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London, A team of Swedish researchers has revealed how different kinds of <keyword id="92416" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Immune-cells">immune cells</keyword>, called <keyword id="1323752" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="macrophages">macrophages</keyword>, develop in the lungs, and which of them may be behind severe lung diseases, a discovery that may contribute to future treatments for Covid-19, among other diseases. To date, research on the development of <keyword id="10522711" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="human-lung-macrophages">human lung macrophages</keyword> has been limited. In a new study published in Immunity, researchers at Karolinska Institutet in <keyword id="23050" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sweden">Sweden</keyword> used a model to study the development of lung macrophages directly in a living lung. This has been combined with a method to study gene activity in individual cells, RNA sequencing, and thereby discovered how <keyword id="10522710" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="blood-monocytes">blood monocytes</keyword> become human lung macrophages. "In our study, we show that classical monocytes migrate into airways and lung tissue and are converted into macrophages that protect the health and function of the lungs," said Tim Willinger, Associate Professor at the <keyword id="199625" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Department-of-Medicine">Department of Medicine</keyword> who led the study. "We have also identified a special kind of monocyte, HLA-DRhi, which is an intermediate immune cell between a blood monocyte and an airway macrophage." These HLA-DRhi monocytes can leave the blood circulation and migrate into the lung tissue. Macrophages are immune cells that, among other things, protect the lungs from such attacks. But under certain conditions, lung macrophages can also contribute to severe lung diseases, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and Covid-19. The non-classical monocytes, however, develop into macrophages in the many blood vessels of the lungs and do not migrate into the lung tissue. In an infection with the novel coronavirus, SARS-COV-2, which causes Covid-19, researchers believe that protective, anti-inflammatory macrophages are replaced by pro-inflammatory lung macrophages from blood monocytes. "Given their important role in rapid inflammatory responses, our results indicate that future treatments should focus on inflammatory macrophages and monocytes to reduce lung damage and mortality from severe Covid-19," said Willinger. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/top-stocks-to-watch-tata-steel-vedanta-adani-green-tata-motors-maruti-mm-dhfl-v-mart-indian-bank-and-others/articleshow/80038635.cms">Top stocks to watch — Tata Steel, Vedanta, Adani Green, Tata Motors, Maruti, M&amp;M, DHFL, V-Mart, Indian Bank, and others</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/checkout-the-list-of-upcoming-new-mobiles-in-january-2021-with-expected-price/articleshow/80039794.cms">Upcoming smartphones in India in January 2021</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/international/news/ten-of-the-most-outrageous-predictions-for-2021-according-to-saxo-bank/slidelist/80040045.cms">From Amazon buying Cyprus to Germany bailing out France — here are ten of the most ‘outrageous’ predictions for 2021</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/india-edtech-in-charts-how-the-shi[%E2%80%A6]es-of-byjus-unacademy-and-others/articleshow/80040270.cms">India’s edtech in charts – How the shift to online learning meant money, valuation and users for the likes of BYJU’S, Unacademy, and others</a>

New research explains severe virus attacks on lungs

According to a recent study from the <keyword id="4614544" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="icahn-school-of-medicine-at-mount-sinai" source="Orion">Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai</keyword>, fasting may make it harder to fight against infections and raise your chance of developing heart disease. The study, which concentrated on mouse models, is one of the first to demonstrate that skipping meals causes the brain to react in a way that harms immune cells. The findings, which centre on breakfast, were released in the <keyword id="48619" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="immunity" source="Orion">Immunity</keyword> journal and may help researchers better understand how long-term fasting may influence the body. "There is a growing awareness that fasting is healthy, and there is indeed abundant evidence for the benefits of fasting. Our study provides a word of caution as it suggests that there may also be a cost to fasting that carries a health risk," said lead author <keyword id="16626979" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="filip-swirski" source="Orion">Filip Swirski</keyword>, PhD, Director of the Cardiovascular Research Institute at Icahn Mount Sinai, adding, "This is a mechanistic study delving into some of the fundamental biology