Once again about the benefits of moderate use
Alcohol stimulates the immune system
ABC Magazine based on materials from Oregon Health & Science University:
Study: Moderate alcohol consumption boosts body’s immune systemIn a study conducted by scientists from the University of Oregon Health Sciences, an interesting fact was shown: moderate alcohol consumption stimulates the immune system and can help fight infectious diseases.
However, this is true so far only for monkeys.
The work was carried out on rhesus monkeys, whose immune system is very similar to that of humans. For the purposes of the study, a group of 12 animals were trained to drink alcohol. They could consume a 4% ethanol solution at any given time.
During the experiment, rhesus monkeys were immunized against smallpox. Then the animals were divided into two groups. A 4% ethanol solution was available to one group, and only sweetened water was available to the other. All animals had access to clean water and food in sufficient quantities.
For 14 months, the use of ethanol was taken into account. And seven months after the start of the experiment, the macaques were vaccinated again.
Like humans, Rhesus monkeys differ in their propensity to drink alcohol. In this experiment, some animals drank ethanol solution in moderation, and some consumed it significantly. According to the amount of alcohol consumed, macaques were divided into two subgroups – one included animals that consumed moderately (blood concentration ranged from 0.02 to 0.04 percent), and those who consumed a lot of alcohol (blood concentration was more than 0.08 percent).
Before drinking alcohol, the immune system's responses to vaccination in all animals were comparable. After exposure to prolonged use of ethanol, the reactions were different.
It was expected that macaques who took alcohol immoderately had a weaker response to vaccination than in the control group of monkeys who had access to sweetened water. It was a surprise to find that macaques who took small amounts of ethanol solution showed an enhanced immune response after the introduction of the vaccine. Thus, moderate alcohol consumption stimulated the immune system.
The authors suggest that perhaps part of the health benefits previously shown for people who drink alcohol moderately is due to this effect on the immune system. They also drew attention to the adverse effect of excessive ethanol consumption.
The next stage of research will be to study the mechanisms responsible for stimulating the immune system with moderate alcohol intake. It is assumed that this may allow the development of pharmacological analogues of this effect that are not associated with the risk of abuse.
Article by Messaoudi et al. Moderate alcohol consumption enhances vaccine-induced responses in rhesus macaques is published in the journal Vaccine.
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