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The body’s immune system protects us against infections. It attacks any germs that find their way into the body and keeps us healthy. The human immune system is composed of various cells and organs that work together to fight infections. Humans have three types of immunity – innate immunity is the natural immunity that everyone is born with for general protection; adaptive immunity is the acquired immunity that develops throughout life via exposure to various germs; and passive immunity is borrowed for a short period from another source, for example, babies get temporary immunity through breast milk to diseases the mother has been exposed to.
White blood cells (leukocytes) are an important part of the immune system. A type of white blood cells called lymphocytes help the body remember infectious agents and destroy them. Another type of white blood cells called neutrophils help fight bacteria.
There are two kinds of Lymphocytes – B cells and T cells. They are manufactured in the bone marrow and either stay there and mature or migrate to the thymus gland in the chest to mature. B lymphocytes are like military intelligence – they help find the targets to be destroyed. T lymphocytes are like soldiers – they destroy invaders that the intelligence system identifies.
When the body recognizes a foreign substance (called an antigen), the immune system starts working to get rid of it. This is achieved by making immunoglobulins (antibodies), which are proteins that lock onto specific antigens. Antibodies can lock onto an antigen but cannot destroy it. The T cells destroy the antigens tagged by the antibodies. Once antibodies are made, they stay in the body in case the same germ shows up again.
Medications for Immune Health
Various medications are used to treat diseases of the immune system. Examples of immunological conditions include malignancies, asthma and allergic conditions, and autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis and type 1diabetes. Drug classes that modulate the immune system can either be suppressants or stimulators.
Disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) like methotrexate, gold compounds, penicillamine, sulfasalazine, and hydroxychloroquine slow the progress of rheumatoid arthritis. Immunosuppressants like ciclosporin, leflunomide, cyclophosphamide, azathioprine, and tofacitinib are used to treat patients with rheumatoid arthritis who have not responded to less toxic DMARDs.
Immune response modifiers like Imiquimod activate the immune system and are FDA-approved topical treatments for actinic keratoses (precancerous growths on the skin), genital warts, and superficial basal cell carcinomas (a type of skin cancer).
Immunostimulants increase the body’s immune response to infections. They are used to treat immunodeficiency (for example, AIDS) and certain cancers. Examples include monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies and interleukins.
Immunosuppressants are used to inhibit the body’s immune response after organ transplantation or in patients with autoimmune diseases. Examples include glucocorticoids (prednisone, dexamethasone) and cytostatics (azathioprine, cyclophosphamide, leflunomide).
T-cell activation inhibitors like ipilimumab (Yervoy) and abatacept (Orencia) are used to treat rheumatoid arthritis and metastatic melanoma (a type of skin cancer). They are being studied to develop targeted treatments for other skin disorders.
Mast cell stabilizers like disodium cromoglycate are used for the prevention of allergic conjunctivitis and bronchial asthma. They work by preventing the release of chemicals that mediate allergic reactions.
Over-the-Counter Medications for Immune Health
There are dozens of products on supermarket shelves that claim to boost your immune system and help ward off common conditions like colds and flu. Experts, however, say these products don’t offer much benefit. There is no evidence that OTC immunity boosters help in fighting disease. Most products that support the immune system contain vitamins or probiotics. Vitamins can indeed help immunity, but this is usually only the case in people who are severely malnourished. For the average healthy American, vitamin formulations do little to help in staying healthy. In terms of probiotics, there isn’t enough research to understand the complex interplay between the microenvironment in the gut and immunity. Experts say we don’t have enough evidence yet to support that dietary supplements can improve immune health.
Common Side Effects of Immune Medications
Possible side effects of DMARDs include nausea, diarrhea, upset stomach, mouth sores, hair loss, rash, and liver, kidney, or lung problems.
Topical immune response modifiers like Imiquimod can cause side effects such as redness, itching, flaking, dryness, burning, bleeding, swelling, stinging, and blisters. Other possible side effects include headache, fatigue, diarrhea, and back pain.
By acting on the immune system, immunomodulatory drugs can increase the risk of infections, including severe, opportunistic infections. A common side effect of immunomodulatory medications is the reactivation of latent tuberculosis. Other adverse effects include stomach irritation, hepatitis (liver inflammation), pancreatitis (pancreas inflammation), muscle aches, and dizziness.
Common side effects of T-cell activation inhibitors include diarrhea, itching, skin rash, fatigue, nausea, and vomiting.
Mast cell stabilizers can cause headaches and stinging in the eyes (when administered as eye drops). Other potential side effects are nasal irritation, cough, dizziness, drowsiness, body aches, and nausea.
Common Questions
Why do some people rarely get sick and others get sick all the time?
According to Professor of Microbiology, Michael Starnbach, at Harvard University, the difference is often in a person’s habits rather than the immune system. You can reduce your risk of catching infections by cleaning your hands often, eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly, getting enough sleep, managing stress, and getting vaccinated as recommended by your primary care doctor.
Does smoking affect immunity?
Smoking suppresses immune cells. This is why smokers are at risk of respiratory diseases and lung cancer. When you stop smoking, immune system activity begins improving in as little as 30 days.
Can I get a discount on immune health medications with BuzzRx?
Yes, you can get discounts on some medicines—including drugs that affect the immune system—as long as you have a signed prescription from your doctor.
References:
1. https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/immune.html
2. https://www.pharmacologyeducation.org/drugs/drugs-acting-immune-system
3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK115126/table/consra2.tu1/
4. https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a698010.html
5. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3485635/
6. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3764846/
7. https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/can-supplements-help-boost-your-immune-system
8. https://www.berkeleywellness.com/self-care/preventive-care/article/answers-about-immunity
Common Immune Health Health Medications
Immune Health
Get the latest information on common prescription and over-the-counter immune health drugs.
