How to Correct Th1 Dominance
Do This If You Have Organ Specific Autoimmune Disease.
If you’re Th2 dominant, click here.
For the basics of Th1 and Th2 dysregulation and how it pertains to the immune system, click here.
A Quick Review
As a reminder from my previous articles, Th1 dominant responses often relate to organ specific autoimmune disease whereas Th2 dominant responses usually lead to systemic autoimmune disease and allergies [1].
To treat Th1 dominance, we want to decrease Th1 and increase Th2.
Try These Things If You are TH1 Dominant
Lifestyle
- Fasting (intermittent fasting, or daily fasts) (reduces TH1, inflammatory cytokines) [2]
- Progesterone [3]
o Likely contributes to natural suppression of cell-mediated immunity during pregnancy
o Could be taken through hormonal replacement therapy (HRT) in post-menopausal women, or women with overt deficiencies, or supported with herbs if it is borderline low.
Supplements/Herbs
- Vitamin A, Zinc (if deficient) [4] (human study, in deficient populations)
- Omega 3 (fish oils) [5] (mouse study)
- Egg white (albumin) based protein supplements [3](mouse study)
- Soy based protein supplements [6](menopausal rat study)
- Evening Primrose Oil [7](Multiple Sclerosis, human study)
- Green Tea Extract
- Pine Bark Extract
- White Willow Bark
- Curcumin
- Genistein (found in soybeans)
Food and Lifestyle Interventions to Incorporate
- Avoiding Lectins (Low Lectin Diet) [8]
- Fish (due to omega 3 sources) (reduces Th1 type cytokines, also small increase to TH2 [5] (mouse study)
- Eggs (reduces Th1 type cytokines) [10] (mouse study)
- GMO-free Soy [6](menopausal rat study)
- Hemp seeds [9] (Multiple Sclerosis, human study)
- Pistachio (nuts, oil) [10] (rat study)
- Drink Caffeine (if you like), within reason
- Mustard seed (human study, Inflammatory Bowel Disease) [11]
- Gotu Kola
- Lycopene (found in tomatoes and other red fruits excluding strawberries and cherries)
- Resveratrol (found in grape skin, sprouted peanuts, and cocoa)
- Pycnogenol (found in the extract of the French maritime pine bark and apples)
- Turmeric for its Curcumin content
- Genistein (found in soybeans)
- Quercitin (a flavonoid found in many fruits and vegetables, such as onions, berries and kale)
In addition to the things above, you could also try avoiding for people with Th2 dominance. Find that list of things here (remember, avoid the things from that list).
Summary
If you’re Th1 dominant, and suffer from organ specific autoimmune disease, the foods, supplements and lifestyle interventions found on this list may be helpful. Understanding some of these ideas are more theoretical and some studies are done on animal (not always humans), its still worth trying.
Works Cited
About the Author
I'm Johann de Chickera, a Naturopathic Doctor, practicing in Ontario, Canada. My clinical practice relies on keeping up with the most up-to-date research and continued education. This blog serves as a way to provide others with a compilation of everything I've learned along the way.
If you'd like to see me in practice, please click here, or the Book an Appointment tab at the top of this page.
