Th1 vs Th2

energyoverload

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I always hear about this and I think it is a far too simplistic way to classify the immune system. The either or approach. There actually may be dysfunction in both wings. With impaired NKC cytotoxic response to some antigens, but potentially chronic low grade cytotoxic activation of some components in an autoimmune type fashion. Shifting to Th1 too rapidly often causes aggressive pro-inflammatory cytokine production and there doesn't seem to be sufficient evidence that inducing this shift relieves symptoms - many seem to get worse and potentially stay worse..
 
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I know the science behind it, but what is the best way to determine Th1 dominance vs Th2 dominance?
I think it is nonsense. There are T cells that have Th1 cytokines turned on and others with TH2 cytkines turned on but the idea of a 'TH1 response' or a TH2 response' seems to me imaginary - what I call immunobabble. You will see it everywhere but I cannot actually think what it would mean.
 

cman89

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I think it is nonsense. There are T cells that have Th1 cytokines turned on and others with TH2 cytkines turned on but the idea of a 'TH1 response' or a TH2 response' seems to me imaginary - what I call immunobabble. You will see it everywhere but I cannot actually think what it would mean.
I think you do have a point Mr. Edwards
 

Gingergrrl

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I thought Th1 dominant was when you constantly get sick with cold/flu or fever and feel ill/malaise, fever, sore throat, swollen lymph nodes (this is just an example) vs. Th2 is autoimmune such as Hashimoto's or Mast cells going crazy with allergic reactions but you don't feel ill/malaise and have zero fever, colds, flu etc.

Is this incorrect?
 

South

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None of the expert sites can agree on what "supports" th1 vs th2, they can't even agree on what kind of pathogens are killed by which of these th's. Some of the scientific sites throw around words like "this one is humoral immunity" without describing further, and give lists of names of pathogens "killed" by one of the th's, lists which are then contradicted by the next scientific site I find.

Another site states "Bacterial and most viral infections increase your Th1 system" well, other people could say that maybe that means the body needs to increase Th1 to fight those infections, no explanation is ever given why we would want to instead take things to shift from Th1 to Th2.

I avoid sites that focus on this topic now.