Comment · Fri, February 23, 2024 · ND Owner
What in CistaMax has the immune boosting effects that I've noticed, (og Cistanche extract doesn't)?
Original post in this thread
Nebulous_Inferno · 10 points
Seriously, I've had a persistent small infection in my nose for a few months, and I've been stuffed up, CistaMax is helping, and I don't know what is the cause, because I'd been taking og Cistanche for months before this, and no dice.
What they were answering
CleverAlchemist · 1 points
So I'm not arguing that cistache is good for the immune system, however I've noticed that if I actually get sick, taking cistache does not combat any of the symptoms besides body aches. quercetin on the other hand clears my sinuses, boosts my energy levels and allows me to somewhat function. I now take quercetin Everytime I am sick, and I completely stop taking cistache because it feels like a waste. just my thoughts on the immune function. I recently got over a cold.
u/MisterYouAreSoDumb · ND Owner
The immune system is complex. We often simplify it down way too much in passing conversations. Even when someone says they are sick, that could mean a viral, bacterial, or fungal infection. It could also mean their own body is attacking itself, and there are no pathogens, in the case of autoimmune diseases. Then you get to mutated cells of your own, like cancer or tumors. That's not even getting into symptoms. Some people notice the direct effects of a sickness. Other times you are noticing your bodies reaction to the infection. In those instances, taking something that helps you feel better might actually be reducing your body's ability to fight off the pathogen. So if just understanding what you mean by sick is that complex, imagine how complex trying to improve your body's ability to respond to it, or your body's ability to prevent it in the first place. What helps one person's immune system might harm another's. What helps fortify one person's immune system from even getting sick might do absolutely nothing for the next person, or even make them more susceptible to getting sick. Is Cistanche going to help everyone's immune system? Absolutely not; just like quercetin won't either.
Quercetin is another great supplement, and I take it every day myself. It helps on multiple fronts of the immune system. Many people are using it for the autoimmune piece, because it helps modulate histamine and mast cells. This is why quercetin can help seasonal allergies. Quercetin can also help with the disease that shall not be named, due to its ability to inhibit recombinant human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) activity. I started taking quercetin and hesperidin at the start of the pandemic myself, and they are now a part of my daily stack. Quercetin has also shown both complimentary effects toward chemotherapy, and protection against its side effects. That's not to say it is the right choice for everyone, though. If you have kidney damage, quercetin can be an issue. So it is never one size fits all. My job would be much easier if it was, but that's not the reality of the situation.