14 DAY TRIAL // The immune system is the first and most important line of defense we have against invading pathogens, including bacteria, microbes and viruses. It comprises of many components, but some of the most important are killer cells known as T cells, which are the ones that engulf and digest the invaders, breaking them apart in their constituent pieces. A new study has revealed that, without vitamin D, these specific cells lose their ability to fight invaders, which means that our bodies are left exposed to some of the most dangerous organisms out there, e! Science News reports.
The new investigation has revealed that the lack of vitamin D in the bloodstream has disastrous consequences. In order for the immune cells to have any effect, they need to be “activated.” Through this activation process, they are turned from a dormant state to a highly-active one, in which they are primed to seek out and destroy any trace of an invader they come across. Without the vitamin to activate and prime them, they remain “asleep,” oblivious to the dangers the body is faced with. Therefore, a diet rich in this substance should be adopted every time an illness sets in. This may not combat the disease first off, but it would help the immune system last longer, and minimize damage.
“When a T cell is exposed to a foreign pathogen, it extends a signaling device or 'antenna' known as a vitamin D receptor, with which it searches for vitamin D. This means that the T cell must have vitamin D or activation of the cell will cease. If the T cells cannot find enough vitamin D in the blood, they won't even begin to mobilize,” explains University of Copenhagen Department of International Health, Immunology and Microbiology professor Carsten Geisler, the leader of the new study.
“Scientists have known for a long time that vitamin D is important for calcium absorption and the vitamin has also been implicated in diseases such as cancer and multiple sclerosis, but what we didn't realize is how crucial vitamin D is for actually activating the immune system – which we know now,” the researchers say. The investigation carries with it some serious implications for the future of medicine, as drugs in the future could be designed to deliver a boost of vitamin D, in addition to the other active substances they carry. This could in turn help the immune system better handle the threats it's faced with.