Most of us only think of our immune system when we’re worried about avoiding colds and flu.

But the truth is, your immunity does a lot more than fight off viruses and bacteria.

In fact, research has proven that your immune system is involved in preventing depression, decreasing pain sensitivity, reducing fibromyalgia and even helping your body burn fat.

Having exceptional immunity has even been tied to exceptional aging.

Yet, this is still just the tip of the iceberg…

According to a study published in the journal Science, your immunity is even tied to blood sugar control — potentially opening up new approaches for managing conditions like diabetes, obesity and cancer.

The missing piece of the blood sugar puzzle

For decades, blood sugar regulation was tied primarily to the actions of two hormones produced in the pancreas: insulin and glucagon. While insulin lowers blood sugar by boosting the uptake of glucose into cells, glucagon elevates it by triggering the release of glucose from the liver.

Together, these two processes worked at keeping blood sugar at a healthy balance.

However, scientists at the Immunophysiology Lab at the Champalimaud Foundation suspected there was more to the story and that the immune system could hold the missing piece of the puzzle…

“For example,” says researcher Henrique Veiga-Fernandes, “some immune cells regulate how the body absorbs fat from food, and we’ve recently shown that brain-immune interactions help control fat metabolism and obesity. This got us thinking — could the nervous and immune systems collaborate to regulate other key processes, like blood sugar levels?”

The signal that stabilizes blood sugar

So they set out to test their theory in mice, where they discovered something very interesting…

The team found that mice genetically engineered without an immune cell known as ILC2 couldn’t produce enough glucagon — the hormone that raises blood sugar — and their glucose levels dropped too low.

This allowed the researchers to focus on that immune cell and tag it with a glow-in-the-dark marker so they could observe its function in healthy mice.

What they found was that, after fasting, these cells traveled to the pancreas.

Once there, the cells release cytokines — tiny chemical messengers — that send a signal to pancreatic cells to produce the hormone glucagon. The increase in glucagon then signals the liver to release glucose.

“This shows that immune cells aren’t just battle-hardened soldiers fighting off threats — they also act like emergency responders, stepping in to deliver critical energy supplies and maintain stability in times of need,” explains Veiga-Fernandes.

Better blood sugar for better overall health

According to the researchers, this finding provides new options for preventing and treating diabetes and obesity (since balanced blood sugar is vital for maintaining a healthy body weight).

And they say it could even be key in cancer research.

That’s because certain cancers, including pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors and liver cancer, grow by taking over the body’s metabolic processes to elevate glucagon production, raising blood sugar.

So, what should you do if you want to keep your immune system running strong to help support blood sugar balance?

First, be sure to exercise.

One study found that compared to inactive adults, older endurance cyclists (some in their 80s) were producing the same level of immune cells called T-cells as adults in their 20s!

T-cells are produced in your thymus, a gland in your chest, which usually shrinks in size into adulthood.

Additionally, be sure to avoid habits that hijack your immune system. These include:

• Over-exercising (While exercise is vital for immune health, moderation is key.)
• Too much alcohol
• Too much sugar
• Too much salt
• Nicotine consumption
• Overexposure to UV rays, both indoors and outdoors

Sources:

Eavesdropping on organs: Immune system controls blood sugar levels — EurekAlert!

6 habits that hijack your immune system — Easy Health Options

Is your immune system causing your depression? — Easy Health Options

The real reason fibromyalgia increases pain sensitivity — Easy Health Options

The surprising way your immune system helps burn fat — Easy Health Options