Much has been said in recent times about how harmful refined sugar can be for our health, especially because of its incidence in chronic diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular system affectations or cancer, however, few talk about how harmful it is for the functioning of the immune system.
It is important to remember how complex the immune system is, as it reacts to both internal and external stimuli, such as food, where diets rich in vegetables and fruits can help increase the organism’s defenses, while elements such as processed foods or excessive sugar generate the opposite effect.
Does sugar work as an immunosuppressant?
Depending on different conditions of the organism, sugar may or may not act as an immunosuppressant, although it should always be clear that consuming large amounts of sugar can interfere with the balance of different nutrients in the body, generating some effects, such as inflammations or alterations in the metabolism.
Although it cannot always be said that this food is harmful, as it often depends on whether the body is already infected, either by a virus or bacteria, so there is no simple definition of good or bad when talking about the immune system, although if it is consumed in excess it will certainly be harmful.
Sugar and phagocytes
One way to better understand the role of sugar in the immune system is to get to know the phagocytes, which are cells whose function is to protect the body by absorbing bacterial waste or small particles that are foreign to the organism.
Among the types of phagocytes that exist we can mention the Neutrophils, Macrophages, Monocytes, Mast cells, Dendritic cells.
A scientific study carried out with the intention of making an observation of how simple carbohydrates produced a decrease in the phagocytic capacity of neutrophils, by means of the extraction of blood after overnight fasting and at intervals of 30 minutes, 1, 2, 3 and 5 hours.
The people selected for the study ingested 100 g of glucose, sucrose, fructose, orange juice or honey, which generated a decrease in the phagocytic index some two hours later, meaning that the immunological effect of the phagocytes was reduced.
This reduction was maintained up to 5 hours after consuming simple carbohydrates.
Nutrition is indispensable
As we have already mentioned, nutrition is one of the pillars that maintain the proper functioning of the immune system, therefore to ensure good defenses it is essential to maintain a healthy and balanced diet, in which a good amount of natural foods are integrated and fats, processed foods and large amounts of sugars are avoided.
It is also necessary to adopt healthy habits such as daily exercise, as well as to work on mental and emotional balance.
