Posted on December 5th, 2008 by Craig Maltby, Editor
Losing weight and your immune system: Easy does it
(Editor’s Note: Dieting happens. Especially after the holidays. While taking off excess weight is a good thing, 
doing it the right way…or the wrong way…can have a lasting impact on immune health. Larry Robinson, Ph.D., Vice President of Scientific Affairs at Embria Health Sciences, manufacturer of immune balance ingredient EpiCor, answers a few questions on how losing weight and immune system health are connected. )
What is important to know about the immune system when thinking about dieting?
First, if weight loss is too rapid, there can be a temporary compromising of the immune system, so slow and steady is better. Second, a variety of vitamins and minerals can affect immune function, so it is important to ensure that a sufficient level of these are in the diet, either naturally of via supplementation
In what ways might dieting compromise the immune system?
There have been studies that show that a gradual loss of weight and maintaining that weight are good for the immune system. However, yo-yo dieting (repeatedly losing and regaining weight) may have a lasting negative impact on immune function.
How do you diet with the least impact on the immune system?
The scientific research at the moment suggests that slow steady weight loss, good nutrition, maintenance of the lower weight and regular exercise are the keys to maintaining a healthy immune system
Moderate exercise and maintaining a reasonable level of fitness has been shown to improve immune function. The mechanisms are not yet clear, but the effects are well established.
What is new in research on the immune system that people might not be aware of?
There are a huge number of studies of the immune system being carried out at the moment, many of them sorting out small details of what happens in the immune response and how. To me, one of the more interesting areas is that of the interactions between the innate (non-specific and rapid) and adaptive (slower and specific) immune systems. It used to be considered that the innate system was the poor cousin of the immune response, but many studies now have demonstrated its importance, and the essential interactions of the two systems in defending the body.
December 13th, 2008 at 11:47 pm
Fascinating! I run a web site on healthy weight loss and in all of my research I never heard about the connection between crash dieting and the immune system. Thank you for this and for a great site.
December 14th, 2008 at 1:25 pm
Diane:
You’ve got a deep and informative weight loss site that really captures a lot of smart thinking about weight management. I noticed a section on your site devoted to breathing. Breathing and oxygen intake can, as well, hinder the immune system’s ability to operate in a balanced and efficient fashion. I hope to have more on this in the future.
Thanks for checking in. Hope to hear more from you.