relevant to fasting. The study shows that there is a conversation between the nervous and immune systems." Researchers aimed to better understand how fasting -- from a relatively short fast of only a few hours to a more severe fast of 24 hours -- affects the immune system. They analyzed two groups of mice. One group ate breakfast right after waking up (breakfast is their largest meal of the day), and the other group had no breakfast. Researchers collected blood samples in both groups when mice woke up (baseline), then four hours later, and eight hours later. When examining the blood work, researchers noticed a distinct difference in the fasting group. Specifically, the researchers saw a difference in the number of monocytes, which are white blood cells that are made in the bone marrow and travel through the body, where they play many critical roles, from fighting infections to heart disease, to cancer. At baseline, all mice had the same amount of monocytes. But after four hours, monocytes in mice from the fasting group were dramatically affected. Researchers found 90 per cent of these cells disappeared from the bloodstream, and the number further declined at eight hours. Meanwhile, monocytes in the non-fasting group were unaffected. In fasting mice, researchers discovered the monocytes travelled back to the bone marrow to hibernate. Concurrently, the production of new cells in the bone marrow diminished. The monocytes in the bone marrow -- which typically have a short lifespan -- significantly changed. They survived longer as a consequence of staying in the bone marrow and aged differently than the monocytes that stayed in the blood. The researchers continued to fast mice for up to 24 hours and then reintroduced food. The cells hiding in the bone marrow surged back into the bloodstream within a few hours. This surge led to a heightened level of inflammation. Instead of protecting against infection, these altered monocytes were more inflammatory, making the body less resistant to fighting infection. This study is among the first to make the connection between the brain and these immune cells during fasting. Researchers found that specific regions in the brain controlled the monocyte response during fasting. This study demonstrated that fasting elicits a stress response in the brain -- that's what makes people "hangry" (feeling hungry and angry) -- and this instantly triggers a large-scale migration of these white blood cells from the blood to the bone marrow, and then back to the bloodstream shortly after a food is reintroduced. <keyword id="16626980" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="dr-swirski" source="Orion">Dr Swirski</keyword> emphasized that while there is also evidence of the metabolic benefits of fasting, this new study is a useful advance in the full understanding of the body's mechanisms. "The study shows that, on the one hand, fasting reduces the number of circulating monocytes, which one might think is a good thing, as these cells are important components of inflammation. On the other hand, the reintroduction of food creates a surge of monocytes flooding back into the blood, which can be problematic. Fasting, therefore regulates this pool in ways that are not always beneficial to the body's capacity to respond to a challenge such as an infection," said Dr. <keyword id="16626978" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="swirski" source="Orion">Swirski</keyword>, adding, "Because these cells are so important to other diseases like heart disease or cancer, understanding how their function is controlled is critical." SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/nclat-stays-insolvency-proceedings-against-zee/articleshow/98207261.cms">NCLAT stays insolvency proceedings against Zee</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/callers-beware-over-31000-fake-customer-care-numbers-are-out-there-to-scam-you/articleshow/98207371.cms">Callers beware! Over 31,000 fake customer care numbers are out there to scam you</a>

Skipping breakfast may compromise immune system says US-based study

<ul><li>Scientists have developed a <keyword id="2543192" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="smart-bandage" source="Orion">smart bandage</keyword> that uses electrical stimulation to speed up the wound-healing process.</li><li>The bandage comprise wireless circuitry and temperature sensors that can monitor the progression of wound healing.</li><li>In preclinical wound models, the group of mice healed about 25% faster.</li></ul>Some <keyword id="6375361" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="wounds" source="Orion">wounds</keyword> just won’t heal because diseases like diabetes and suppressed immune systems often stack up to slow healing. Now, researchers at Stanford University have created a smart band-aid that uses electrical currents to heal wounds 25 percent faster than traditional methods by stimulating tissue to speed up the recovery process. The researchers say in a published <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41587-022-01528-3">paper</a> that their smart band-aid promotes faster closure of wounds, increases the blood flow to injured tissue, and enhances skin recovery by stimulating electric current to the wound. