Gouda As we age our immune systems can deteriorate - a process scientists call immunosenescence, leaving us more vulnerable to infection and disease. Previous studies have reported that probiotic lactic acid bacteria contained in yoghurts and fermented milk drinks have immune-boosting properties, but what if you hate yoghurt?
Good news comes in the form of a study published in the journal FEMS Immunology & Medical Microbiology, which tested the effects of cheese with added probiotics - specifically Lactobacillus rhamnosus HN001 and Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM.
"The increase in the proportion of aged individuals in modern society makes finding innovative ways to thwart the deterioration of the immune system a priority," said lead author Dr Fandi Ibrahim from the University of Turku in Finland.
Dr Ibrahim continued, "The intake of probiotic bacteria has been reported to enhance the immune response through other products and now we have discovered that cheese can be a carrier of the same bacteria."
To tackle immunosenescence the team targeted the digestive tract, which is the main entry for bacteria cells into the body through food and drink and is also the site where 70% of vital antibody cells are created.
The team asked volunteers aged between 72 and 103, all of whom lived in the same care home, to eat one slice of either placebo or probiotic Gouda cheese with their breakfast for four weeks. Blood tests were then carried out to discover the effect of probiotic bacteria contained within the cheese on the immune system.
The results revealed a clear enhancement of natural and acquired immunity through the activation of Natural Killer white blood cells that actively destroy tumour cells and an increase in phagocytic activity – the cells that swallow up and digest debris and invading micro-organisms.
Said Dr Ibrahim: "We have demonstrated that the regular intake of probiotic cheese can help to boost the immune system and that including it in a regular diet may help to improve an elderly person’s immune response to external challenges."
First published May 13, 2010