|
Thymus Gland - its overlooked but vital role
by James South MA
to order
The thymus gland is a small gland in the upper
chest. It weighs one third to one half ounce at birth, and reaches its peak weight of
about 17 ounces at puberty. Thereafter, under the influence of many factors, including
adrenal and sex hormones, the active thymus gland cells begin to die off, with much
of the thymus gland tissue being gradually replaced by fat and connective tissue.
Much of the healthy thymus gland structure
typically atrophies by age 20, and the decline accelerates through-out life
thereafter. As immunologist Keith Kelly notes: "The involution [shrinkage] of
the thymus gland is one of the cardinal bio-markers of aging." (1). In the past 40
years, science has discovered that the thymus gland is the key regulator of
immunity.
Thymus- research
In the 1960's research showed that immature white
blood cells would "incubate" for a period inside the thymus gland, and
exit transformed into one of the specific types of T-lymphocytes, such as T4 helper cells
or T8 suppresser or cytotoxic T cells.
By the 1970's, the thymus gland began to be
viewed as an endocrine gland, similar to other endocrine glands, such as the pituitary or
thyroid.
Thus, pioneer thymus gland hormone researcher
Allan Goldstein, M.D. stated in concluding his classic 1974 paper Thymosin and the
Immunopathology of Aging: "Our studies indicate that the thymus controls the
maturation of T cells by an endocrine mechanism, and that the hypothesis that the [ thymus
gland] must come into contact with T-cell precursors is no longer tenable. We propose that
the [ thymus gland] secretes thymosin, and perhaps other hormones, which can act at sites
distant from the thymus to influence the ontogenesis [and] function... of lymphoid cells
involved in cell mediated immunity." (2)
By the 1990's, at least 4 different peptide hormones
naturally secreted by the thymus gland had been discovered and clinically tested. These
included the Thymosins, a group of 40 or so related peptides, found in thymus extracts
called "Thymic Fraction 5"; Thymopoietin; Thymulin; also called "Facteur
Thymique Serique"; and Thymus Humoral Factor (3).
Collectively, these thymus gland hormones have
been shown, in human, animal and in vitro studies, to have a broad range of action, well
beyond merely maturing and differentiating T cells.
Thymus -Action
Thymus gland hormones can increase key immune
signals, called "lymphokines", including interleukin 2 (IL2), interferon, colony
stimulating factor, and others (4,6). thymus gland hormones can cause greater numbers of T
cells to develop more IL2 receptors more quickly, which is critically necessary to allow
rapid white blood cell proliferation and activation to fight invading germs (4).
Thymus gland hormones can prevent the tissue wasting
that occurs with thymus gland removal or severe thymus gland atrophy, and
promote healthy weight gain in disease states- such as AIDS- where catabolic body wasting
is typical (3).
Thymus gland hormones can reduce autoimmune
reactions, clinically and experimentally, such as occur in rheumatoid arthritis (5).
Thymus gland hormones prevent the bone marrow injury
and subsequent reduction in white and red blood cell production, frequently produced by
X-ray or chemotherapy cancer treatment (5).
Thymus gland hormones can increase disease-fighting
antibodies when they're needed, yet reduce the levels of the "allergic antibody"
IgE, in patients suffering allergic rhinitis, asthma, and atopic dermatitis (5). These are
just some of the many ways thymus gland hormones have been shown to enhance, restore, and
balance immunity!
As cellular physiologist Dennis Fahy has noted:
"If you restore immune function, your ability to make DNA, to have normal cell
division, to have normal insulin sensitivity, to have normal thyroid levels and other
things, such as normal population of certain molecules in the brain that change with age,
all these things are restored by an improvement in the immune system." (1).
Thymus- aging and growth hormone
As the thymus gland shrinks with age, so the blood
levels and activity of various thymus gland hormones decline with age. Thus, Goldstein
observed a significant drop in blood thymosin levels in normal individuals between the
ages of 20 and 40 (2). Thymulin, a zinc-activated thymus gland hormone, shows bioassay
evidence of a significant drop in activity in aging, healthy adults, and in hypothyroidism
(3).
Since thymus gland hormones are secreted by the very
thymus gland cells that "shrivel up" and waste away due to aging, stress,
disease, radiation and malnutrition etc., the drop in thymus gland hormone activity with
aging should hardly be surprising.
