Thymus LF

Thymus LF formulation has New Zealand lyophilized glandular and ethno-Botanicals support for healthy thyroid Causal Chain function.*

The key to a healthy, functioning immune system rests with the thymus gland, a small organ lying just beneath the breastbone. One of the primary roles of the thymus is to assist in the proliferation and differentiation of mature T-lymphocytes, cells that attack and kill viruses and bacteria. The entire development of the T-lymphocytes from the stem cells of the bone marrow occurs via the thymus gland. T-cells emerge from the bone marrow in an incomplete state. To function correctly, immature T-cells migrate to the thymus gland, where they are programmed into mature T-cells that orchestrate the immune response to attack and destroy invading pathogens.

These T-lymphocytes (a type of white blood cell) are responsible for "cell-mediated immunity." Cell-mediated immunity refers to immune mechanisms not controlled or mediated by antibodies. Cell-mediated immunity is essential in the resistance to infection by certain bacteria, yeast (including Candida albicans), fungi, parasites, and viruses (including herpes simplex, Epstein-Barr, CMV, etc.) Cell-mediated immunity is also critical in protecting against the development of cancer, allergies, and autoimmune disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis. The thymus gland also releases several hormones, such as thymosin, thymopoietin, and serum thymic factor, that regulate many immune functions. Thymosin, for example, stimulates the development of disease-fighting T-cells. Once T-cells fully mature in the thymus, they migrate to the lymph nodes. Fabris, N., Mocchegiani, E., Muzzioli, M., and Provinciali, M. Role of zinc in neuroendocrine-immune interactions during aging. In: Physiological Senescence and Its Postponement, Ann New York Acad Sci, Vol 621, by Walter Pierpaoli and Nicola Fabris, (eds.),1991, NY Acad Sci, New York, 314-326.

In almost everyone, by the time a person reaches the age of about 50, the thymus gland has shrunken to, at most, half its former size. This is called involution or atrophy of the thymus gland. It is a common feature of aging on planet Earth!

As we age, the thymus shrinks as its role shifts from immune cell production to regulation of the immune response. Atrophy of the thymus gland is important because, as part of the immune system, it contains lymph tissue similar to that found in the tonsils, adenoids, lymph nodes, and other lymphatic tissue. Lower thymic hormone levels in the blood are associated with depressed immunity and are typical of the elderly, individuals with chronic infections, auto-immune disorders, cancer, and AIDS patients. The thymus is highly susceptible to free radical and oxidative damage caused by stress, radiation, poor diet, infection, and chronic illness. People who have undergone radiation, chemotherapy, or other immune-suppressing treatments also typically have low thymus function. Whatever the cause, depressed immunity can lead to an increase in the frequency and severity of colds, fatigue, allergies, or the onset of opportunistic infections. K. Kelly et al. “A pituitary-Thymus Connection During Aging.” Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 521, 88-98, 1988.

The thymus gland, with its specific hormones, is like a regulatory center for immunological defense reactions. Without the thymus (e.g., removed experimentally or destroyed by radiation), T-lymphocytes can, therefore, no longer be demonstrated. If thymus tissue can be re-established, the specific functions of the lymphocytes are restored, and the immune system may now also function in balance within the whole of the human body, mind, and heart.