TGF Beta: Have You Had This Important Inflammatory Marker Checked?

Reaching optimal health requires addressing your areas of inflammation.

TGF Beta is an inflammatory marker that plays a pivotal role your body’s ability to effectively fight inflammation. However, too much TGF Beta can wreak havoc with your immune response, making it important to have your level checked.

TGF Beta: The Benefits

Whenever inflammation occurs, your immune system sets off a cascade of events in order to combat infection, promote healing, remove tissue debris, and then return the affected area back to normal.
One group of the immune cells that are involved in regulating this response are cytokines. TGF Beta is one such cytokine. When your levels of TGF Beta are normal, your body experiences the following benefits:

• Wound Repair
• Accumulation of Collagen
• Restored Tissue Strength & Integrity
• Protection of Mucous Membrane Surfaces (epithelium) of Your Organs
• Protection against Rupture of the Heart Muscle
• Defensive Action Against DNA & Tissue Damaging Reactive Oxygen Species
  • These defensive actions help to suppress cancer development.

Elevated TGF Beta: Too Much of a Good Thing

Uncontrolled inflammation can lead to excessive production of TGF Beta as your body attempts to bring the immune response by your T-Helper cells back into balance. When your body has high levels of Reactive Oxygen Species, such as in mold toxicity, TGF Beta is overproduced which can lead to fibrosis and scarring of your tissues/organs, including:

• Heart, Liver, Kidney, and Lung Disease
• Fibrocystic Breast Disease
• Uterine Fibroids
• Scleroderma
• Neurofibromatosis

This overactive immune response drives your levels of TGF Beta higher and higher, leading to a number of serious health conditions, including:

• Cancer
• Autoimmune disease, including Asthma
• Increased susceptibility to infections.
• Digestive disorders
• Loss of Oral Tolerance resulting in Food Allergies and Sensitivities
• Factors that contribute to inflammation and an overactive immune response include:
• Obesity
• Chronic Stress
• Chronic Insomnia
• Mold Exposure
• Pro-Inflammatory Diet

By identifying and addressing your areas of inflammation, you can stop your immune response from getting caught in a cycle of escalating inflammation and tissue damage. Testing for elevated inflammatory markers such as TGF Beta is an important aspect of addressing chronic inflammation. Ask your healthcare provider if you should have your TGF Beta levels checked.

Interested in learning more about how you can resolve inflammation and lead an anti-inflammatory lifestyle? Contact us today.

References

Batlle, E. & Massaque, J. Transforming Growth Factor-b Signaling in Immunity and Cancer. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.immuni.2019.03.024j.immuni.2019.03.024.

Sanjabi,S. et al. Anti- and Pro-inflammatory Roles of TGF-β, IL-10, and IL-22 In Immunity and Autoimmunity.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/eutils/elink.fcgi?dbfrom=pubmed&retmode=ref&cmd=prlinks&id=19481975

Tirado-Rodriguez, B. et al. TGF-𝛽: An Important Mediator of Allergic Disease and a Molecule with Dual Activity in Cancer Development. Journal of Immunology Research Volume 2014, Article ID 318481, 15 pages.

The contents of this blog are intended for educational purposes only. The information presented here is not a substitute for proper medical attention, diagnosis, or treatment by a qualified healthcare professional. Always seek the advice of your healthcare provider before starting or making any changes to an existing treatment plan, exercise program or dietary regimen, and before using nutritional supplements.