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Combating infection with electrical stimulation" comment="subhead" text="Combating infection with electrical stimulation">Combating infection with electrical stimulation</cmsannotation> Electrical stimulation, also known as galvanotaxis, has been previously reported to accelerate the migration of keratinocytes to the wound site, which limits bacterial infection and actively promotes tissue growth, and contributes to tissue repair. <div type="image" title="‘Smart’ bandage" msid="97274260" hostid="261"></div> This smart bandage comprises of electronic layer, including a microcontroller unit, electrical stimulator, memory, radio antenna, biosensors, and other components. It is just 100 microns thick. All these components are cleverly engineered in hydrogel - a rubber and skin-like polymer. All the components are integrated to deliver electrical stimulation to the wound and collect real-time biosensor data, such as skin temperature and biophysical changes. It allows researchers to track the data in real time on a smartphone without the need for wires. When the bandage is applied to the wound, it detects the infection, and sensors in the smart bandage deliver electrical stimulation across the wound area to speed up tissue recovery and lower the infection. Bandage’s biosensing capabilities monitor biophysical changes and sense temperature changes in the skin as the wound heals. “With stimulation and sensing in one device, the smart bandage speeds healing, but it also keeps track as the wound is improving,” says Artem Trotsyuk, a co-first author of the study. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Positive results and new directions" comment="subhead" text="Positive results and new directions">Positive results and new directions</cmsannotation> The researchers said, “In mice, we demonstrate that our wound care system can continuously monitor skin impedance and temperature and deliver electrical stimulation in response to the wound environment.” In preclinical wound models with mice, the wound healed about 25% faster than the traditional method. Researchers now believe electrical stimulation heals wounds faster, and it also promotes the activation of pro-regenerative genes like ‘Selenop,’ an anti-inflammatory gene that contributes to wound repair, and ‘Apoe,’ which has been shown to increase muscle and soft tissue growth. Scientists also found that electrical stimulation increases the white blood cell population, namely macrophages and monocytes. Researchers at Stanford University caution that the smart bandage is, as yet, a proof of concept but a promising one. According to them, many challenges remain; these include the size of the device to human scale, solving long-term data storage, reducing cost, and scaling up to mass production. Despite these hurdles, the researchers are pushing ahead and are optimistic about the potential of smart bandages. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/space/news/nasa-collaborates-with-spinlaunch-to-test-an-innovative-mass-accelerator-launch-system/articleshow/90772382.cms">NASA collaborates with SpinLaunch to test an innovative mass accelerator launch system — a slingshot to send payloads to space</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/space/news/astronomers-may-have-just-found-the-most-distant-astronomical-object-ever-observed/articleshow/90703688.cms">Astronomers may have just found the most distant astronomical object ever observed</a>

This smart bandage senses and treats bacterial infections 25% faster

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Benefits of <keyword id="6354753" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="fasting">fasting</keyword> include reduced inflammation, improved cognition, and weight loss. </li><li>Regular fasting may also help control blood sugar, thereby reducing your risk of diabetes. </li><li>To fast safely, discuss with your doctor beforehand, especially if you have diabetes. </li></ul>While many people all over the world fast for religious and cultural reasons, there are also proven <keyword id="6354750" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="health">health</keyword> benefits of this practice, as long as you do it safely.Here's what you need to know about the health benefits of fasting and the potential safety risks.Note: If you are fasting for health purposes, rather than religious ones, you can still drink water or <a href="https://www.insider.com/can-you-drink-coffee-while-intermittent-fasting" target="_blank" rel="noopener">black coffee</a>. <h2>What is fasting? </h2>Fasting is when you do not eat for a certain period of time.You can fast in several different ways. According to <a href="https://medicine.yale.edu/profile/andrew_wang/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Andrew Wang, MD, PhD,</a> a professor of immunobiology at Yale School of Medicine, the main types are:<ul><li>Acute: When you fast for an extended amount of time every once in a while</li><li>Chronic: When you fast for the