Part of the restorative, rejuvenate, anabolic,
general health-enhancing effects of thymus gland hormones may relate to the parallel and
synergistic interactions between the pituitary and thymus gland, and growth hormone (GH)
and thymus gland hormones.
Thymus gland hormones increase the number, activity,
and healthy structure of T cells, and T cells secrete GH and GH releasing hormone (7,8).
Furthermore, they can stimulate the pituitary to release GH (3). Also, experimental
thymus gland removal is accompanied by degeneration of the pituitary cells that produce GH
(3).
Thymus- immune system
Another important effect of thymus gland hormones is
their immune normalizing action. thymus gland hormones do not automatically just
"turn up the volume" and increase all immune activity. Rather, thymus gland
hormones tend to reduce immunity when excessive, as evidenced by overly high T4: T8
ratios, often seen in rheumatoid arthritis. T
hymus gland hormones increase immune activity when
it is weak, as shown by low T4: T8 ratios, a hallmark of AIDS. Thymus gland hormones
will also more precisely normalize the T4: T8 ratio in persons whose T4: T8 ratio is
already more or less normal, and bring the ratio closer to the "ideal", healthy
T4: T8 ratio of 1.74.
A retrospective study of the results from clinical
trials with 130 patients suffering various ailments, who received oral pharmaceutical
thymus extract demonstrates this clearly. 40 subjects had T4: T8 ratios below normal
(under 1.02); 78 had normal ratios (between 1.02 and 2.46); while 12 cases had above
normal rations.
After 3-months the oral therapy had increased the
below-normal group's T4: T8 ratio from 0.72 to 1.10, while the above-normal ratio group
decreased from 3.33 to 2.18.
The already normal T4: T8 ratio group increased
their ratio slightly from 1.53 to 1.70, almost exactly the "ideal", healthy
ratio of 1.74 (9).
Thymus- little known
Although it is little known, even to most
alternative/ anti-aging medicine devotees, there is a large body of published, human
clinical research supporting the use of oral thymus gland extracts. They have been used in
a broad range of conditions, ranging from cancer treatment, to rheumatoid arthritis, to
various allergy and asthma conditions, to recurrent respiratory infections and hepatitis
(see reference 5 for a detailed list of references).
These studies have generally shown thymus gland
extracts to be extremely non-toxic and side-effect free, with few contraindications for
use.
The main block to the acceptance of the efficacy of
oral thymus gland extracts is the erroneous yet widespread belief that all proteins and
peptides taken orally, as food or supplements, are 100% digested to individual amino acids
before absorption, from the intestine into the body.
If this were true, then indeed orally administered
thymus gland peptide hormone extracts would be broken down completely during digestion,
becoming merely very expensive, low dose amino acid supplements, with no more immune
activity than (for example) a few hundred milligrams of ground beef protein! Yet it has
been known since the 1970's that significant quantities of various proteins, such as
gliadin from wheat, milk casein, ferritin, haemoglobin and milk immunoglobins routinely
survive digestion and enter the body- and even the brain- intact.
The pioneering research of W.A. Hemmings (10) and
Ziovdrov and colleagues (11) had repeatedly demonstrated this in a wide variety of
experiments using many different proteins, by the late 1970's.
In the 1997 textbook Oxidology (12), Bradford and
Allen even explain the mechanism of how this occurs. It is based on a cellular process
called "pinocytosis."
Thymus- Thym-Uvocal
Thym-Uvocal is not just a "desiccated whole
thymus glandular extract" of the sort found in health food stores.
The active substances in Thym-Uvocal are obtained by
a selective, multi-stage biotechnology process. The starting material is thymus gland's
from strictly selected and healthy calves.
Tissue from any given animal is used only after a
veterinary physician has examined the live animal and issued a certificate of good health.
Before the tissue is processed, histological and
bacteriological tests are performed. During the multi-stage processing, proteins and
prohormones in the tissue are enzymatically cleaved to short-chain pharmaceutically active
oligopeptides.
Filtration and special heat treatment ensure the
inactivation and removal of any microorganisms. The controlled and reproducible
manufacturing process produces an activation and concentration of the desired low
molecular weight peptides.
