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Acne and the Immune System
Our body's immune system is responsible for its protection from diseases.
When this immune system weakens, our body starts showing symptoms
of various disorders. Acne is one such condition.
Zinc has proved to be very beneficial in treating acne because zinc
is an essential trace mineral which is most famous for being an immune
system booster. With decreases of zinc levels in the body, many white
blood cell functions decrease and there is a fall in the level of thymic hormones.
White blood cells are important in fighting off infections caused
by bacteria and hormonal levels controlling the health of skin. Thus,
zinc affects the immune system which in turn controls various skin
disorders. [If you are looking for a liquid multivitamin which has
15mg (100% daily value) of Zinc, we sell one called Vitaplen
Complete.]
Acne seems to respond well to zinc supplements because the immune system's
malfunction plays a vital role in the spread of acne and zinc restores
the immune system's efficiency.
Our health is directly influenced by our immune system. Inadequate
immune response usually leads to infectious diseases. There are two
categories of immune system disorders. In one condition, the immune
system fails to recognize cell invaders, and does not mobilize to
destroy them; this is called immunodeficiency. In the other condition,
the immune system becomes hyperactive and starts destroying itself;
this condition is called auto immunity.
There are many factors which affect our immune system, but some major
factors include: antibiotic overuse and misuse, pollution, environmental
toxins, stress, emotional disturbance, genetic makeup, and lifestyle.
Our immune system responds to our mental attitude. That's why people
going through some crisis in life also face physical weaknesses of
some kind. There is a science called 'psychoneuroimmunology.' This
deals with the study of how our emotions affect our immune system.
Studies from Harvard Medical School have shown that our immune cells
have receptors for chemicals produced by our brains and thoughts.
It has also been discovered that our immune cells create some of the
chemicals that were once thought to be created only by the brain.
This connection between our mental outlook and immune system shows
how a positive attitude can affect our physical healing and why stress
causes severe disorders in our body chemistry.
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Acne does infect adults, but primarily it is an affliction of teenagers.
In 1964, Dr. R. H. Siver reported in his work about the positive effect
of friendly bacteria or probiotics on acne. He was experimenting on
his patients to treat their gastrointestinal condition and discovered
that probiotics not only improved these patients intestinal condition
but also cleared their skin of acne. This made Dr. Siver conclude that
probiotics, which are considered to be beneficial for the immune system,
are also effective against acne infection.
In treating acne, many vitamins are helpful by boosting the immune
system. Vitamin B Complex, vitamin A and Vitamin
E are quite important
for keeping the immune system healthy.
Vitamin C, which is helpful in absorption of Vitamin E, gives full
support to the immune system. It may also have antiviral properties,
which is beneficial in viral infections.
Thiamine (vitamin B1) and Niacin (B3) are used in the treatment of
acne, as these vitamins are necessary for protein, carbohydrates, and
fat metabolism. They also support the endocrine (hormonal) and nervous
systems. Because of their metabolic properties and hormonal supporting
role, these vitamins are equally good for the immune system.
For more information on Vitaplen
Complete, our liquid multivitamin which has all of the
ingredients mentioned in this research article, click
here.
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