The body’s immune system protects us against infections. It attacks any germs that find their way into the body and keeps us healthy. The human immune system is composed of various cells and organs that work together to fight infections. Humans have three types of immunity – innate immunity is the natural immunity that everyone is born with for general protection; adaptive immunity is the acquired immunity that develops throughout life via exposure to various germs; and passive immunity is borrowed for a short period from another source, for example, babies get temporary immunity through breast milk to diseases the mother has been exposed to.
White blood cells (leukocytes) are an important part of the immune system. A type of white blood cells called lymphocytes help the body remember infectious agents and destroy them. Another type of white blood cells called neutrophils help fight bacteria.
There are two kinds of Lymphocytes – B cells and T cells. They are manufactured in the bone marrow and either stay there and mature or migrate to the thymus gland in the chest to mature. B lymphocytes are like military intelligence – they help find the targets to be destroyed. T lymphocytes are like soldiers – they destroy invaders that the intelligence system identifies.
When the body recognizes a foreign substance (called an antigen), the immune system starts working to get rid of it. This is achieved by making immunoglobulins (antibodies), which are proteins that lock onto specific antigens. Antibodies can lock onto an antigen but cannot destroy it. The T cells destroy the antigens tagged by the antibodies. Once antibodies are made, they stay in the body in case the same germ shows up again.
Medications for Immune Health
Various medications are used to treat diseases of the immune system. Examples of immunological conditions include malignancies, asthma and allergic conditions, and autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis and type 1diabetes. Drug classes that modulate the immune system can either be suppressants or stimulators.
Disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) like methotrexate, gold compounds, penicillamine, sulfasalazine, and hydroxychloroquine slow the progress of rheumatoid arthritis. Immunosuppressants like ciclosporin, leflunomide, cyclophosphamide, azathioprine, and tofacitinib are used to treat patients with rheumatoid arthritis who have not responded to less toxic DMARDs.
Immune response modifiers like Imiquimod activate the immune system and are FDA-approved topical treatments for actinic keratoses (precancerous growths on the skin), genital warts, and superficial basal cell carcinomas (a type of skin cancer).
Immunostimulants increase the body’s immune response to infections. They are used to treat immunodeficiency (for example, AIDS) and certain cancers. Examples include monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies and interleukins.
Immunosuppressants are used to inhibit the body’s immune response after organ transplantation or in patients with autoimmune diseases. Examples include glucocorticoids (prednisone, dexamethasone) and cytostatics (azathioprine, cyclophosphamide, leflunomide).
T-cell activation inhibitors like ipilimumab (Yervoy) and abatacept (Orencia) are used to treat rheumatoid arthritis and metastatic melanoma (a type of skin cancer). They are being studied to develop targeted treatments for other skin disorders.
Mast cell stabilizers like disodium cromoglycate are used for the prevention of allergic conjunctivitis and bronchial asthma. They work by preventing the release of chemicals that mediate allergic reactions.
Over-the-Counter Medications for Immune Health
There are dozens of products on supermarket shelves that claim to boost your immune system and help ward off common conditions like colds and flu. Experts, however, say these products don’t offer much benefit. There is no evidence that OTC immunity boosters help in fighting disease. Most products that support the immune system contain vitamins or probiotics. Vitamins can indeed help immunity, but this is usually only the case in people who are severely malnourished. For the average healthy American, vitamin formulations do little to help in staying healthy. In terms of probiotics, there isn’t enough research to understand the complex interplay between the microenvironment in the gut and immunity. Experts say we don’t have enough evidence yet to support that dietary supplements can improve immune health.
Common Side Effects of Immune Medications
Possible side effects of DMARDs include nausea, diarrhea, upset stomach, mouth sores, hair loss, rash, and liver, kidney, or lung problems.
Topical immune response modifiers like Imiquimod can cause side effects such as redness, itching, flaking, dryness, burning, bleeding, swelling, stinging, and blisters. Other possible side effects include headache, fatigue, diarrhea, and back pain.
By acting on the immune system, immunomodulatory drugs can increase the risk of infections, including severe, opportunistic infections. A common side effect of immunomodulatory medications is the reactivation of latent tuberculosis. Other adverse effects include stomach irritation, hepatitis (liver inflammation), pancreatitis (pancreas inflammation), muscle aches, and dizziness.
Common side effects of T-cell activation inhibitors include diarrhea, itching, skin rash, fatigue, nausea, and vomiting.
Mast cell stabilizers can cause headaches and stinging in the eyes (when administered as eye drops). Other potential side effects are nasal irritation, cough, dizziness, drowsiness, body aches, and nausea.
Common Questions
Why do some people rarely get sick and others get sick all the time?
According to Professor of Microbiology, Michael Starnbach, at Harvard University, the difference is often in a person’s habits rather than the immune system. You can reduce your risk of catching infections by cleaning your hands often, eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly, getting enough sleep, managing stress, and getting vaccinated as recommended by your primary care doctor.
Does smoking affect immunity?
Smoking suppresses immune cells. This is why smokers are at risk of respiratory diseases and lung cancer. When you stop smoking, immune system activity begins improving in as little as 30 days.
Can I get a discount on immune health medications with BuzzRx?
Yes, you can get discounts on some medicines—including drugs that affect the immune system—as long as you have a signed prescription from your doctor.
References:
1. https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/immune.html
2. https://www.pharmacologyeducation.org/drugs/drugs-acting-immune-system
3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK115126/table/consra2.tu1/
4. https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a698010.html
5. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3485635/
6. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3764846/
7. https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/can-supplements-help-boost-your-immune-system
8. https://www.berkeleywellness.com/self-care/preventive-care/article/answers-about-immunity
Common Immune Health Health Medications
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