Naked Science Forum
Life Sciences => Physiology & Medicine => Topic started by: krstymeggy on 25/11/2009 17:27:32
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A rather promimnent member of the Finnish woo-circles I know is starting to waver regarding some of her core-beliefs. But she's a tough one, quite well educated (as in brainwashed), and not ready to give up without proper evidence (which, I think, is admirable whatever the situation).
She posted me a question, which I thought I'd forward here (because you guys are just such gems when it comes to sharing reliable information ).
She claims disorders (especially ones relating to our immune system) like cancer, diabetes, asthma and different allergies have boosted in the last 20-30 years. And the reason she claims this has happened (as a believer in homeopathy) is because our immune system has been damaged by vaccinations and antibiotics.
SO, I understand this to be quite a bunch of...but, these are beliefs held by many people. Now, she asked me to find studies that measure the long-term affects that vaccinations, antibiotics and drugs created to alleviate symptoms, possibly have on our immune system.
I can manage some sort of search, but I'm pretty sure here in the Forums there's someone who's done this often before and is a million times faster, more thorough and professional in this subject.
Here's a chance for you to actually help in promoting critical thinking as far as in Porvoo, Finland.
Help appreciated!
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The basis of the beliefs is thought to be true: more diabetes, asthma, allergies, cases are recorded each year. The problem is is this the effect of ever improving information and diagnostic methods so that there are not more of these diseases but we recognize more of them.
To my knowledge one of the most well established and accepted explanation of this phenomenon is that ever increasing hygiene, increasing stress and other numerous factors tip over our Th1/Th2 balance. Th (T-helper) cells play a fundamental role in our immune system: they activate and increase immune response (call to arms).
Th1 increase the cellular immunity (for example T-cytotoxic and natural killer cells) while Th2 increase humoral immunity (B-cells and antibodies). If one of them goes to overdrive, it can down-regulate the other immunity. Normally we need both of the cellular and humoral immunity to remain perfectly healthy. If one of them takes over it can lead to disease. All of your examples can be explained by either Th1 or Th2 overdrive.
Here are some links on this topic:
http://journals.cambridge.org/fulltext_content/ERM/ERM2_09/S1462399400002143sup006.htm (http://journals.cambridge.org/fulltext_content/ERM/ERM2_09/S1462399400002143sup006.htm)
http://www.bdbiosciences.ca/features/products/display_product.php?keyID=108 (http://www.bdbiosciences.ca/features/products/display_product.php?keyID=108)
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0FDN/is_3_8/ai_107835434/ (http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0FDN/is_3_8/ai_107835434/)
I'm not a physician but to my knowledge there is no conclusive evidence of any modern vaccination causing any of these diseases.
I think that in this case she is the one who would have to find studies that support her claim and not you, at the moment you are backed up by all of the modern medicine practice. But it is more or less accepted that in our modern way of life we are more exposed to autoimmune relate diseases then infections, but you may consider that this is a price that's worth to pay:
http://www.ted.com/talks/larry_brilliant_wants_to_stop_pandemics.html (http://www.ted.com/talks/larry_brilliant_wants_to_stop_pandemics.html)