same amount of time every day </li><li>Intermittent: When you follow a fasting schedule of on-days and off-days</li><li>Chronic intermittent: When you follow a fasting schedule consistently</li></ul>Quick tip: There are also many <a href="https://www.insider.com/types-of-intermittent-fasting" target="_blank" rel="noopener">types of intermittent fasting</a>, and it's important to find the eating and fasting schedule that works best for you. <h2>1. Reduces inflammation</h2><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK279298/#:~:text=Publication%20Details,a%20splinter%20in%20your%20finger." target="_blank" rel="noopener">Inflammation</a> is your body's natural response to infection. However, repeated exposure to pollution, sunlight, or even our body's own metabolic processes can cause a state of chronic inflammation. Chronic inflammation can damage healthy cells, tissues, and organs, and is <a href="https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/fight-inflammation-to-help-prevent-heart-disease" target="_blank" rel="noopener">associated with many diseases</a>, including heart attacks and strokes.There are a few ways fasting may reduce inflammation in the body:<ul><li>When your body is in a fasted state, it is unable to convert the glucose in food into energy, Wang says. Instead, it relies on an alternative energy source called <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/%28SICI%291520-7560%28199911/12%2915%3A6%3C412%3A%3AAID-DMRR72%3E3.0.CO%3B2-8?scrollTo=references" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ketone bodies</a>, which come from fat. Your body <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4124736/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">produces </a>less inflammation when burning ketones. </li><li>Fasting also decreases the number of monocytes - a type of inflammatory white blood cell - in the bloodstream. A <a href="https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(19)30850-5" target="_blank" rel="noopener">small 2019 study</a> on humans and mice found that short-term fasting for 19 hours significantly reduced monocytes in blood circulation. </li></ul><h2>2. Boosts cognitive functioning</h2>When we age, our organs are prone to chronic inflammation called <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41574-018-0059-4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">"inflammaging,"</a> Wang says. Chronic inflammation can contribute to <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3448981/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cognitive decline and dementia</a> potentially due to plaque buildup in the brain. Fasting helps to counter this by reducing inflammation, Wang says. Research suggests fasting can prevent the development of Alzheimer's in animals. While the research has not yet been conducted in humans, <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-019-09897-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a 2019 study</a> found that <keyword id="2748807" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Intermittent-fasting">intermittent fasting</keyword> can slow cognitive decline and improve the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease in mice.However, the cognitive benefits of fasting are not restricted to the elderly. <a href="https://www.hindawi.com/journals/bmri/2016/1503956/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A small 2016 study</a> tested amateur weightlifters after a 48 hour fast and found that fasting improved mental flexibility, which was defined as their ability to quickly and efficiently switch between tasks.<h2>3. Regulates blood sugar levels </h2>Fasting may also regulate blood sugar levels. Maintaining normal blood sugar is important to protect against diseases like <a href="https://www.insider.com/what-causes-type-2-diabetes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">type 2 diabetes</a>. Related Article Module: 6 ways to lower your blood sugar naturallyBlood sugar increases when you eat, so it naturally falls when you fast, Wang says. However, your body will prevent your blood sugar from dipping too much by making glucose itself. This keeps your blood sugar at a <a href="https://www.insider.com/normal-blood-sugar-levels" target="_blank" rel="noopener">healthy level</a>, which is considered above 70 mg/dL. <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/oby.22449" target="_blank" rel="noopener">In fact, a small 2019 study</a> of men at risk for type 2 diabetes found eating in a nine-hour window - aka intermittent fasting - helped improve glucose tolerance.Important: If you have diabetes, consult a doctor before fasting, as it can <a href="https://www.diabetes.org.uk/guide-to-diabetes/enjoy-food/eating-with-diabetes/fasting" target="_blank" rel="noopener">increase the risk</a> of <a href="https://www.insider.com/what-is-diabetic-ketoacidosis" target="_blank" rel="noopener">diabetic ketoacidosis</a> for those who use insulin to treat their diabetes.