There are a number of supplements that boost natural killer cell function (activity), including the following:
Natural Killer Cell Activation Boosters
- Liposomal glutathione 500 mg or 1000 mg orally daily increases NK cell function by 400% and 210% respectively after 2 weeks (the lower dose results in a larger increase). 1
- Siberian ginseng (Eleutherococcus senticosus) — intraperitoneal injection of an extract (of eleutherosides B and D) increased the activity of natural killer cells by 200% after one week. 1
- Tagamet (cimetidine) a H2 antihistamine markedly increases natural killer activity (in post-operative ovarian cancer patients). 1
- MGN3 Biobran (extract of arabinoxylan from rice bran) 1 2
- B12 methylcobalamin injections increases NK cell functioning. 1
- Cardamom or black pepper enhance NK cell functioning. 1
- Germanium sesquioxide 1
- Panax ginseng 1
- IGF-1 1
- Larch arabinogalactan 1
- Transfer factor 1
- Cordyceps sinensis 1
- Maitake 1
- Shiitake 1
- Reishi 1
- Sulforaphane 1
- Inositol hexaphosphate (IP6), aka phytic acid 1 2
- Aged garlic 1
- Selenium 1
- Vitamin E — in mice 100 mg of alpha tocopherol daily increase NK activity. Tocotrienol showed a similar response at ten times lower dose. 1
- Beta sitosterol 1
- Echinacea 1 2
- Lycopene 1
- Neem (Azadirachta indica) 1
- Noni fruit (Morinda citrifolia) 1
- Spirulina 1
- Low dose naltrexone (LDN) may improve NK functioning in ME/CFS 1
- Inosine pranobex (Imunovir) 1
Here are some figures I found from various articles about the potency of some of the above supplements:
Potency of NK Boosters:
MGN3 Biobran:
300% increase in NK activity
Siberian ginseng extract injection:
200% increase in NK activity after one week
Aged garlic:
155.5% increase
Raw garlic:
139.9% increase (at 10 cloves a day)
Rhodiola rosea:
112% increase in NK activity in intestines
Cordyceps:
74% increase in NK activity
Spirulina:
40% increase
Astragalus extract:
11% to
45% increase
Lycopene:
28% increase in NK activity after 12 weeks
A product called
4Life Transfer Factor, which contains a combination of the above supplements, claims to
boost natural killer cell activity by 437%.
I have tried cocktails of the above NK cell function boosting supplements, and they do seem to improve my ME/CFS symptoms to a degree. So it may be worth experimenting with these NK cell boosters.
With Siberian ginseng, it is
recommended to take a few weeks off every few months.
Endorphins activate natural killer (NK) cells
1 2, so one might speculate that the low endorphin levels found in ME/CFS might be etiologically involved in the low NK cell function found in ME/CFS patients.
Low nitric oxide might also play a role in the low NK function found in ME/CFS:
An article published in the European Journal of Clinical Investigation described a study of the effects of L-arginine on NK cell function in 20 subjects with chronic fatigue syndrome and 21 healthy individuals. Arginine was found to increase NK activity in the healthy subjects but not those with CFS. Further investigation, however, found that the effect of arginine on NK cell activity was mediated by nitric oxide. That is, the increase in NK activity induced by arginine was blocked by the addition of an inhibitor of inducible nitric oxide synthase. NK activity was increased by incubation with a nitric oxide donor. The authors concluded that a dysfunction in the nitric oxide mediated NK cell activation may exist in CFS patients.
Ogawa, M., et al., Decreased nitric oxide-mediated natural killer cell activation in chronic fatigue syndrome. Eur J Clin Invest, 1998. 28(11): p. 937-43.
