Barry Bradford with Kansas State University presented new information from his study of immunometabolism at the American Society of Animal Scientists in July. He researched inflammatory responses during times of stress, especially those that impact on liver health.
The interactions between normal organ function and the immune system are becoming much tighter than we used to think.
Source: BEEF, August 22, 2019. Link. “What we are learning now is < macrophages > are not just looking for signs of bacteria or infection, but they’re also playing really important roles in regulating how the tissue works day to day,” Bradford said. “Turning on a breakdown of body fat when the animal doesn’t have enough energy is actually influenced by these immune cells.” He indicates that a better understanding of nutritional support may be the low-hanging fruit.
INSIGHTS: This is a fascinating topic that has implications in other mammals. Maybe grandma’s chicken soup contains the effective nutrients that help us fight off immune challenges after all.