How to Naturally Reduce TH1

As part of further fertility investigations, some of you may have undertaken the NK cell and TH1:TH2 cykotine assay when looking to discover more about your immune response and reproductive health.

You may have had:

Implantation failure

Unexplained infertility

Recurrent miscarriage

The TH1:TH2 ratio can explain what is happening in an immune response in the body.

Immune System

When the body is under threat, lymphocytes called ‘B’ and ‘T’ cells are brought in whose objective is to deliver a specific or ‘adaptive’ immune response.

• T helper cells such as TH1 and TH2 are cells produced in the Thymus Gland

What do they do?

– Track and identify targets

– Keep records of invaders

What is the difference between TH1 cells and TH2 cells?

TH1

• T-helper 1 cells secrete cytokines such as NK cells that direct immune cells to attack target cells, such as an embryo. These are known as Th1 cells.

They are the aggressor cells.

• In a Th1 response, cytokines are released which can lead to inflammation and antiviral responses.

• In a “Th1 mediated event,” these cells become overly aggressive they can go for the wrong targets, leading to:

• Recurrent miscarriage

• Implantation failure

• Type 1 diabetes

• Rheumatoid arthritis

• Vitiligo

• Crohn’s Disease

• Psoriasis

TH2

• A second type of T-helper cells (Th2) acts to restrain Th1 cells. These are known as the pacifiers.

Th2 cells:

• Generate Cytokines

• Help calm the actions of the Th1 cells

• Allow the body to accept foreign cells.

  
  

• The Th2 cells therefore play a vital role in integrating tissue into the body, for example in pregnancy.

• However, when they over-suppress the Th1 cells, this can leave the body vulnerable to infection.

In reproductive immunology, “Th2 dominance” refers to a shift in the immune system toward a T helper 2 (Th2) response pattern rather than a T helper 1 (Th1) inflammatory pattern.

This is relevant because pregnancy requires the maternal immune system to tolerate a genetically distinct fetus.

• Th1-type immunity is associated with inflammation and cell-mediated immune responses.

• Th2-type immunity is associated with antibody production, immune tolerance, and anti-inflammatory signaling.

  
  

A successful pregnancy is often associated with Th2-type signaling, especially during implantation and early gestation.

The Different Cytokines

The T helpers produce different cytokines and you may have seen some of these in your test results.

Th1 cytokines

• IFN- interferon gamma

• TNF-alpha

• IL-2 interleukin 2

  
  

These support inflammatory and cytotoxic immune activity.

Th2 cytokines

• IL-4

• IL-5

• IL-10

• IL-13

  
  

These tend to dampen inflammation and promote tolerance.

Excessive Th1 activity may impair implantation or contribute to miscarriage, while a Th2-favored environment may support pregnancy maintenance.

How do you know without testing?

Do you suffer from allergies?

Most allergies are Th2 dominant reactions.

For example, if you have the following, you may be TH2 dominant.

• Eczema

• Asthma

• Hayfever

• Sinusitis

• Allergies

• Hives

  
  

  In these cases, IgE antibodies are produced in response to an allergen, for example, pollen.

  The antibodies attach themselves to mast cells in the skin, mouth, nose, sinus, lung and intestines in a process called ‘allergic sensitisation.’

  
  

• These IgE antibodies cause the mast cell membranes to rupture and release histamine and prostaglandins which interact with the receptors on the Th2 cells.

• Some women have IgE antibodies to progesterone. Their bodies treat it like an antigen, which is a substance that causes the body to produce an immune reaction against itself. The body then launches an inflammatory Th2 immune response to the progesterone.

However…

If you are being investigated or treated for immunology on your fertility path, we are usually looking at a dominance of TH1.

If you have a TH1 mediated response, you may have already been prescribed medication to suppress your immune system.

This includes:

Prednisolone

Intralipids

IVIG

Neupogen filgrastim

Low dose naltrexone

If you’re not sure if you have a TH1 dominance, you can’t afford the test or medications have not been successful, here are some ways to balance the immune system naturally:

1. In order to lower TH1, the body needs to raise TH2.

How to Naturally Raise TH2:

• Probiotics

• Omega 3

• Turmeric

• Strawberries

• Olive leaf extract

• Black cumin seed oil

• Myo-inositol

2. Avoid Lectins

Lectins are carbohydrate binding proteins found in many foods. They resist stomach acid making it hard for the gut to break them down naturally. Eating them raw can sometimes cause gastrointestinal problems and for many people this problem is overcome by cooking them.

However for people with a TH1 dominance it may be harder to break down lectins and therefore avoiding or reducing them may support the immune system.

Lectins are found in:

Beans, lentils, chickpeas and soybeans.

Peanuts and cashews

Wheat, barley, oats and rice

Tomatoes, potatoes, aubergine and peppers.

3. Acupuncture to reduce TH1 dominance.

In Chinese Medicine, TH1 dominance equates to the following diagnoses:

Blood Stasis

Liver Qi Stagnation

Retained pathogen

Spleen Qi Deficiency

We work to clear the pathogen, move the blood, move the Liver energy and strengthen the spleen so that your body can begin to rebalance itself.

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