The various major thymus gland hormones range in
molecular weight from 860 Daltons (Thymulin) to 5600 Daltons (Thymopoietin). Injectable
Thym-Uvocal is standardized to be under 2000 Daltons molecular weight, thus minimizing the
risk of allergic reaction, while the oral form Thym-Uvocal has a molecular weight under
10,000 Daltons.
Since animal experiments and human clinical research
has found no single thymus gland hormone to be capable of performing all the
immune-optimizing functions induced by the thymus gland family of hormones as a whole,
pharmaceutically balanced thymus gland polypeptide hormone mixture is both more
"natural", and more likely to be safe and effective, than any specific thymic
hormone.
Thym-Uvocal has been in clinical use in Europe since
1976. The German company- Mulli which produces Thym-Uvocal has published research, as well
as in-house and physician anecdotal evidence to support the efficacy and safety of
Thym-Uvocal (13).
Who can benefit from Thym-Uvocal?
1. Patients, both children and adults, with
infections, autoimmune, allergic and cancerous conditions, both acute and chronic, have
been shown to benefit from Thym-Uvocal, whether taken by injection or orally. Hepatitis,
recurrent respiratory infections, early-stage AIDS, candidiasis, rheumatoid arthritis,
asthma and skin conditions have all been treated successfully with Thym-Uvocal or similar
pharmaceutical thymus gland extracts.
2. Thym-Uvocal is useful as a key
endocrine-normalizing, anti-aging therapy, especially for those over 20! Thymus size and
hormone activity shrink significantly by the age of 20, after peaking in the first 10-12
years of life. Further significant decline usually occurs by the age of 40, and it's all
downhill from there- until death, at whatever age.
3. Thym-Uvocal is useful as part of a growth
hormone-increasing program. GH and thymic hormones are mutually supporting and
synergistic.
4. Thym-Uvocal is useful even for those who are
relatively healthy, but who suffer frequent colds, flu, and other minor infections.
5. Thym-Uvocal is useful as an agent to increase
energy and vitality, and to "lift the spirits." In his book Life Energy (14),
John Diamond, M.D. provides evidence that the thymus gland controls the acupuncture energy
meridians of the human body, and is the glandular key to vitality, love, courage and the
will to live/ will to be well.
Diamond specifically recommends thymus gland
extracts as a major method to restore thymus gland structure/ function.
Thym-Uvocal may be given by subcutaneous or
intramuscular injection from the Thym-Uvocal ampoules, or it can be taken orally as
Thym-Uvocal tablets.
How to use Thym-Uvocal
For rapid results, the injections are taken on
alternative days with the tablets. For those not suffering major or life-threatening
illness, Thym-Uvocal tablets alone may be sufficient.
1 or 2 ampoules are injected every other day, while
2 tablets (240mg each) are taken 3 times a daily, or 2-4 tablets twice daily are taken on
an empty stomach.
Thym-Uvocal should be taken daily by those not using
injections.
Long term, even permanent Thym-Uvocal use is both
safe and effective.
Thym-Uvocal cream may also be used topically for
minor skin allergic conditions, infections and simply to "youthify" normal skin.
Thym-Uvocal- contraindications
There are few known contraindications for
Thym-Uvocal use. Thym-Uvocal should NOT be used during pregnancy, unless prescribed by a
physician.
Thym-Uvocal should NOT be used by those with thymic
tumours, myasthenia gravis, untreated hypothyroidism and those receiving immunosuppressive
therapy- e.g. to prevent transplanted organ rejection.
Thym-Uvocal- conclusions
To conclude on a personal note; my wife and I have
used Thym-Uvocal off an on since 1993, and continuously since 1996.
Aside from the obvious immune benefits (no colds or
flu, almost perfect allergy control), we have both noticed a unique effect from
Thym-Uvocal that nothing else in our (rather massive) health/ anti-aging regimen can
replace.
We both notice a distinct "vitalizing" and
"joie de vivre" effect from oral Thym-Uvocal.
I have been using various thymus extracts since the
late 1970's, and I have never found any other thymus product to give this unique effect.
We have periodically stopped taking Thym-Uvocal
until we noticed a drop in mood or energy, and upon resuming Thym-Uvocal we notice the
uplift after taking just one or two doses! It's an extremely pronounced effect within 3-7
days.
