-3 fatty acids can boost mood and vagal tone and has been found to affect the strength of the inflammatory responses to stressors. [NPID: immunology, immunity, the immune system, stress, inflammation, depression, vagus nerve, vagal activation, gut-brain axis, mood]
CNP Research Summary can be found in the CNP Library Membership
2019
Nutrition and immunology in mental health: precision medicine and integrative approaches to address unmet clinical needs in psychiatric treatments Nutritional psychoneuroimmunology: is the inflammasome a critical convergence point for stress and nutritional dysregulation?
This 2019 review focuses on psychoneuroimmunology, an area of research looking at the influence of the immune system on people’s behaviors. Rodent-model studies have shed light on the patterned behavioral reactions evoked by the presence of adverse stimuli, conditions, or interactions. Towers & Freund state that these behavioral responses can translate across species. For example, behaviors shown by mice at times of sickness are as easily recognized as they are in humans and pets. Therefore this review examined areas of rodent research that are just emerging and regarding the effect of nutritional status on the stressed brain. Nutrition may regulate brain function and contribute to poor mental health particularly in individuals who suffer from overnutrition or food insecurity (inconsistent access to enough food to live a healthy life). The main objective of this article is to demonstrate the relevance of inflammasome activation in the dysregulation of stress and nutrition. Studies on macronutrients and micronutrients, for example, will be inspected to hopefully encourage further progress in this emerging field of research. [NPID: immunology, immunity, the immune system, behavior, animal, stress, mental health, macronutrients, micronutrients]
2018
The food-specific serum IgG reactivity in Major Depressive Disorder patients, Irritable Bowel Syndrome patients and healthy controls
This 2018 study compared levels of serum IgG against 39 selected food antigens in patients with MDD, those with IBD and healthy controls (HC group). The sample size was 65, with 22 in the MDD group, 22 in the IBS group, and 21 healthy controls. IgG food hyperreactivity (interpreted as an average of levels of IgG antibodies above 7.5 µg/mL) was detected in 28 (43%) participants, including 14 (64%) from the MDD group, ten (46%) from the IBS group and four (19%) from the HC group. Patients with MDD had significantly higher serum levels of total IgG antibodies and IgG against celery, garlic and gluten compared with healthy controls. In comparison to the IBS group, the MDD group also had higher serum IgG levels against gluten. The final data suggests dissimilarity in immune responses against food proteins between the examined groups, with the highest immunoreactivity in the MDD group. More robust studies and those that examine the clinical utility of IgG-based elimination diet in patients with MDD and IBS are warranted. [NPID: immunology, immunity, the immune system, major depressive disorder, MDD, IBS, celery, garlic, gluten, immunoreactivity, elimination diet]