Condition
Immune Function
Immune function is how well the body's white blood cells, tissues, and chemical signals recognize germs and damaged cells and respond to them. Thymosin alpha-1 and LL-37 have the most support, with moderate evidence: T-cell counts went up with thymosin alpha-1, and LL-37 was active against many bacteria, fungi, and viruses. Much of the cited work was in the lab, though, and the evidence for other options is limited.
Sources: PMID 23045967; PMID 31170191
- Updated
- How we grade
- 22 studies cited
- Supplements studied
- 3
- Medicines and peptides
- 3
- Graded outcomes
- 13
Evidence by supplement
- Strong
- Moderate
- Limited
- Very limited
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Neutrophil Function Moderate Increase | Improves (the measure goes up) | Moderate effect | 200 people | |||
| Immune Cell Counts Small Increase | Improves (the measure goes up) | Small effect | 180 people |
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inflammatory Markers Reduced inflammatory cytokines | Improves (the measure goes down) | Moderate effect | 150 people |
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| T Cell Function Expanded naive-like CD8+ cells and increased fatty acid oxidation capacity | Improves (the measure goes up) | Moderate effect | 50 people |
Prescription medicines and peptides studied, for context
Thymosin Alpha-1
- T-Cell Count: improves
- CD4/CD8 Ratio: improves
- NK Cell Activity: improves
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| T-Cell Count Moderate Increase | Improves (the measure goes up) | Moderate effect | 13 studies | 580 people | ||
| CD4/CD8 Ratio Moderate Improvement | Improves (the measure goes up) | Moderate effect | 4 studies | 420 people | ||
| NK Cell Activity Moderate Increase | Improves (the measure goes up) | Moderate effect | 3 studies | 210 people |
LL-37
- Antimicrobial Activity: improves
- Biofilm Eradication: improves
- MRSA Killing: improves
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Antimicrobial Activity Effective against 38+ bacteria, 16 fungi, 16 viruses | Improves (the measure goes up) | Large effect | 8 studies | 360 people | ||
| Biofilm Eradication >4 log reduction in S. aureus biofilms | Improves (the measure goes up) | Large effect | 5 studies | 180 people | ||
| MRSA Killing Effective at nanomolar concentrations | Improves (the measure goes up) | Large effect | 7 studies | 120 people | ||
| Immune Cell Activation Activates NK cells, dendritic cells, B cells | Improves (the measure goes up) | Moderate effect | 2 studies | 150 people |
Epitalon
- T-Cell Activity: improves
- Thymus Function: improves
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| T-Cell Activity Small increase in T-cell function | Improves (the measure goes up) | Small effect | 55 people | |||
| Thymus Function Preliminary thymus support observed | Improves (the measure goes up) | Small effect | 28 people |
Key findings
- Neutrophil FunctionImproves (the measure goes up)
- Inflammatory MarkersImproves (the measure goes down)
- T Cell FunctionImproves (the measure goes up)
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Studies cited
22 studies from PubMed
- Cathelicidin LL-37 in periodontitis: current research advances and future prospects - A review.
- Antibiofilm properties of cathelicidin LL-37: an in-depth review.
- Thymosin alpha 1 - Reimagine its broader applications in the immuno-oncology era
- Thymosin α-1 in cancer therapy: Immunoregulation and potential applications
- Efficacy of antimicrobial peptide LL-37 against biofilm forming Staphylococcus aureus strains obtained from chronic wound infections
- Thymosin α1 therapy in critically ill patients with COVID-19: A multicenter retrospective cohort study
- Therapeutic Potential of Cathelicidin Peptide LL-37, an Antimicrobial Agent, in a Murine Sepsis Model
- Antimicrobial peptide LL-37 is bactericidal against Staphylococcus aureus biofilms
- Thymosin alpha 1 treatment for patients with sepsis
- Immune Modulation with Thymosin Alpha 1 Treatment
- Human cathelicidin, LL-37, inhibits respiratory syncytial virus infection in polarized airway epithelial cells
- Historical review of thymosin α 1 in infectious diseases.
- Thymosin alpha1 based immunomodulatory therapy for sepsis: a systematic review and meta-analysis
- The Human Cathelicidin Antimicrobial Peptide LL-37 as a Potential Treatment for Polymicrobial Infected Wounds
- Effect of thymosin alpha-1 on subpopulations of Th1, Th2, Th17, and regulatory T cells (Tregs) in vitro
- Thymosin α1 and cancer: action on immune effector and tumor target cells
- Cathelicidin LL-37: a multitask antimicrobial peptide
- Thymosin alpha-1
- Thymosin alpha 1 in the treatment of cancer: from basic research to clinical application
- Thymosin alpha1 treatment of chronic hepatitis B: results of a phase III multicentre, randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled study
- Efficacy of thymosin alpha1 in patients with chronic hepatitis B: a randomized, controlled trial
- Treatment of brittle fingernails and onychoschizia with biotin: scanning electron microscopy