Is There Such a Thing as an Immune System Supplement?
Many people wonder about the existence of an immune system supplement. Is there really such a supplement? Well, if you go to your health food store and start searching for an immune system supplement, you may be hard pressed to find one. Instead, you need to look towards research, and discover which products or substances have been proven to boost the immune system, which, in effect, could be considered as an immune system supplement.
A great deal of research has been conducted on the various supplements that are used in bodybuilding. Some of that research has yet to be conclusive, while other portions of that research have already given us conclusive proof regarding different factors of how supplements affect the human body, and bodybuilding in particular.
You would be amazed at the number of people who don’t realize that the immune system plays a vital role in the process of bodybuilding. While light exercise actually strengthens the immune system, the harsh exercise that bodybuilders do can actually weaken it. Bodybuilders put a great deal of stress on their bodies, and in response, this stress weakens the immune system. So, naturally, as a bodybuilder, it is important to consider an immune system supplement to prevent this from happening.
In this research we have also learned that whey is important to bodybuilding, for numerous reasons. One of those reasons is that whey protein isolate has been proven to have a positive effect on the immune system. In fact, when choosing between a whey protein isolate and a soy protein isolate, they whey often wins because of its increased positive effect on the immune system.
This research was conducted on two groups, consisting of 30 people, with 15 in each group. One group was given 30 grams of whey protein isolate twice each day, and the other was given 30 grams of soy protein isolate twice a day. The test continued for twelve weeks.
What was learned in this study is that the group that was given the whey protein supplement had increased levels of glutathione stores. This is an indication that the immune system is strong, or stronger. On the other hand the group who had the soy protein isolate had lower levels of glutathione stores, indicating that their immune systems were actually weakened, or weaker. The study also concluded that the soy protein isolate group had a decrease in the T4 thyroid hormone. At the same time, however, the amount of body fat, cholesterol, and triglycerides remained about the same between the two groups.
What this tells us is that in some areas of our health and body function, there is no difference between using whey protein isolate and soy protein isolate, but when it comes to the immune system, and immune system supplements, whey protein isolate is definitely the way to go. So, instead of looking for an immune system supplement in your health food store, look for a good whey protein isolate.
