Discovering the Mystery of the Disappearing Thymus Gland
Gone, but never forgotten. No, that's not a tombstone inscription, but an apt description for your thymus gland: A mysterious, yet all-important organ that protects you and your immune system long after it has disappeared.
Your thymus can be found in front of the heart and behind your sternum.
Your thymus is part of the larger lymphatic system. The National Institutes of Health report that as part of your lymphatic system, it is the gland that helps your T-cells to grow and multiply in your body.
It does this primarily by releasing several thymic proteins that essentially stimulate the production of your immune system's "killer cells" and train them to be effective.
And while this gland is absolutely essential for your immune system health, the one you have is rapidly shrinking and will likely not work optimally anymore.
That’s because your thymus is “at its largest and most active during the neonatal and pre-adolescent periods,” reports a medical study published in the U.S. National Library of Medicine.
Things change quickly when you hit puberty. “After this period the organ gradually disappears and is replaced by fat,” note the researchers, who also point out that by the time you’re a senior citizen, your gland has all but disappeared.
Taking a supplement that mimics what your thymus gland produces may help stimulate your immunity.
More and more studies are beginning to suggest that taking various thymus supplements may strengthen your immune system. For example, a relatively new over-the-counter remedy involves thymic protein extracts from cows, and researchers have shown that taking these supplements may help with cell-mediated immunity, which is critical for:
Thymus Gland 101: What is the Thymus Gland?
Your thymus can be found in front of the heart and behind your sternum.Your Disappearing Thymus Gland and Your Reduced Immunity
“One of the most recognized consequences of aging is a decline in immune function,” warns the Journal of Clinical Investigation. Thus, some researchers are wondering if there's a link between your declining thymus gland, and the reduced immunity we see as people get older. True, there is currently no clinically proven way to stop your thymus gland from gradually disappearing. Nor is there a way to transplant a new thymus gland. However, what if we could replace the substances that your thymus gland secretes? What if we could restore your body’s levels of thymus gland proteins to the levels you had when you were younger?A Brave New World of Immunity Strength
The idea is simple, and more and more researchers are exploring this complex relationship between the thymus gland and immunity. The premise is straightforward:- Immunity peaks when you are young
- Your thymus gland, which is responsible for producing your immune system’s T-cells, also peaks when you’re young
- Your thymus gland slowly declines in effectiveness and your body no longer produces T-cells
- At the same time, your body’s immune system strength also starts to decline with age
- By restoring your body’s level of thymic proteins to mimic an active, younger thymus gland, scientists theorize your immune system will respond in kind, returning to its stronger, more youthful state and being more effective in fighting disease and illness
Can the Thymus Gland Be Strengthened?
Taking a supplement that mimics what your thymus gland produces may help stimulate your immunity.- Resisting bacterial infections
- Improving resistance to yeast overgrowths
- Fighting parasites
- Resisting viral infections