Increase Your Immunity — Part 2: Curcumin and Selenium

In part 1, we looked at the multitude of health benefits provided by 1. Alpha Lipoic Acid and 2. cordyceps. Both have positive effects on increasing overall health and immune function.

Part 2 continues with a closer look at curcumin and selenium. Curcumin is a flavonoid found in the popular spice turmeric. Selenium is an essential mineral that has been shown to make viruses more potent if in low amounts in the body.

3. Curcumin

Turmeric is a rhizome that comes from the flowering plant, Curcuma longa (part of the ginger family). It has been used in Ayurvedic medicine for centuries. Curcuminoids come from turmeric.

Curcumin is the most active of the curcuminoids, the most beneficial to health, and the most researched. Curcumin is a flavonoid and flavnoids are part of a larger group of pharmacologically active compounds (polyphenols) that have immunomodulatory activity.

Interestingly, flavonoids are proposed to reduce the incidence of upper respiratory tract infections because they have a range anti-inflammatory, antiviral, cytotoxic, antimicrobial, and antioxidant effects (1,2).

ANTI-INFLAMMATORY

Curcumin reduces inflammation by lowering histamine levels. It is speculatulated that it also increases the production of natural cortisone by the adrenal glands (2,3).

ANTI-OXIDANT

Curcumin protects against free radical damage because it is a strong antioxidant (2,3). It has been proven that oxidative stress contributes to aging and disease. To boot, curcumin also boosts the activity of your body’s own antioxidant enzymes (3). Specifically, curcumin stimulates the antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase, both essential for cell and tissue health (4).

ANTI-CANCER PROPERTIES

Some studies show that curcumin has antimutagenic properties in that it potentially helps to prevent new cancers that are caused by chemotherapy or radiation therapy used to treat existing cancers.

It has been shown in animal studies to suppress carcinogenisis of melanoma (skin cancer) cells, breast, colon, and lung (2,5). Researchers propose that curcumin may be especially useful in deactivating the carcinogens in cigarette smoke and chewing tobacco (2,3).

“The anticarcinogenic effects of turmeric and curcumin are due to direct antioxidant and free-radical scavenging effects and their ability to indirectly increase glutathione levels, thereby aiding in hepatic detoxification of mutagens and carcinogens” (2).

SUPPORTS CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTH

Curcumin also provides protection to the cardiovascular system by lowering cholesterol and triglyceride levels, and inhibiting platelet aggregation. Curcumin is a potent antioxidant that can neutralize free radicals as descirbed above. It reduces inflammation and oxidation. This plays a critical role in the maintainance of healthy cardiovascular system to deliver immune cells to where they need to go (2).

HEPATOPROTECTIVE

Curcumin has what’s called hepatoprotective properties. This means it protects the liver tissue from toxic compounds such as carbon tetrachloride, acetaminophen (paracetamol), and Aspergillus aflatoxin. The hepatoprotective effect of curcumin is mainly a result of its ability to decrease inflammatory cytokines and its antioxidant properties (2).

4. Selenium

Selenium is a powerful anti-oxidant and plays an important role in the oxidative stress cycles in your body. Selenium also ensures that viruses don’t become more harmful. Not surprising, Selenium also increases glutathione levels and we know that glutathione plays a pivitol role in aging, disease.

MAKES VIRUSES LESS POTENT

Selenium binds to a family of proteins called seleno-proteins, which play a significant role in immunity (6,7). Selenium deficiency can “alter the viral genome, so that a normally benign or mildly pathogenic virus becomes highly virulent in the deficient host under oxidative stress. This phenomenon has been reported in animal models for influenza and coxsackie viruses” (7). In other words, low selenium levels in the body makes viruses more potent!

MAINTAINS ANTIBODY LEVELS

Selenium also helps to maintain antibody levels. Antibodies are small Y shaped proteins (also known as immunoglobins — Ig). Antibodies find and stick to foreign objects in the body such as bacteria and virus. This has the effect of tagging the pathogen and sending out signals to the rest of the immune system to get rid of the foreign object (8).

KEEPS VIRUSES FROM MULTIPLYING

Selenium increases the level of interferons. Interferons send signals to the body that there are germs or cancer cells in the body. They trigger immune killer cells to get rid of the offenders. Interferons “interfere” with viral replication and is important for the function of white blood cells (leukocytes) (7,8).

Great food sources of natural selenium include brazil nuts and fish. Other sources include eggs, dairy, poultry, beef, brown rice, beans, lentils, sunflower seeds, spinach, mushrooms, and bananas. Other foods such as cereals and whole wheat bread are fortified with selenium (9).

PARTNERS WITH GLUTATHIONE

A virus infection increases the levels of oxidative stress in the body. As the body fights the oxidative stress, the levels of selenium and glutathione decrease in the ensuing battle. The body must keep up adequate selenium and glutathione levels to effectively fight oxidative stress from infection.

The glutathione peroxidase (GPx) family of proteins prevents oxidative stress and is dependent of selenium for optimal functioning. It also plays a crucial role in preventing damage to the mitochondria (9).

We saw in part 1 of this series that Alpha Lipoic Acid and cordyceps are incredibly powerful and work in the body to increase overall health and immunity. Part 2 shows that both curcumin and selenium join the orchestra and also play a pivotal role in maintaining immune function, liver and heart health, reducing oxidative stress and reducing inflammation.

Part 3 of this series will focus on the unique properties of milk thistle and quercetin in immune health.

This story first appeared in The Research Explained, April 2020

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2. Tomeh MA, Hadianamrei R, Zhao X. A Review of Curcumin and Its Derivatives as Anticancer Agents. Int J Mol Sci. 2019;20(5):1033. Published 2019 Feb 27. doi:10.3390/ijms20051033
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8. Gombart AF, Pierre A, Maggini S. A Review of Micronutrients and the Immune System-Working in Harmony to Reduce the Risk of Infection. Nutrients. 2020;12(1):236. Published 2020 Jan 16. doi:10.3390/nu12010236
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