Health & Wellness News From Byron J. Richards
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Scientists Recommend Antioxidants to Protect Lungs From the Flu

Tuesday, November 03, 2009 - Byron Richards, CCN
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A new study explains how antioxidants can protect your lungs from flu-related damage.  “The recent outbreak of H1N1 influenza and the rapid spread of this strain across the world highlights the need to better understand how this virus damages the lungs and to find new treatments,” said Sadis Matalon, co-author of the study. “Additionally, our research shows that antioxidants may prove beneficial in the treatment of flu.”

All flu viruses, including H1N1 swine flu, produce a protein named M2.  The production of M2 protein disrupts cells lining the lungs, causing fluid to build up in the lungs and setting the stage for pneumonia.

The researchers proved that M2 induced its damage through a mechanism of free radicals, which progressively rise as the virus replicates.  They further showed that glutathione, the primary cellular antioxidant, stopped the M2-induced free radical damage, thus preventing the problem.

This is a new discovery and a significant finding in support of nutrition to help offset one of the major problems of the flu.  Those low in antioxidants that help produce or sustain cellular glutathione are more at risk for developing a more advanced case of respiratory distress.  Because the H1N1 swine flu has the ability to infect the lower respiratory tract, this information is of relevance.

I have covered the use of antioxidants to sustain cellular glutathione in my article Using Nutrition to Perceive and Combat Swine Flu.

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