Our personal experience with Thym-Uvocal very much
confirms John Diamond's views on the thymus gland in his book Life Energy.
Thym-Uvocal is one of our core pro-health
supplements.
Thymus- references
(1). R. Klatz & C. Khan "Grow Young with
HGH" NY: Harper Collins 1997.
(2). A. Goldstein et al. "Thymosin and the
Immunopathology of Aging." Federation Proc., 33, 2053-56, 1974.
(3). J. Goss & M. Flye. "The Thymus
Regulator of Cellular Immunity." Austin: R.G. Landes Co. 1993.
(4). M. Sztein et al. "Modulation of
Interleukin 2 Receptor Expression on Normal Human Lymphocytes by Thymic Hormones."
Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. USA, 83, 6107-11, 1986.
(5). N. Kouttab et al. "Thymomodulin:
Biological Properties and Clinical Applications." Med. Oncol. and Tumor Pharmacother.
6, 5-9, 1989.
(6). M. Zatz & A. Goldstein. "Mechanism of
Action of Thymosin." J. Immunol., 134, 1032-38, 1985.
(7). D. Weigant and J. Blalock. "Immunoreactive
Growth Hormone- Releasing Hormone in Rat Leukocytes." J. Neuroimmunol. 29, 1-13,
1990.
(8). K. Kelly et al. "A pituitary- Thymus
Connection During Aging." Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 521, 88-98, 1988.
(9). P. Cazzola et al. "In Vivo Modulating
Effect of a Calf Thymus Acid Lysate on Human T Lymphocyte Subsets and CD4+/ CD8+ Ratio in
the Course of Different Diseases." Curr. Ther. Res., 42, 1011-17, 1987.
(10). W. Hemmings. "Dietary Protein Reaches the
Brain." Orthomol. Psychiatry, 6, 309-16, 1977.
(11). C. Ziovdrou et al. "Opiod Peptides
Derived from Food Proteins." J. Biol. Chem., 254, 2446-49, 1979.
(12). R. Bradford & H. Allen.
"Oxidology." Chula Vista, CA: R.W. Bradford Foundation, 1997.
(13). Thym-Uvocal, Immunotherapeutic Agent; A 32
page booklet published by Medalfa AG, Pratteln, Switzerland, no date but 31 references
plus many case histories.
(14). J. Diamond. "Life Energy." N.Y.
Paragon House, 1985.
(15). Z. Fahmy. "Immunostimulation therapy with
Thymus Extract in rheumatoid arthritis." A journal of medical practice (in German
titled- Erfahrungsheilkunde), Vol. 31, No 5, May 1982, pp. 423-427.
ALL INFORMATION IS EDUCATIONAL AND
SHOULD NOT REPLACE THE ADVICE OF
YOUR PHYSICIAN.
The above article is copyrighted and
may not be copied without the written permission of International Antiaging
Systems, Les Autelets Suite A, Sark GY9 0SF, Channel Islands,
UK.
HOME
to order
James South articles
1. Attention
Deficit ADD
2. Centrophenoxine
the brain booster
3. deprenyl
extending lifespan
4. Depression
with
alternative antiaging treatments
5. DHEA
6. Excitotoxins
the ultimate brain slayer
7. GHB the elixir of
life
8. Growth Hormone
the real fountain of youth
9. Idebenone
the ultimate anti-aging drug?
11. James
South's supplement program
11. Laetrile (B17)
use in cancer
12. Lucidril the antiaging neuro-energizer
13. NADH the body and mind energizer
14. Nootropics
reviewing the smart drugs.
15. piracetam the original nootropic
16. Pregnenolone
the role of the "happy"
hormone
17. Pyritinol
the oldest smart drug?
18. Resveratrol & Quercetin
19. SAMe
for mood, liver, heart, and brain protection
20. Silver
21. Thymus
Gland: its vital but overlooked role.
22. Tired
of being tired?
23. Tryptophan nature’s answer to Prozac
24. Vinpocetine
cerebral enhancer
25. Weight
loss the anti-aging way
26. 5-HTP Prozac's true alternative
International
Antiaging Systems
Les Autelets Suite A
Sark GY9 0SF
Channel Islands
Great Britain
phone: 44-870-151-4144 (Britain)
contact us
we
do not accept telephone orders
we do not ship to the United
Kingdom
|
