The body’s organs and the mechanism that provides resistance to infections, toxins, and foreign organisms entering our body are collectively known as the Immune system.
The Department of Health and Human Services Office of Women Health reports that autoimmune diseases and disorders are considered 1st in the top ten list of most popular health diseases.
Autoimmune disease is a medical term used to define the condition in which your immune system starts to damage your own body. Considering only 24 autoimmune diseases, the National Institute of Health (NIH) estimated that 23.5 million Americans experience autoimmune disease, which is still expected to rise.
In addition, the American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association (AARDA) reports 50 million Americans are affected by autoimmune diseases.
The Institute of Medicine declared that the US lags behind other countries in researching autoimmune diseases and the immune system. After going through the statistics mentioned above, it is essential to know about this system and its associated conditions.
What is called Immunity?
Immunity or the immune system is a complex network of cells and proteins comprising many biological structures. It defends the human body from many infectious diseases. This system is a defensive mechanism that records every foreign material. It has ever defeated in the types of white blood cells- B (memory cells) and T-lymphocytes.
This is also the first line of defense against various agents, such as pathogens, viruses, parasitic worms, and distinguishes them from the body’s healthy bacteria.
Our immune system consists of various prominent parts which are as follows:-
- White blood cells
- Antibodies
- Complement system
- Lymphatic system
- Spleen
- Bone marrow
- Thymus
What is Immune System Disorder?
A disorder in which the immune system wrongly targets the body is called an autoimmune disorder. It can be overactive or underactive.
When the system overreacts, the body attacks and starts to damage its cells and tissues, causing harm to itself. In underactive/immunodeficiency, the body’s immune system becomes less efficient.
Some of the examples of autoimmune disorders are Rheumatoid arthritis, Psoriasis, Type 1 diabetes, etc. However, there are medicines like Leetrexate 2.5 Mg, (Humulin M), Lenangio 10 Mg, etc for the treatment of such autoimmune disorders. But never try to self-medicate, always consult the doctor before use.
Men or Women: Who Has Strong Immunity?
Women have stronger adaptive and intrinsic immunity than men. Regarding immunity, females have the advantage because their immunity is strong, and does not show pity to intruders. It protects them from bacterial, viral, fungal, and other infectious diseases.
In contrast, males have one X and one Y chromosome. During embryonic development, one X chromosome from each female cell is randomly cut off or inactivated.
Inactivation is not flawless, and X chromosome genes can escape inactivation. In this situation, a female gets two copies of a gene. This is where microRNAs are fit in.
10% of the human genome’s microRNAs are on the X chromosome, not Y Chromosome. Some X chromosome microRNAs are implicated in immune system and cancer development. Having two copies of the microRNA may help prevent females from cancer.
Males have only one X-chromosome and one Y-chromosome, putting them at an immunological disadvantage. Because the Y-chromosome has fewer genes, if immunity genes are silenced maternally, the male has no compensatory genetic information and no extra protection against cancer.
However, two X chromosomes make women’s immune systems more prone to overreact (extra protection). An overstimulated female immune system can attack healthy tissues, causing autoimmune disorders.
It can also produce life-threatening problems like a cytokine storm after the flu, where an immune cell overproduction overwhelms the body’s regular processes. Men are twice as likely as women to develop cancer. Women can also handle trauma better.
Researchers from Ghent University in Belgium claim that sex-specific health differences are attributable to microRNAs.
MicroRNAs in cells turn off or “silent” specific genes. MicroRNAs on the female X chromosome may give women a better immune system than men.
Females and males have different energy and nutritional needs due to environmental and sex hormone interactions. Woman produce more antibodies than males, according to early 1940s research.
Increased immunological responsiveness of woman helps them fight illnesses. Females are thus less prone to viral infections. The study notes that having two X chromosomes reduces the risk of getting autoimmune illnesses later in life.
In order to safeguard the growing fetus and newborn offspring, women may have evolved a rapid and robust immune response. This gives mothers stronger immunity.
But the immune system can go haywire and attack the body. It may explain why women develop autoimmune disorders like Multiple sclerosis and lupus more than males.
How to Boost Your Immune System?
If you are someone who falls sick ever so often and does not know how to stop getting the flu every 2 weeks. You – my friend, might need to acquire immunity.
Acquired immunity is another way to talk about boosting your active immunity. When our own immune system is in charge of safeguarding us from a pathogen, we are said to have active immunity.
Whereas, passive immunity is when we are shielded from a pathogen by someone else’s immunity as our body is present with antibodies. Passive immunity is commonly created through vaccination.
Ways to Boost Your Immunity.
- Diet
- Exercise
- Sleep
- Quitting smoking and drinking
Apart from this, you can talk to your doctor about adding immune system booster vitamins to your diet. A combination of both – supplements to boost immune system and – foods to boost immune system, will provide immense health benefits.
Answering your questions
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Who has the strongest immune system Male or female?
Females, on average, mount a higher active immunity response than males, according to studies. This makes women less susceptible to falling sick in general than men. Despite this how each individual responds is a different story.
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Are women more immune to Covid than men?
Females are generally more immune to infections than men, and this may cause of lifestyle factors, such as smoking and drinking at higher rates in men than in women. Furthermore, women are more accountable than males when it comes to the Covid-19 epidemic.
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Who has stronger immune system?
According to recent studies, women have a better immune system than men when it comes to infections.
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Do females have a stronger immune system?
Yes, adhering to the biology of innate immunity females are more resilient to infections.
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Why do females have a stronger immune system than males?
Simply due to differences in genetic structure. MicroRNAs are the genetic structures that make up this immunity. The female X chromosome contains this microRNA and we know females have two X chromosomes. This gives them stronger immunity.
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How does the immune system differ between women and men?
The presence of two X chromosomes that store the MicroRNA data responsible for immunity, makes all the difference between both genders. Females have 2 X chromosomes where as Men have only 1.
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Are males more susceptible to Covid?
Men are more likely to develop an infection, due to their weaker immune system. Covid is not an exception.
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Does gender affect immune system?
Yes, innate and adaptive immune responses are stronger in adult females than in males. Females have faster pathogen clearance and vaccine efficiency over males, but this also contributes to their increased vulnerability to inflammatory and autoimmune disorders.
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What age is immune system strong?
Many studies have shown that children have the strongest immune response.
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What age group has the weakest immune system?
We see a steady decline in the number of healthy cells after the age of 60. Our immunity also becomes weaker after that age.
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Do moms have better immune systems?
Fortunately, a mom’s developed immune system does provide a framework for the baby’s immune system. A mother’s breastmilk can generate and share the lifesaving antibodies that her infant requires.
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Does testosterone boost immunity?
Studies at Sandford University School of Medicine have found a contrasting relationship between testosterone and immunity. High testosterone levels might lead to a compromised immune system.
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What causes a strong immune system?
Immune system boosters food and lifestyle can help in achieving strong immunity.
