Supplement Combination May Help Boost Immune System

Sword beans are tropical perennial legumes. Burdock is a traditional medicinal herb used for many ailments. A recent study has found that supplementation with extracts of sword bean and burdock may help improve the immune system.

One hundred adults participated in the study. They received 600 mg of sword bean and burdock extract or a placebo daily for 8 weeks. NK cell activity and IL-10 expression were evaluated at baseline and at the end of the study period. NK (natural killer) cells are innate immune cells that target and kill infected cells. IL-10 is an anti-inflammatory cytokine that maintains the balance of the immune response.

Participants in the supplement group saw a 24.12% increase in NK cell activity by the end of the study period. In comparison, the placebo group saw a 0.08% decrease in NK cell activity. In addition, IL-10 levels increased by 43.61% in the supplement group compared to a 4.35% decrease in the placebo group.

The study was conducted by researchers from Daejeon University.It was published online ahead of print on November 2, 2020 in the Journal of Functional Foods.