No matter how complex or sophisticated they may be, all human bodies are susceptible to several diseases. Hence, it is the role of the immune system to ensure that protection is provided against all foreign bodies or particles that cause these diseases. There have been consistent efforts to find simple ways to improve human immunity without external intervention. One such method is by introducing dietary changes or additions in efforts to improve human immunity. A recent study conducted by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) and NIH’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) provided a comparative look at the influence of two popular diets- keto and vegan- on the immune system.
A Keto diet involves the consumption of very low amounts of carbohydrates and replacement using the increase in fat consumption. Whereas, the vegan diet involves the elimination of animal and animal products from one’s diet. This particular study involved the participation of 20 test subjects belonging to diverse BMIs, race, ethnicity, and gender. It was ensured that they had no prior metabolic, cardiovascular, or other diseases that may negatively affect the study’s results. The experiment primarily involved the test subjects being asked to sequentially consume vegan or ketogenic diets for 2 weeks. All meals were designed and analysed using ProNutra software and followed nutritional values prescribed by the USDA National Nutrient Database. Besides the meals, bottled water and snacks were provided throughout the day to provide a sense of freely choosing what to eat and when.
The study involved a multiomics approach: interpreting molecular intricacy and variations at multiple levels. This approach included techniques of multidimensional flow cytometry, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics, and metagenomics datasets. These were used to understand the impact of the diets on host microbiota and immunity. The overall result indicated that the ketogenic diet caused upregulation (increase in response to stimulus) of pathways and enrichment in cells associated with the adaptive immune system. The adaptive immune system is composed of highly specialised cells and processes that eliminate specific pathogens and tumour cells. In contrast, a vegan diet had a significant impact on the innate immune system, including the upregulation of pathways associated with antiviral immunity. The innate immune system is the body's first line of defence against germs entering the body. It responds in the same way to all germs and foreign substances.
Both diets significantly impacted the body’s microbiota and specifically impacted the host’s amino acid metabolism. Collectively, this work illustrates that just a 2-week dietary intervention can impact the host immunity to a large extent. Why the ketogenic diet caused more widespread changes in the host remains unclear and requires further testing and research. Holistically, as we dive deeper into the relationship between diet and immunity, we must ensure that we have a more nuanced understanding of both these diets and their impact on the human body to be able to make informed dietary choices for well-being. Before adopting such intense dietary changes, we can consider implementing techniques like intermittent fasting that already have proven health benefits. Conclusively, we must find ways to strike a balance between both the extreme opposites and always remember to consult a dietician or health care provider before making choices that may potentially negatively affect our health. P.C - https://tse4.mm.bing.net/th?id=OIP.IDqDdSE5r4nQywBZm0twVAHaE8&pid=Api&P=0&h=180
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