How To Perform Better And Be Healthier by Decreasing Interleukin-1 (IL-1b)

This is post is part of series that’s deconstructing the immune system in various ways. I spoke about Th1/Th2 dominance and wrote multiple posts on how to reduce it. I also spoke about TNF, which is one of several really common cytokines that can destroy our health and performance.

Interleukin-1 is another one of those performance-killing cytokines that can cause us ill health. I have more posts in the works on other cytokines.

I think IL-1b was the most menacing cytokine for me out of all of the cytokines I’ve spoken about. It fit my symptoms most closely.

CONTENTS [HIDE]

• Introduction to Interleukin-1 (IL-1)
• IL-1b and Me
• The Good
• The Bad: IL-1 And Performance
• Some Significant Factors That Lead to Elevated IL-1b
• Random Interesting Information on IL-1beta
• Diseases Associated With IL-1b
• Top Choices To Decrease IL-1beta
  • Top Functional Foods/Condiments
  • Top Devices and Lifestyle
  • Hormones That Inhibit IL-1b
  • Top Supplements to Inhibit IL-1b
  • Foods To Decrease IL-1beta
• Other IL-1beta Inhibitors
• IL-1beta Increasers
• No Effect
• Elevated IL-1 and Chronic Infection
• Disclaimer and Caveats

Introduction to Interleukin-1 (IL-1)

Twenty-five years ago, immunologists and neuroscientists had little science mutual interest of. This is no longer the case. Neuroscientists now know that cytokines like IL-1 interact with neurons of the hypothalamus in many ways (by suppressing orexin, etc..) (R).

Macrophages and a bunch of immune cells produce and release IL-1b and TNF (R). Both are usually elevated together because each increases the other(R, R2), so it’s hard to tease out what plays a more significant role. TNF makes IL-1b “active” (R) and IL-1b also increases TNF inflammation (R), making the two synergistically harmful…

IL-1 has two main forms: IL-1beta and IL-1alpha. IL-1beta seems to be the most significant in relation to disease and there’s more research on it because it possesses a strong pro-inflammatory effect.

If IL-1 is at significantly high levels, it causes fever, increased pain sensitivity, vasodilation, and hypotension (R). I had the latter 3, but not so much of fever.

This cytokine has a natural antagonist, which counteracts its effect – IL-1Ra (IL-1 receptor antagonist) (R).

IL-1 can be elevated in either Th1 or Th2 dominance (R).

Fibrinogen (causes clotting) and CRP are increased by IL-1b (R), but these aren’t usually elevated unless your cytokines are acutely increased.

IL-1b is necessary for replicating Th17 immune cells (R). It also increases nitric oxide and PGE2 (R).

IL-1b will stimulate your HPA axis and sympathetic nervous system, which both go on to lower other cytokines like TNF (R).

Like everything else, baseline IL-1b production and production in response to stimuli is genetic. The SNP rs16944 is a polymorphism in the interleukin 1, beta gene and different versions of it are associated with higher and lower risks of various diseases (R).

It’s important to realize that you can have IL-1b elevated locally in areas such as your hypothalamus or gut and it wouldn’t show on blood tests.

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