Early this year, researchers in Israel discovered a new part of the immune system. They found that a structure in the body known for recycling proteins has a "secret mode" that can release a potent load of bacteria-killing chemicals. This breakthrough could provide a new goldmine of ideas for creating pharmaceuticals that can be used as antibiotics.

How the Proteasome Fights Bacteria

The proteasome is a small structure found in every cell of your body. While we already knew its main role was to break up old proteins into smaller chunks to be reformed into new ones, it has been discovered that it has another critical function.

A team of researchers, who published their findings in the acclaimed journal Nature, showed that the proteasome can also detect when a cell has been infected by bacteria. When it detects an infection, the proteasome changes its role and structure. It begins transforming old proteins into powerful pieces called antimicrobial peptides, which can kill bacteria by shredding their outer layer.

A New Weapon Against Superbugs?

Antibiotic resistance is a growing global health crisis, with estimates of more than a million people dying each year because of it. This discovery may be key to tackling the growing problem of superbugs that resist our current drugs.

• The antimicrobial peptides were tested on bacteria in a lab and on mice with various infections, with results that mimicked well-known antibiotics.
• When researchers disabled the proteasome in laboratory cells, those cells were far easier to infect with bacteria like Salmonella.

This is a huge breakthrough that shows just how complex our immune system is and how much we may still have to learn.

How to Support Your Immune System

While this new discovery is exciting, it's a reminder of the importance of supporting the body's natural defences. Antioxidants play a crucial role in supporting the immune system by neutralising free radicals, which can damage cells and contribute to inflammation. By scavenging these harmful molecules, antioxidants help protect immune cells and maintain their overall function.

AltruVita provides a range of products to support your immune system:

• For Antioxidant Support: Products like Vitamin C and Xanthohumol Hop Extract+ can help protect your immune cells.
• For Overall Immune Function: AltruVita’s comprehensive Multivitamin 100% can ensure your body has the essential nutrients it needs.
• For Modulating Immune Response: The vitamin D3 in products such as Vitamin D, Healthy Gut, and ProfBiotics Complex+ helps influence immune cell differentiation and enhances your body's antimicrobial defences.