<h2>4. Improves heart health</h2>While research on this topic is limited, Wang says it is reasonable to assume that fasting boosts heart health by reducing inflammation and protecting against diabetes - which are both risk factors for <a href="https://www.insider.com/what-are-the-signs-of-a-heart-attack" target="_blank" rel="noopener">heart attacks</a> and <a href="https://www.insider.com/what-is-a-stroke" target="_blank" rel="noopener">strokes</a>. <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/1475-2891-11-69" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A small 2012 study</a> tested Muslims with a history of <a href="https://www.insider.com/what-is-heart-disease" target="_blank" rel="noopener">heart disease</a> who fasted intermittently for Ramadan. After their fast ended, there was an improvement in their 10-year <a href="https://www.insider.com/what-causes-coronary-heart-disease" target="_blank" rel="noopener">coronary heart disease</a> risk score and a reduction in other heart risk factors like lipids profile, systolic blood pressure, and weight.<h2>5. Helps with weight loss </h2>Fasting helps you lose weight by restricting the number of calories you eat. Intermittent fasting - eating your meals in an eight-hour window earlier in the day - helps with <a href="https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/intermittent-fasting-surprising-update-2018062914156" target="_blank" rel="noopener">weight loss by keeping blood sugar levels lower</a> in the evening when you are less active. However, there is mixed evidence regarding if fasting for weight loss is more effective than a calorie-restricted <keyword id="6358230" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="diet">diet</keyword>. <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0303720715300800" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A 2015 review</a> found intermittent fasting tends to lead to weight loss, with participants typically losing around seven to 11 pounds in 10 weeks. However, other <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/2623528?utm_campaign=articlePDF&amp;utm_medium=articlePDFlink&amp;utm_source=articlePDF&amp;utm_content=jamainternmed.2017.0936ed.2017.0936" target="_blank" rel="noopener">studies</a> found that intermittent fasting and calorie restriction were equally effective in helping people lose weight. If you're looking to lose weight, talk to your doctor about the best method for you. <h2>How to fast safely <a href="https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/intermittent-fasting-what-is-it-and-how-does-it-work"></a></h2><a href="https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/intermittent-fasting-what-is-it-and-how-does-it-work" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Fasting times</a> can range significantly. While intermittent fasting usually involves fasting for about 16 hours a day, longer fasts can range from 24 to 72 hours. There's no magic amount of time you should fast for, Wang says. The best thing to do is to listen to your body and determine what type of fast works for you.However, you should not fast if you are: <ul><li>Pregnant </li><li>Breastfeeding </li><li>Have a history of <a href="https://www.insider.com/eating-disorder-treatment" target="_blank" rel="noopener">eating disorders</a></li></ul>In addition, you should consult with your doctor before fasting if you are: <ul><li>Under the age of 18</li><li>Have diabetes or blood sugar issues </li></ul><h2>Insider's takeaway </h2>Fasting may offer health benefits, like reduced inflammation, better heart health, and improved cognitive functioning.However, fasting is not advisable for certain people, and going too long without food can be harmful. If you are interested in fasting, it is important to listen to your body and ask your doctor if it's safe to fast.<a data-type="601da25c40f5aa19bb4bb6ba">How to follow an intermittent fasting schedule with 6 different methods</a><a data-type="5ec687b4191824301e3ea37b">The different types of intermittent fasting and which may be more beneficial to your health</a><a data-type="5e1ce2f13ac0c93cf97458de">Does intermittent fasting work? Research doesn't have a definite answer for its long-term effects</a><a data-type="5e4465273ac0c9698254a704">What to eat when intermittent fasting for health and hunger pains</a>

Fasting may help you lose weight, reduce inflammation, and boost cognition - here's how to do it safely

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="11994111" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="alcohol" source="Orion">Alcohol</keyword> does weaken the <keyword id="31457" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="immune-system" source="Orion">immune system</keyword>, when consumed excessively. </li><li>One to two drinks a day is generally considered safe, and likely doesn't weaken the immune system significantly. </li><li>You should refrain from drinking too much alcohol if you don't want to get sick, and you shouldn't drink alcohol if you are sick. </li></ul>The immune system is how your body defends itself from infections — like harmful bacteria and viruses — and prevents you from getting sick. But just like a muscle, the immune system can become weak and fail to protect you against infection as well. <a