Nacario's Digital Scrapbook

• UCLA study shows that the immune system can be hindered during chronic stress through a stress hormone called cortisol.
• It has been found that cortisol suppresses immune cells' ability to use it's telomerase, which is an enzyme that keeps immune cells young and fit by keeping it's telomere length and the ability to divide continuously.
• The telomere is a cell's "clock" which grows shorter each time the cell divides. Short telomeres are linked to diseases like HIV, aging, and heart diseases. Influences of cortisol on telomerase can explain how people under stress have their cells on short "clocks."
• The study also claims that stress makes people more likely to fall ill. A specific drug can be used to prevent harm of the immune system for people under a lot of stress, like soldiers, astronauts, and caretakers.
• Cortisol is injected into the bloodstream when under stress and prolonged presence of cortisol can harm the immune system. Scientists are working on a treatment and a pill to increase telomearse levels in cells and reducing the effect of cortisols on the body.
• I find that this article ties with the immune system unit in our class discussions. We talk of how cells protect us but we did not talk of what hormones can do for the body. I think that talking about hormones can give us a better understanding of how our immune system can be weaker at times, even if we are healthy.

I was quite intrigued by this article. I understand that too much of anything in our body is bad, like to much adrenaline, which can kill. I am surprised of how this particular hormone, cartisol harms our body over time. But I guess that when people say stress isn't good for you, they were right all along. I suppose that cartisols are like kryptonite to Superman, it weakens him the longer he is near it. In regards to a pill that can improve our immune system, I feel like we shouldn't been trying to push to many buttons. The immune system is vital for people and I don't trust a pill to make it stronger without knowing the draw backs. If I am risking a little cold to a bad side effect, I'd rather be sick for a day.