Your Child’s Growing Immune System

Children differ from adults in a lot of ways. One big way is, unlike adults, the bodies of children and adolescents are still developing on all levels. It is easy to see this growth on the outside, but sometimes we forget that their internal organs and systems are developing too!

The still-forming immune system of a child also differs greatly from that of an adult. In a healthy adult, the immune system is made up of hundreds of basic as well as specific mechanisms and substances that work together synergistically to fight pathogens. The immune system of a young child, however, can be quite different.

According to physicians at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, when a healthy baby is born, he or she has all the basic “tools” to create an immune response to a threat. These basic tools come in the form of substances that make up the “non-specific” or “innate” immune system, such as macrophages and neutrophils. What an infant lacks, however, are direct interactions with pathogens that will help them develop “adaptive immunity.” (1)

A large component of a robust immune response is the ability to adapt to any threat. “Adaptive immunity” mainly develops in children. A growing child comes in contact with all kinds of new experiences as he or she navigates the world, and so does his or her immune system.

With each “antigenic experience,” a child develops antibodies and other immune substances to help fight infections, viruses, and other threats in the moment and into the future.

This system of learning and assimilation works amazingly as long as the stressors that a child encounters are not too great and as long as that child’s immune system is able to assimilate new information (such as a new viral threat) and then generate new immune system substances and mechanisms (such as specific B and T cells) in response.

As a parent, you have the ability to help your child’s “innate” and “adaptive” immune system mechanisms be the strongest they can be. You can do this by providing the right nutrition, the right opportunities for both mental and physical exercise, and the right love, care, and nurturing for your child’s vibrant growth.

In addition, you can also make wise choices based on sound research regarding supplementation and other tools to protect your child and his or her still-developing immune system in the face of a highly toxic and stressful world. A key component in your child’s immune system arsenal can be beta glucan!

What is Beta Glucan?

Beta Glucan: The Research Says It All

That is all great, you may say, but what about the health benefits of beta glucan

for children?

The studies have that covered as well. There are literally dozens of articles that connect beta glucan consumption to better resistance to infection, viruses, and more. Amongst this literature is a growing body of evidence to support the fact that beta glucan can do the same for children, with no known side effects.

One of the first investigations to show significant immune boosting for children was a random, controlled trial conducted by researchers at the University of Louisville in Kentucky. In 2013, the team measured antibody production in children ages 8-12 who had a history of chronic respiratory infections. After 30 days of supplementation with 100 mg/day yeast-derived glucan, mucosal antibody levels rose significantly across the board in comparison to the control group. (5)

Another joint US-China study published in the May 2014 issue of the medical journal Pediatrics focused on immune health in 3- and 4-year-olds. In this random, controlled trial, toddlers were fed a “follow-up formula” (FUF) that contained primarily beta glucan. The end result was pretty remarkable. Those who took the beta glucan missed less time in daycare due to illness.

Did you know that according to 2021 U.S. Centers for Disease Control National Center for Health Statistics data, close to 5% of all American school-age children miss 11 or more days of school because of illness? (6) That number climbs to about 6 % for 12 to 17-year-olds. (7) The researchers of the Pediatrics study also found that not only did beta glucan help boost the immune system, it also helped lower episodes of acute respiratory infection in particular and also had an overall anti-inflammatory effect. (8)

Suggested: Shop for Better Way Health Gift Cards

Beta Glucan Helps Defend and Detox

Another area of great concern for parents is ongoing exposure to toxins. Even if you do all the “necessary things” to safeguard your children from them, exposure to toxins on some level is almost guaranteed in today’s toxic world.

In fact, according to a study conducted by researchers at George Washington University, by the time a baby is born, he or she will already have dozens of toxins accumulated within his or her body. (9) As babies grow and develop into children, they continue to come into contact with hundreds of other harmful substances such as PFAS and PFC compounds, heavy metals, halide substances like fluoride and chlorine, airborne and food-borne mold substances, xenoestrogens and other hormonal imbalancing substances, VOCs (volatile organic compounds), and more. (10)

Did you know that approximately 1,500 new chemicals are introduced into the market each year? Many of these harmful substances go into the household, food, and sundry products that you and your family may be using every day. In fact, according to statistics from over ten years ago, there were approximately 80,000 different chemical substances listed by the U.S. EPA. (11) To date, only a handful of them have been banned for use by government agencies.

