The Immune System
Problems with your immune system can cause Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. The immune system is exceedingly complex, and when it is functioning correctly, the immune system keeps us from getting sick, and fights infections and toxins that do not belong in our bodies. However, the immune system is sometimes tricked into attacking healthy cells in the body. This is called an autoimmune disorder. Once this process has started, it is difficult if not impossible to stop. In the bloodstream, there are two types of cells that help keep you from getting sick. These are known as B cells and T cells. You have probably heard of antibodies- these are proteins that B cells make to identify and remove harmful things from the blood and tissues. For instance, if you get an infection from a particular type of virus, the B cells will identify the virus and make antibodies that are specific to that one virus type. When enough of the antibodies have been produced, the viruses are removed from the blood and the symptoms of the disease disappear.

T cells work on the same general idea, but are specific for identifying sick cells within the body itself (not the bloodstream). When a T cell identifies a body cell that is infected, it will “clone” itself so that there are more T cells to identify and destroy other similarly infected cells. It is T cells that are responsible for the damage to β cells in the pancreas, leading to Type 1 diabetes. At the Hope4Diabetes Medical Center, we offer supplements to aid in regaining and maintaining a healthy immune system.

Immune Modulation
Immune modulation refers to medical intervention to alter the body’s immune response when it is not performing properly. In one type of immune system malfunction, the cells in the pancreas that create insulin (β cells, pronounced “beta cells”) are slowly attacked, leading to the onset of Type 1 diabetes. Type 1 diabetes can be the most devastating form of the disease, also known as juvenile diabetes because it starts affecting sufferers in infancy or early childhood. The disease develops over time as the body’s immune system develops a stronger and more complex attack on the β cells of the pancreas. To learn more about Type 1 diabetes and to find out who is most at risk for the disease. Type 1 diabetes is primarily caused by a genetic pre-disposition (hereditary), probably triggered by as yet unknown environmental factors. If you have a family history of type 1 diabetes, you should be particularly careful to monitor the signs that it might be developing in your own body. More importantly, if you have a sibling or parent with Type 1 diabetes, you should be screened for the disease.

A second way to get Type 1 diabetes is through a viral infection. This is usually caused by the Mumps, or Coxsackie virus. If you have not had either of these diseases, it is unlikely that you have been exposed to the risk of Type 1 diabetes by any other virus.

Unless you are alert to the risk of Type 1 diabetes through family history, it is unlikely that you would know that the disease was developing until you entered a “pre-diabetic” stage. Indicators of this condition are an intolerance to glucose. There are several signs to look for. The first is dehydration. As the kidneys struggle to remove excess glucose from the blood, the output of urine is increased, leading to dehydration. This will lead to increased thirst and increased water consumption. You may also experience fatigue, nausea, or blurred vision. To make an appointment with one of our doctors, click here.

Type 2 diabetes can also progress through autoimmune dysfunction. The effects can be seen in increasing insulin resistance, glucose intolerance, lipid imbalances, hypertension, obesity, and abnormalities in metal ion metabolism, peripheral blood circulation and abnormal blood clotting. The autoimmune response in Type 2 diabetes can be environmentally stimulated, and produces disease instead of repair.

Insulin Treatment
Clinical intervention to treat Type 1 diabetes has been attempted at many levels. In addition to insulin’s effect in controlling glucose levels, it was initially thought that insulin could act to modulate the immune system. Administration of insulin several different ways (injected, orally, and nasally) has been studied. However, direct insulin treatments have not shown a certain effect in slowing or stopping the onset of Type 1 diabetes. 

Immune System Suppression
Some compounds that are naturally produced by the body can suppress the entire immune system. Corticosteroids such as prednisone have been used, but they can have severe side effects. Other pharmaceutical compounds have been tested, such as cyclosporine A. However, none of these compounds were able to significantly decrease the rate or proportion of onset of type 1 diabetes over the long term in the clinical trials. It is also not beneficial to suppress the entire immune system because the patient will become vulnerable to more non-related infections. Finally, because of significant toxicity of each of the compounds, their use has been largely abandoned in the treatment of diabetes.