href="https://www.insider.com/how-to-boost-immune-system">Healthy habits</a>, such as being active, eating a balanced diet, and getting enough sleep, can <a href="https://health.clevelandclinic.org/can-immune-system-go-haywire-falter/">keep your immune system strong</a>. But unhealthy factors, like stress, smoking, or drinking alcohol, can be taxing for your immune system and make it harder for it to fight off infection. Here's what you need to know about how alcohol affects your immune system. <h2>Excessive alcohol use weakens the immune system </h2>According to <a href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/alcohol-use-disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20369243">Mayo Clinic</a>, drinking too much alcohol weakens the immune system and makes you more prone to getting sick. The <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/pdfs/excessive_alcohol_use.pdf">Centers for Disease Control and Prevention</a> (CDC) defines excessive drinking as: <ul><li>Heavy drinking: eight or more drinks a week for women, and 15 or more drinks a week for men</li><li>Binge drinking: four or more drinks in two to three hours for women; five or more drinks in that same time time period for men</li><li>Drinking while pregnant or younger than the legal drinking age of 21 </li></ul>Alcohol alters the makeup of your <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/gut-microbiome">gut microbiome</a> — home to trillions of microorganisms performing several crucial roles for your <keyword id="11894571" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="health" source="Orion">health</keyword> — and affects those microorganisms' ability to <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4590612/">support your immune system</a>. It seems that drinking alcohol may also damage the immune cells that line the intestines and serve as the first line of defense against bacteria and viruses. "By damaging those cells in your intestines, it can make it easier for pathogens to cross into your bloodstream," says Nate Favini, MD, medical lead at <a href="https://goforward.com/">Forward</a>, a preventive primary care practice. That is, by drinking too much, you decrease your body's defensive mechanisms to fight off a cold, virus, or other bacterial or viral infections. And it's not just that you're more likely to get a cold — excessive drinking is <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4590612/">linked</a> to pneumonia and other pulmonary diseases. It can also lead to a wide range of <a href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/alcohol-use-disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20369243">health problems</a>, including<a href="https://www.insider.com/how-does-alcohol-affect-the-heart"> high blood pressure and heart disease</a>, liver disease, and increased risk of cancer. "Drinking alcohol in large quantities even just for a short period of time — like binge drinking — can be bad for your health and your immune system," says Favini. For example, a 2015 <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0741832914201868?via%3Dihub">study</a> in the journal Alcohol found that binge drinking can reduce infection-fighting white blood cells known as monocytes in the hours after peak intoxication, essentially weakening your immune system. <h2>Moderate alcohol use may not weaken the immune system, but you should be careful </h2>According to Favini, a moderate amount of drinking — one drink per day for women, and two drinks per day for men per the <a href="https://health.gov/our-work/food-nutrition/2015-2020-dietary-guidelines/guidelines/appendix-9/">United States Dietary Guidelines for Americans</a> — is generally safe for people in good health and unlikely to have a negative effect on their immune systems. "Anything above that, regardless of time period, is exposing your body to more alcohol than is ideal," says Favini.Moreover, some people shouldn't drink at all, according to the <a href="https://health.gov/our-work/food-nutrition/2015-2020-dietary-guidelines/guidelines/appendix-9/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored">Dietary Guidelines</a>. This includes people who are pregnant, have alcohol abuse disorder, or are taking medications that interact with alcohol. Certain conditions also make alcohol problematic, Favini says. "Anyone with chronic liver conditions should be avoiding alcohol, for example, people with hepatitis, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, liver inflammation, and any condition that could affect liver function would be a reason to avoid alcohol," notes Favini. Overall, avoid drinking more than moderate amounts if you want your immune system in good shape, says Favini. And if you feel like you're coming down with something or are sick, do not drink. Not only will drinking alcohol reduce your immune system's strength, but alcohol also has a dehydrating effect."When you're feeling run down or like you might get sick, you want to be well hydrated so that all the cells in your body have enough fluid in them and can work really well," Favini says. "You don't want to be dehydrated when you're fighting off an infection."

