The CD4 means ± standard deviation in test and control group.
Abstract
Foods supplemented with probiotics enhance athletes’ immune system functions, improve body health and consequently decreases athlete’s health maintenance costs. Probiotics improve immune system function against pathogens via affecting on innate immune system, humeral immunity and cytokines. The effects of consumption of Iranian probiotic Bifidobactrium bifidum (BIB2) on athletes’ immune system functions were evaluated. The results showed studied immune system factors were significantly different between test and control groups, so that IgA, IgM, lymphocyte and monocytes percentage and CD4 measurements of test group were higher than control. The Bifidobacterim bifidum (BIB2) probiotic consumption can affect some immune system factors; therefore its ability to improved general health should be studied more.
Keywords
- probiotics
- CD4
- IgA
- IgM
- monocyte
- lymphocyte
- sprint athletes
- Bifidobactrium bifidum (BIB2)
1. Introduction
There is a general belief among elite athletes and their coaches that overtraining causes resistance to infection. Epidemiological studies report that symptoms of respiratory tract infection increases in 1–2 weeks after strenuous endurance competitions. The highest percentages of patients were athletes who exceeded their training threshold level that is associated with the training load [1, 2]. The biological balance of body organs improves the health of the host, improving performance and increasing power of the immune system [3]. Probiotics are a group of living microorganisms that improve health by improving biological balance when added to foods or consumed as supplements. These organisms increase immune system function and enhance host defense against harmful microorganisms. The benefits of probiotics such as reducing toxins, increase immunity and resistance to infection, produce vitamins and nutrients, organic acids, reduce allergic reactions, respiratory infections, reduce the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome, arthritis, rheumatoid and modulating immune responses have been shown in many studies [4, 5]. Overwhelming exercise undertaken by athletes or military personnel diminishes immune system function and increase gastrointestinal complaints, as well as increasing the risk of disease and infections [6, 7, 8]. In many studies, reduced immunity after chronic fatigue has been seen in over trained athletes [9, 10, 11]. Nieman et al. (2000) showed that regular and continuous exercise enhances the strength of athletes’ immune system; while undertaking heavy and alternate physical activities had the reverse impact. Also, some research shows that excessive exercise also damages the immune system is impaired [12, 13].
The humoral immunity in athletes is often studied by mucosal immunoglobulin measurements, especially the changes in the secretion of IgA and IgM from tissue was reported in sporting activities [13]. Due to reduction of immunoglobulins in sport activities (and increased risk of infection in the upper respiratory tract) investigating the IgA and IgM is important [14]. Because the antibodies secretion, the lymphocytes have a very important role in the immune system [15]. Monocytes are the largest cells in the bloodstream and involved in phagocytosis in the early stages of the immune response. Also, monocytes produce the cytokines that activate lymphocytes and consequently stimulate inflammation [16]. Immune system malfunctions might be caused by stress, sleep disorder, exercise, and negative energy balance. Hard exercises raise neutrophil count; however, they decrease lymphocyte count, natural killer cell activity (NK cell) via disturbance with oxidative burst, neutrophil function, immunoglobulin’s level and antimicrobial proteins level in saliva.
The effects of probiotics bacteria in improving immune function and preventing disease have been shown in numerous studies [6, 17, 18, 19]. The
Effects of fruit juices supplemented by
1.1 Blood sample collection
First, prior to the tests, the blood samples were collected from athletes after fasting, then once a month 24 h after 100 meters running, 8 ml of blood were collected from both studied groups in EDTA tubes. The bloods were centrifuged at 5000 rpm for 15 min and serums were collected. The blood cell counting was done using cell counter device (BC-2000 Mindray).
1.2 The IgA and IgM measurements
The IgA and IgM were measured using ELISA methodology using human IgA and IgM ELISA Kit (ab137980 and ab137982) according to protocol suggested by manufacture (abcam Inc., USA) using ELISA reader (Biotech microplate reader ELX800).
1.3 The CD4 cells count measurements
Flow cytometry is a technique for counting microscopic particles. The CD4 cells count was measured by flow cytometry technique using BD FACSCalibur system and anti-CD4 monoclonal antibody and results were reported based on the percent of peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) in total suspension.
1.4 Statistical analysis
The obtained data were analyzed using Graphpad Prism (version 6.01) software with 0.05 significant levels.
2. Results and discussion
The results of present study showed that consuming probiotic supplemented fruit juice increased serum IgA level and can be boosted immune system activities (Table 1). According to results shown in chart 1, CD4 cells count increased after consuming probiotics (Figure 2, Table 1) and it probably affects immune system ability to defense against antigens.
Time | IgA (cell/μl) | |
---|---|---|
Test group | Control group | |
Means ± SD* | Means ± SD | |
Before test | 364.954 ± 25.98 | 356.234 ± 42.36 |
First month | 398.065 ± 40.24 | 350.568 ± 36.78 |
Second month | 431.365 ± 37.96 | 358.653 ± 42.63 |
P-value | <0.05 |
Probiotics or their products could have antimicrobial activities or they can prevent colonization of pathogens [4]. They probably have adjuvant effect so they may be stimulate phagocytosis done by leucocytes or may be increase IgA and defensins secretion. They could be attached to gut immune receptors, thus they inhibit competitively pathogenic virus’s or bacteria’s attachment. In addition, competition occurs for earning foods and nutrition so with suitable colonization of probiotics, we can conquer pathogenic bacteria.