Immune Modulation
Immune modulation is different than general immune system suppression in that it suppresses only the specific immune system cells that are causing the disease. Immune modulation is currently under intense study. When the immune system starts to attack the pancreatic cells (known as auto-immune insulitis), certain indicator antibodies appear in the blood of affected individuals. These include ICA, IAA, Anti-GAD65, amongst others. These indicators can be screened by your doctor. To speak with one of our counselors or to make an appointment, click here.. For any attempted treatment of Type 1 diabetes, it is critical to begin as quickly as possible to prevent the progression of the disease. For a recent review, see (Trends in Biotechnology, vol. 23:3 page 128-134 March 2005). (Glucosense) (ImmunoCare)

If you could have a “magic bullet” to modulate the immune system to alleviate Type 1 or 2 diabetes, it would target only the immune system cells that were responsible for the damage to the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. There is actually some very promising research in this area that is in clinical trials right now. Recall the antibodies that were listed above? The target of an antibody is called an antigen. Researchers are using antigens to modulate the immune system to heal and protect itself. These may provide vaccines against autoimmune disorders such as Type 1 diabetes.

A vaccine is a small protein that activates the immune system, for instance, flu vaccine. To gain immunity from a disease before you actually catch it, you can prep your immune system by subjecting it to proteins that have similarities to the virus or bacteria that produces the disease. In this way, the immune systems “sees” the disease before you are exposed to it, and can produce the immune response necessary to fight it when it appears.

Vaccines against Type 1 diabetes are currently being tested. There are several different methods that are being attempted. One strategy is to protect the insulin-producing β cells from being attacked (by covering the site that is identified by the T cells). Other methods include strategies that involve the “biomarker” molecules mentioned earlier.

It is critical to note that some of these trials have been successful in experiments with mice, and in early clinical evaluations with humans (antigens derived from insulin, glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) and heat shock protein 60 (Hsp-60)-derived peptide 277). If you would like to speak with one of our staff or doctors about participating in an ongoing trial or would like more information, click here

Modulating the Immune System Through Diet
It goes without saying that a healthy diet is critical for maintaining a balanced immune system. In addition to avoiding excess calories, there are several common diet components that have been singled out as possible triggers for the onset of Type 1 or 2 diabetes. Preventative measures can be as simple as dietary modification. Ongoing studies include eliminating cow’s milk and examining the effect of gluten in the diet of certain diabetic and pre-diabetic people. In addition, vitamin D and other supplements seem to be critical for a healthy immune system, as well as aiding in activating insulin. For more information on how to maintain a healthy immune system and alleviate the stresses of diabetes through your diet, click here> (Supplements) (ImmuneAssist)

Perhaps the most promising diet strategy is the addition of omega-3 fatty acids to the diet. Historically, the Western diet consisted of a nearly equal intake of omega-3 fatty acids (n-3) and larger chain (n-6) fatty acids. In the 1800’s, the ratio of n-3 to n-6 fatty acids was approximately 1:1 or 1:2. However, with processed foods and additives, the present day Western diet typically contains a ratio of n-3 to n-6 fatty acids of only 1:20 to 1:30! Add to this the fact that for the first time in human history, there are as many children with Type 2 diabetes as there are with Type 1 diabetes. Is this change in diet responsible for the current plague of diabetes? For more information about omega-3 fatty acids and your diet, click here.

For other ways we help your immune system recover from imbalances and to help detoxify your system so you can achieve and maintain an healthy equilibrium, click here.

Immuno Imagery
There seems to be a psychological link to at least some types of immunity disorders. For instance, some people will elicit an allergy to the perceived presence of an allergen, even when it is not really there. One anecdote is that an allergist holds a realistic fake flower under the nose of a patient, and the patient, thinking it is a real flower, reflexively sneezes. Under scientific conditions, if a rat is subjected to repeated irritation by rubbing its skin daily with an irritant, it will produce an inflammation at the site. However, if the rat is subsequently rubbed in the same spot, but no irritant is applied, it will still produce inflammation at the site.

Immuno-imagery incorporates the science of psychoneuroimmunology (PNI) to examine the interactions between the brain and the immune system. The goal of PNI and Immuno-imagery is to guide your brain to regulate your immune system through deep relaxation and visualization techniques. Immuno-imagery uses a repetitive program of deep relaxation combined with active stimulation to activate a healthy regulation of your immune system.

Scientifically, there is absolutely no doubt that your mental perceptions influence your immunological state. A simple example is stress. In response to stress (perceived or real, it is a product of your mental state), “stress” hormones such as cortisol are generated by your body. Cortisol and other stress hormones are known to suppress the immune system. These hormones can be measured in your bloodstream. At the Hope4Diabetes Medical Center, our holistic view of healing incorporates every aspect of your health that can contribute to your achievement of a healthy equilibrium and the best quality of life. For more information on immuno-imagery, click here.