How much alcohol you have to drink before it weakens your immune system

By Shakoor Rather New Delhi, Jul 10 () As dengue season sets in across large parts of India with the onset of the monsoon, scientists warn that COVID-19 and the mosquito-borne disease have overlapping symptoms and worry the country's healthcare infrastructure won't be able to cope with this double whammy. The impact of a 'dengue-COVID-19' season would entail two different diagnostic tests and extract a huge toll on patients too, each disease making the other more complicated to deal with and perhaps more fatal. While the number of COVID-19 cases races towards the 8,00,000 mark with 7,93,802 cases on Friday and 21,604 fatalities, the incidence of dengue is also high. Based on 2016-2019 data, virologist Shahid Jameel estimated that India gets about 100,000 to 200,000 confirmed cases of dengue each year. According to the National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP), 1,36,422 dengue cases were diagnosed in 2019 and an estimated 132 people died. "The virus is endemic and present around the year in southern India, and in monsoon and early winter in northern India," Jameel, CEO at DBT/Wellcome Trust India Alliance, a public charity that invests in building biomedical sciences and health research framework, told . Both COVID-19 and have symptoms such as high fever, headache and body pain. The dengue season may aggravate the COVID-19 situation as both viruses may supplement each other, warned Dhrubjyoti Chattopadhyay, virologist and vice chancellor of the Amity University in Kolkata. "This situation is not yet well studied. But the information available from South America is dangerous and found to create a major challenge to their medical infrastructure," he said. "The effect will be very critical. As major symptoms are overlapping, simultaneous infection will be much more fatal. Weakened immune systems will help the other to be more fatal." Once the dengue season starts, added virologist Upasana Ray, the infection spreads aggressively due to high prevalence of its mosquito vector, aedes aegypti. "Each season, we experience heavy loads in the hospital wards due to dengue outbreak and those times it gets almost unmanageable. So, have we thought about what will happen when we have two menaces to handle together? Both of them have overlapping symptoms. Are we geared to distinguish if a person has dengue or COVID 19?" asked the senior scientist, CSIR-IICB, Kolkata. The challenges are many. Almost each patient with a three-day fever would need to undergo a test for dengue and another for the SARS-CoV-2 virus which causes COVID-19. "Considering the current numbers of COVID-19 patients, will our hospitals have beds available for dengue patients? Or will only severe dengue cases be handled at hospitals?" she asked. Explaining how the viruses manifest in the human body, Jameel said the dengue virus enters via a mosquito bite through the subcutaneous layer of the skin from where it reaches the lymph nodes that are rich in types of blood cells called monocytes, macrophages and dendritic cells. The virus, he said, primarily reproduces in these cells and can severely alter cytokine production by these cells, a fundamental response to injury and infection in the body. On the other hand, SARS-CoV-2 enters the cells primarily through mucosal membranes of the mouth and nasal cavity and initially replicates in the epithelial cells of the upper respiratory tract. "In some cases, however, the infection moves down the trachea into the lungs, where it infects the air sacs that exchange oxygen with blood. This causes inflammation as the immune system tries to fight the virus and leads to fluid accumulation in the lungs, which results in respiratory distress and oxygen demand. "So, you see, both viruses infect via different pathways and different cell types. There would of course be overlaps in physiological effects and immunological responses. They would most likely make each disease worse than either infection alone," Jameel noted. The most likely effect, he said, would be on healthcare capacity. "Since initial clinical presentation is similar -- high fever -- one would be ignored at the expense of the other. With hospitals mainly in COVID-19 mode, they may also refuse dengue patients," Jameel said. He said this has been already seen in connection with pregnancy care and deliveries, dialysis and tuberculosis treatment. "We need to be careful and deploy tests for dengue also for febrile illness. Thankfully, India makes some very good tests for dengue virus, e.g. NS1 antigen test that is positive on the first day of fever," said Jameel. Ray pointed out that there is no vaccine available clinically for either and no specific antiviral to treat them. "This infection may show low to severe forms of infection including simple dengue fever, severe dengue and the haemorrhagic fever," said Ray. "We are already amidst the SARS-CoV2 pandemic and hospitals are running out of beds although the government is trying its level best. We are yet to attain enough facility to handle the increasing coronavirus cases every day in India," she said. According to Ray, careful preparation is needed as the country has very little time before a full-blown dengue season starts. "While many dengue patients don't end up in critical care units (CCUs), a good fraction do. Do we have enough ICUs and CCUs to tackle dengue and COVID 19 together? Do we have enough trained manpower?" Healthcare and research, she said, need to gear up to fight this "upcoming very realistic situation". SAR MIN MIN MIN

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