Your child’s body probably does a great job of flushing out a large percentage of the toxins that may come their way. It won’t be able to get to everything, however. Over time, what’s left over can lay the foundation for serious problems into adulthood.

The “miracle” of beta glucan when it comes to detoxification, just like with immunity, lies in how it can lend support to the gut, liver, kidneys, and other organs of detoxification and elimination. One in vivo study conducted by researchers in Turkey found that beta glucans’ antioxidant and “phagocytic” effects were able to help reduce damage to the liver and ease symptoms of jaundice. (12)

Another investigation conducted in 2014 in the Czech Republic focused on children who had chronic respiratory illness because of secondhand (passive) smoke. According to the researchers, children who consumed 100 mg of beta glucan for 30 days had significantly fewer clinical problems and also had increased physical endurance overall. (13)

Suggested Reading: Prebiotics vs Probiotics: What They are and Why They Matter

 

Immune Essentials in Immune Ready Kids: For Your Child’s Complete Immune Strength

Immune Ready Kids is a powerful formula designed to give your child the best defense against everyday immune challenges. Each serving provides 50 mg of immune-boosting Beta Glucan, but that’s just the beginning. Immune Ready Kids also contains key nutrients like Vitamin C, Vitamin D3, Zinc, Elderberry, and Selenium, creating a comprehensive immune-support system. Here’s why each of these ingredients plays an essential role in your child’s health:

First, let’s take a look at vitamin D. Sadly (and shockingly), roughly one in 10 children in the United States are deficient in D. In addition, according to an urgent letter to pediatricians put out by John Hopkins University, about 60 percent of all U.S. children “may have suboptimal levels of vitamin D.” (14)

This is really bad news, and not just because vitamin D is essential for the development of healthy bones. Vitamin D is technically considered a “steroid hormone” and, as such, has the ability to affect over 200 genes in the body. (15) It is an essential nutrient not just for calcium absorption but also for heart, hormonal, brain, and immune system health, as well as for overall healthy cell function.

Skeletal deformities, brittle bones, heart complications, seizures, and more are all extreme signs of childhood vitamin D deficiency. What’s more, Vitamin D deficiency in childhood can set the stage for serious ill health and chronic disease into adulthood.

According to a 2021 investigation conducted at the University of Torino in Italy, when combined together, beta glucan and vitamin D created a synergistic effect that increased macrophage activity in particular (macrophages are a type of white blood cell whose main job is to “engulf” foreign substances) (16).

Now let’s talk about selenium. This is a trace mineral that is found naturally in soil, water, and many kinds of food, such as nuts and seafood. Although its benefits are not as widely known as vitamin D, it too is essential for a healthy, growing body. It is a vital nutrient for the absorption of many other vitamins and minerals, especially those that play key roles in metabolism.

It has also been shown to be a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent. In addition, strong evidence suggests that selenium can significantly help in boosting immunity to fight off viruses. (17) Some studies, such as 2014 in vitro study conducted at the University of São Paulo in Brazil, have also shown that beta glucan in combination with selenium may help catalyze strong immune mechanisms specifically related to cancer prevention and healing. (18)

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Immune Ready Kids: No Artificial Anything, Just Solid Support for Your Child’s Immune System

At Better Way Health, we believe in transparency and honesty in everything we do, including what we put in each of our gummies. Immune Ready Kids combines Beta Glucan with Elderberry, Vitamin C, Vitamin D3, Zinc, and Selenium to give your child’s immune system the start it needs for a lifetime of vibrant health.

We are committed to providing a product with no fillers or artificial ingredients. Immune Ready Kids gummies are Non-GMO, Vegan/Vegetarian, Gluten-Free, and contain No Added Sugar. Instead, we use all-natural sweeteners to make them taste great.

Simply put, if your child’s immune system is not functioning at its best, the rest of their developing body will struggle as well. The immune system is your child’s first line of defense in a chaotic, toxin-filled world. Immune Ready Kids helps to keep that defense strong and resilient.

We at Better Way Health are on a mission to create healthier kids and happier families. And we strive to do that one immune system at a time!

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