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Posted: Wed Mar 22, 2006 2:31 pm Post subject: Transfer factor and bird flu?
Hi Barbara and Tom,
First I would like to say that Transfer Factor cannot cure any flu or treat the flu.
The threat of bird flu isn't only that you immune system may not be strong enough to deal with it but also the immune system could over-react to such a foreign threat. For example the majority of SARS patients died from an over reaction to the germ in the lungs. The immune system actually damaged the lungs.
I will explain how transfer factors can assist you in staying healthy. When a germ enters your body there is a race that takes place. The germ reproduces at a rapid pace. The body begins a process of recognizing the invaders. How long it takes to recognize and begin the process of fighting the germs, will determine how sick the person gets or if they die.
Germs have characteristics or antigens that can make them recognizable to your immune system.
The Immune system remembers a germ that it has had contact with. Antibodies remember the specific characteristics of a germ. Often there are many strains of the same germ. If a germ enters the body that isn't exactly like the germ the body experienced the antibody doesn't recognize it.
There are immune system cells that focus on recognizing anything that enters the body that isn't self and a non-self potential threat. This process is slower and more guarded.
Transfer factors also have the ability to recognize characteristics of a germ that the body has experienced. One difference between antibodies and transfer factors is that the germ doesn't have to contain exactly the characteristics of the germ in order for the transfer factors to initiate an immune system attack on the germ.
An example is cowpox back in the 1930s and 1940s. Cowpox has some of the same antigens as small pox. Some of the individuals that worked around cows became ill with the less deadly cowpox. It was found these individuals were less likely to develop small pox. Even though the two germs were not exactly the same, something in the immune system was able to recognize the antigens on the small pox germ because it had come in contact with the distant cousin cowpox.
Since the immune system was able to initiate an attack against the small pox germ the germ never reached the point of disease.
Scientists have found that our body's natural transfer factors are key recognition factors. Also our natural body transfer factors are regulators of many different immune system cells, molecules and body chemicals. It is like a general in a battle that directs or coordinates an attack against the germs.
This regulating and recognition capability both can create early recognition, strengthen the immune system and help the immune system not to over-react.
Now the question of the bird flu. My conjecture is purely theoretical. All birds share the common vulnerability to the same species of germs. There are germs that are very different or even mutated but still share a few common antigens or characteristics of more common germs.
The reason that the bird flu is so dangerous is that it is so different than human germs. Generally these germs would not have an effect on a human or could not be passed from one human to another. Only because it is mutating can it effect the human and be passed on between humans.
Our immune system would recognize that it isn't self and respond but since it is so different our immune system would have a tendency to over-react. It would kind a go into frenzy and do damage even to our own body. Since it doens't recognize any antigens it would take much longer to learn the nature of the germ and for the regulating cells to develop a battle strategy. It would take the body so long to develop an understanding of the new germ that it may be too late. This is the reason that even individuals with strong immune systems are being effected.
How could Transfer Factor help the immune system? If the bird flu germ shares a few characteristics with other bird germs, the transfer factors from chickens could have this information encoded. Does this mean we wouldn't become sick? No. Would transfer factors fight the bird flu germ or any other germ? No. Transfer factors would have no direct effect on the germs. If you place germs in a petri dish and mix in transfer factors there would be no effect. Transfer factors would only support the immune system in its functions. The immune system is what fights germs. We support the immune system.
If the consumed transfer factors from chickens contain information on any characteristics of relatives of the bird flu, this information would be shared with our immune system. Our immune system could possibly recognize these characteristics and begin a more organized attack on the invading germs much sooner. What would happen then is still a mystery.
Now what about vaccines. A vaccine carries information about the germ into your body. It causes the immune system to develop antibodies and possibly transfer factors that recognize the germ. If the germ entered the body, then the immune system would be ready to respond much quicker and the individual may not become sick or as sick.
What about all of the concern about vaccines? The theory is that sometimes a vaccine may cause the immune system to overreact and the individual could develop various autoimmune system conditions.
Whenever any of our PN children or adults gets vaccinated, we always tank up on TF Classic. With extra recognition capabilities and extra regulatory capabilities, we believe the immune system will better handle the vaccination. This is our theory based on our research. Mike
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