Although many of us associate wintertime with sickness, the truth is, weakened immune function can make you more susceptible to a cold, a virus, or an infection at any time of the year.

The immune system is a complex network of cells, proteins, and organs responsible for identifying foreign invaders and protecting the body’s cells. Optimal immune function quickly recognizes and destroys threats to the body; whereas, weakened immune function can result in illnesses or infections being more severe and harder to treat, causing them to last longer. 

Your immune function also needs to recognize what is and is not a foreign invader, elicit the appropriate response, and stop responding when a threat is over.

Here are several of the most common biomarkers you can check yourself ‒ with the help of Thorne’s in-lab health panels or at-home tests. These tests give insight into your immune function:

1. Immune readiness from the gut microbiome 

About 70 percent of the immune system originates in the gut. The gut’s immune system capabilities depend on the health of its structure, function, and microbial ecosystem, which can be disrupted by many things, including medications, diet, and stress.

Thorne’s Gut Health Test provides an Immune Readiness score that identifies and counts the microbes present in the gut that influence the following: digestion, absorption of nutrients, gut lining integrity, inflammation levels, immune response time and activation, short-chain fatty acid production, and cells that identify invaders and influence autoimmunity. 

2. White blood cells from an in-lab test

White blood cells – the absolute numbers and ratios – change when you encounter something that triggers an immune response, indicating whether your system is activated or underactive. A total white blood cell count is a common first indication whether further testing is needed because white blood cells will rapidly increase or decrease in hours to days when a person is healthy, but can stay low or high when someone is not healthy.

The different types and numbers of white blood cells ‒ neutrophils, lymphocytes, monocytes, basophils, and eosinophils ‒ help you understand if your body is dealing with a virus, bacterial infection, an allergen, or inflammation, or if immune function is weakened. Each of these biomarkers is analyzed and explained in-depth in Thorne’s Advanced Health Panel and Essential Health Panel ‒ and should be checked at least yearly. 

3. Vitamin D levels in blood

Vitamin D plays a role in the innate immune system – the first line of defense against germs entering the body, along with numerous effects on specific cells that regulate full immune function, including B cells, T cells, T regulatory cells, pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines, monocytes, dendritic cells, and more. The level of vitamin D tends to fluctuate throughout the year, with its lowest level most likely occurring during the darker (winter) months. 

Numerous studies associate a low level of vitamin D with increased rates of infection. Specifically, research shows a person with a level below 30 ng/mL is more likely to have upper respiratory tract infections, higher rates of influenza, and bacterial vaginosis than individuals with an adequate vitamin D level (above 40 ng/mL), no matter one’s age, body size, race, or the season of the year.1  More recent research shows a link between a vitamin D deficiency and progression of existing autoimmune diseases.

Vitamin D is an easy blood biomarker to measure with Thorne’s Vitamin D or Weight Management at-home test kits, or in-lab (meaning a requirement for a lab blood draw) through Thorne’s Advanced Health Panel and Essential Health Panel, and it should be checked at least yearly – and more often when your D level has tested outside normal limits.

4. Cortisol from saliva or blood

Cortisol, most often referred to as a stress biomarker, can also reflect immune function. When consistently elevated, cortisol can suppress the immune response, exaggerate immune reactions, or indicate inflammation. Cortisol is a hormone whose level fluctuates throughout the day.

When your cortisol level stays above the ideal range, the immune system can become resistant and overproduce inflammatory cytokines that further compromise the immune response. One might experience things like longer healing times, lower lymphocyte levels, increased inflammatory cytokine levels, and reactivation of latent viruses.2 

Cortisol can also have an adverse effect on telomere length, a marker of biological aging, along with increased incidence of disease with age. Measure salivary cortisol at four time points during 24 hours at home with Thorne’s Stress Test, Weight Management Test, or Menopause Test; or schedule a lab visit and provide a blood sample for the Advanced or Essential Health Panels. Cortisol should be checked regularly, especially during times of stress and high exercise training. 

5. C-reactive protein (CRP)

Although any biomarker of inflammation could be included in this list, CRP is a common blood biomarker that plays a role in innate immunity. When elevated, CRP can indicate certain pathogens might be present; or that there is inflammation, trauma, or infection, and the humoral, adaptive immune system is activated.

Thorne offers two in-lab health panels – Advanced Health Panel and Essential Health Panel – that measure the CRP level (using hs-CRP technology).

6. Immunoglobulins for food allergies

Immunoglobins, also called antibodies, are proteins your immune system makes to fight germs, viruses, bacteria, and other substances perceived as foreign invaders, which can include foods and human cells in the case of autoimmune diseases. 

For example, think about a food allergy. When food is introduced into the body, the immune system perceives a harmless ingredient like peanuts as a potential threat. The immune system activates, producing immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies that release chemicals, eliciting an allergic reaction, and the person starts to get itchy, swollen, red, or worse. The first time might cause a person to question if it was an actual allergic response, but with ongoing exposure, allergic symptoms have the potential to intensify.

Blood tests for IgE have been clinically shown to be the most effective method to test for allergies. Technology advancements beyond venipuncture find capillary blood and dried blood spot analysis to be equally accurate in allergy diagnosis.3 

Drawbridge Health’s exclusive, patented OneDraw testing method can provide a comfortable experience and accurate IgE analysis from capillary blood using a dried blood-spot card, ensuring proper allergen and sensitivity diagnosis. This method improves patient experience, reduces human error, and offers comprehensive testing for many common food and environmental allergens. Currently, OneDraw is not available for a general consumer use, but it is available to Thorne’s professional network.

7. Immunoglobins from blood for many autoimmune conditions

Other immunoglobins (IgG specifically) can be tested on the OneDraw device ‒ again, available to our professional network ‒ for a variety of different autoimmune conditions. Here are some examples:

Anti-dsDNA, an IgG analysis of human autoantibodies against double-stranded, genomic DNA, helps diagnose systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Anti-DNA antibodies play a role in the pathogenesis of SLE, as immunocomplexes of the double-stranded DNA and the corresponding autoantibodies are deposited in the capillaries of the skin, kidneys, and other organs, causing organ damage. An estimated 40,000 individuals have SLE, mainly women of child-bearing age. 

Anti-CCP through IgG testing can help diagnose rheumatoid arthritis (RA). RA is one of the most common autoimmune diseases – about one percent of the population worldwide has RA, 75 percent of them women. RA causes inflammation of the synovial membrane, spreading to joints and causing pain, stiffness, and joint and soft tissue destruction. 

Anti-gliadin (GAF-3X) through IgG testing can identify the presence of antibodies against gliadin, the most prevalent protein in gluten and one of the primary culprits in gluten sensitivity that contributes to celiac disease. Celiac disease damages the mucous membranes in the small intestine and flattens the villi structure resulting in functional disorders. Individuals experiencing frequent GI rumbling, gas, abdominal pain, diarrhea, malabsorption, weight loss, anemia, growth issues, constipation, or other pains should get tested for it. 

Concerned about your immune function? Then check your labs at least once annually and consider these top nutrients for immune support. 

References

  1. Aranow C. Vitamin D and the immune system. J Investig Med2011;59(6):881-886.
  2. Morey JN, Boggero IA, Scott AB, Segerstrom SC. Current directions in stress and human immune function. Curr Opin Psychol 2015;5:13-17.
  3. Garib V, Rigler E, Gastager F, et al. Determination of IgE and IgG reactivity to more than 170 allergen molecules in paper-dried blood spots. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2019;143(1):437-440.