Indigenous bacteria are accepted to add to the immunological protection of the host by making a hindrance against colonization by pathogenic microbes. This hindrance can be upset by sickness and by utilization of antibiotics, in this way, permitting less demanding access of the host gut by pathogens. It is presently trusted that this hindrance can be kept up by giving enhancements containing live ‘alluring’ microbes: such supplements are called probiotics [24].
n expansion to making a barrier impact, a few of the metabolic products of probiotic bacteria (e.g. lactic acid and a class of anti-microbial proteins named bacteriocins, created by a few bacteria) may hinder growth of pathogenic organisms. Moreover, the alluring bacteria may compete for nutrients with the pathogens. At last, there’s a few prove that probiotic microbes may improve the intestine immune reaction against pathogenic microscopic organisms (Figure 1).
Studies in rats and mice uncover that lactic acid bacteria managed orally increment the numbers of T lymphocytes, CD4þ cells and antibody-secreting cells, counting those within the intestinal mucosa, and improve lymphocyte expansion, normal killer cell activity, IL-1, TNF and IFN-g generation, antibody production (counting secretory IgA), phagocytic activity and the respiratory burst of macrophages and the DTH reaction [21].
Hard and continues physical activities CAN decrease immune system function and it can lead to infectious diseases [25]. Probiotics have an important role to improve and boost an individual’s health via pathogen growth prevention, amino acids and vitamins production, detoxification, cholesterol reduction and allergic reaction inhibition [26]. In the present study, the effects of
Time | IgA (μg/dl) | IgM (μg/dl) | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Test group | Control group | Test group | Control group | |
Means ± SD* | Means ± SD | Means ± SD | Means ± SD | |
Before test | 230 ± 47 | 210 ± 56 | 143 ± 28 | 129 ± 73 |
First month | 237 ± 48 | 185 ± 78 | 147 ± 75 | 132 ± 84 |
Second month | 248 ± 75 | 193 ± 65 | 150 ± 62 | 135 ± 46 |
Third month | 253 ± 83 | 194 ± 42 | 152 ± 43 | 133 ± 73 |
P-value | <0.05 |
West et al. reported that probiotic consumption lead to mucosal immune system improvement and also increased CD4 and dendritic cells [29]. In other research conducted by Ohashi et al. in the same field showed that increasing IgA level and cytokine secretion occurred during probiotic consumption [30]. Furthermore, it has been showed that probiotic consumption caused potent increasing in lymphocyte and NK cells count in peripheral blood samples and they improved immune system and general health while NK cells count reduction was determined during hard exercises [31, 32]. These results mentioned above were completely in accordance with our findings. Other studies have been done in the field of relationship between CD4 cells and probiotic consumption [33, 34, 35]. For example, Jensen et al. reported that consumption of
Consumption of
In the present study athletes who consume probiotic showed the monocyte and lymphocyte cells significantly higher than control group (Figures 4 and 5, Table 3). Kekkonen et al. showed that in runners who take probiotics lower respiratory infections and gastrointestinal symptoms were reported, but the study did not find any effect of changes in monocyte cells that are inconsistent with our results [6].
Time | Monocyte (%) | Lymphocyte (%) | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Test group | Control group | Test group | Control group | |
Means ± SD* | Means ± SD | Means ± SD | Means ± SD | |
Before test | 3.85± 0.36 | 3.78 ± 0.42 | 32.7 ± 5.6 | 34.3 ± 4.8 |
First month | 4.30± 0.65 | 3.77 ± 0.25 | 34.7 ± 6.4 | 33.6 ± 7.2 |
Second month | 5.10± 0.42 | 3.78 ± 0.24 | 35.5 ± 5.7 | 33.1 ± 6.4 |
Third month | 5.60± 1.2 | 3.91 ± 0.90 | 36.2 ± 7.3 | 33.7 ± 6.8 |
P-value | <0.05 |
West et al. reported the protective effect of probiotics on respiratory infections. In professional athletes who practice a lot in the long and intensive period, body temperature increased, the secretion of IgA confusion is created and therefore interferes in mucosal immunity [29]. Cox investigated the effect of probiotic
Zhao and colleagues showed that
3. Conclusion
The advantageous impacts of probiotics have been illustrated in numerous diseases. One of the major mechanisms of probiotic activity is through the control of resistant reaction. A few of the prevalently utilized probiotic microorganisms are
As shown below a number of mechanisms are thought to be associated with probiotic beneficial effects:
Production of inhibitory substances such as H2O2, bacteriocins, organic acids, and so on.
Blocking of adhesion sites for pathogenic bacteria.
Compete with and inhibit growth of potential pathogens,
Degradation of toxins as well as the blocking of toxin receptors,
Modulate inflammatory immune responses [45].
The results of this study show that the probiotic
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