Stress Busts the Immune System |
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Your immune system consists of a group of components, including the spleen, tonsils, thymus gland, adenoids, lymph nodes, and white blood cells. They work together to tight infection and protect your body from disease. When faced with a threat, your body releases cytokines, which act as messengers to stimulate your cells to release compounds that help mediate the immune response.
Your immune system protects you from allergies and cancers. Stress busts your immune system, and increases your vulnerability to illness. People under chronic stress can suffer from poor immune response to vaccines, that can lead to increased risk of illness.
Psychological stress can have negative effects on the immune system response at the cellular level. Hormonal changes resulting from stress cause changes in concentrations of cytokines (also called interleukins). Psychological stress can inhibit the response of natural killer cells, and the production of disease-fighting antibodies.
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