That a diet based on what we call fast food is not very healthy, it is something that had already confirmed numerous studies. But, now, a new investigation carried out by the University of Bonn in Germany, you have tried to discover how the organism reacts to this type of feeding. And what they have found is that it does so in the same way as in the case of a bacterial infection.
The researchers conducted an experiment with mice, which were subjected to a “fast food” for humans. And the result was that there was an increase in immune cells in the blood of animals used as guinea pigs, causing an inflammatory reaction similar to that caused by a virus.
And investigating further, they observed how that dietary change caused the alteration of the genes linked to the so-called primordial pluripotent cells, from which all those make up the immune system come from. But, the most surprising thing was to see that, because the innate immune system has a form of memory to respond quickly in case of a new attack, the prolongation of junk food keeps it in a state of constant alert.
As the researchers explain, it is something that has been observed in cases of infection. Once this has been overcome, the response mechanisms of the immune system are activated for a period of time, because it is easier to react and fight against a new infection.
To close the circle, the study has also shown that a protein known as NLRP3 inflammasome, which acts as a kind of detector of the signs of infection, to “alert” the immune system, is also activated by adopting a diet based on the fast food
