[Fat Bear Science] Can human serum albumin supplement nutrition and enhance immunity?

Miss Zhang next door has been very energetic these days. She said that her daughter asked someone to buy her a few bottles of "universal tonic" - human albumin. It is said that human albumin can replenish nutrition, enhance immunity, and cure diseases faster, so Miss Zhang is so happy that she feels like she has found a treasure. Today, Fat Bear will tell you about this "magical" human albumin. Is it really magical?

So what exactly is blood albumin?

The human albumin preparation currently used in clinical practice is the plasma of healthy people who have been fully immunized with the hepatitis B vaccine. It is separated at low temperature and heated at 60°C to inactivate the virus for 10 hours. Since it is derived from blood products, and blood resources in my country are relatively scarce, the price of human albumin is relatively expensive. Although the country has implemented a strict regulatory system for blood products, the phenomenon of irrational use of human albumin is still widespread, which not only wastes precious resources, but also may promote the development of diseases and cause adverse reactions.

Yuan Zhongzhen, a pharmacist in the Department of Pharmacy of Chongqing Cancer Hospital and Chongqing University Affiliated Cancer Hospital, has a master's degree in drug analysis. He has been engaged in pharmacy for 4 years and actively engaged in the promotion of medical science knowledge. He won the third prize in the 2017 Shapingba District Science and Technology Week theme event - Science Popularization Talent Show; and the second prize in the Second Youth and Middle-aged Medical Science Popularization Competition of Chongqing University Affiliated Cancer Hospital and Chongqing Cancer Hospital.

Tang Yuelu, pharmacist of the Pharmacy Department of Chongqing Cancer Hospital/Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Chongqing University, team leader of the central pharmacy, and member of the Youth League Committee of the hospital, has been engaged in pharmacy work for 7 years and is good at pharmaceutical management, drug consultation, popular science publicity and other work.

Human albumin is highly praised in the market, but is it good or bad? In fact, just like Miss Zhang, most people do not have a comprehensive understanding of human albumin. Let's first look at the misunderstandings about it.

Human albumin infusion ≠ improved immunity

It is immunoglobulins, not albumins, that participate in the human immune response. Albumin and immunoglobulins belong to different types of proteins, and they play different roles in the body. The most important role of albumin in the human body is to maintain intravascular colloidal osmotic pressure and material transport, and it does not participate in the body's immune response.

Large doses of human albumin infusion not only fail to improve immunity, but may cause a decline in the body's immune function. This is because albumin preparations contain certain biologically active substances, such as trace endotoxins, kallikrein, trace α1-acid glycoprotein, etc., which may interfere with the body's immune function.

Human albumin transfusion ≠ nutritional improvement

Hypoalbuminemia can only be used as an indicator of the degree of inflammation in the body, not a nutritional indicator. Albumin is a single-chain polypeptide composed of 585 amino acids, with a molecular weight of 66,000, and is a macromolecular substance. From the perspective of nutritional support, the human body cannot directly absorb and utilize albumin. It must first be hydrolyzed into amino acids, and then used by the body to resynthesize into the protein needed by the human body. Under physiological conditions, the half-life of albumin is 15 to 19 days, which means that the rate at which albumin releases amino acids is very slow, so the albumin injected on the same day cannot play a nutritional role.

In addition, albumin does not contain a comprehensive range of amino acids, lacking some essential amino acids for the human body, such as tryptophan and isoleucine, and the proportion of essential amino acids is not balanced. In this way, the nutritional value of albumin is not as high as people imagine.

As early as 2000, the World Health Organization no longer recommended the use of albumin and removed it from the list of essential medicines; and the United States' albumin use standards also point out that albumin cannot be used as a supplemental source of protein for patients who require nutritional support.

Malnutrition is caused by insufficient intake or utilization of nitrogen and calories by the body. Patients with malnutrition should be provided with sufficient and properly matched energy (fat emulsion and glucose) and nutritional substrates (balanced amino acid preparations).

Human albumin transfusion does not mean faster recovery

After surgery, many patients will experience varying degrees of reduction in serum albumin levels. The traditional view of "replenishing what is lacking" is that albumin should be supplemented to maintain effective circulation capacity, reduce edema of surgical tissues and incisions, and promote healing. In fact, hypoalbuminemia after surgery and trauma is due to the body's stress response, which leads to increased capillary permeability and a large amount of albumin transferred from the blood vessels to the outside of the blood vessels, resulting in postoperative hypoalbuminemia. It is not entirely the result of malnutrition or protein decomposition. Exogenous albumin infusion did not improve the nutritional status of patients. As sensitive indicators for evaluating nutritional status, serum prealbumin and transferrin levels did not increase significantly. Evidence-based evidence also shows that albumin cannot improve the treatment effect of the primary disease or reduce the occurrence of surgical complications.

Having said so much about the “bad” aspects of human albumin, let’s take a look at its “good” aspects.

Which groups of people are suitable for using human albumin?

The American Society of Clinical Albumin Clinical Use Guidelines state that human albumin is recommended for use in patients with extremely low albumin levels (>>>

Eat more protein foods

Protein is a key substance for the human immune system, and a certain amount of protein must be taken in from food regularly. Protein mainly comes from milk, eggs, fish and shrimp, lean meat, soybeans and their products. Since the types and proportions of amino acids contained in animal protein are more in line with human needs, animal protein has higher nutritional value than plant protein.

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Sunbathing

The strong sun in Chongqing in summer can easily damage the skin, but this is not the case in autumn and winter. Getting more sun exposure can enhance blood circulation in the skin and internal organs, improve hematopoietic function, and is more beneficial to the spleen and stomach.

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Optimistic mood

Nowadays people are under great pressure in life and work. This pressure will cause the human body to produce an inhibitory factor, which will directly affect the normal functioning of immune cells. Therefore, people should learn to regulate their emotions, work and study in a relaxed and happy manner, and use this optimistic mood to improve immunity.

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sports

Studies have shown that if you exercise for 30 to 40 minutes a day, your immune cells will increase a lot, and your resistance will be enhanced accordingly. The more intense the exercise, the better. As long as you feel your heartbeat speed up, it's fine. Taking a walk after dinner is also good.

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Wash your hands often

Using the correct hand washing method can keep you away from colds and prevent other infectious diseases.

Text/ Fat Bear Photos/ Online Review/ Yuan Zhongzhen Tang Yuelu

Original article, please do not reprint without authorization

Chongqing Cancer Prevention and Treatment Science Popularization Base/Member of China Medical Self-media Alliance

Chongqing Science and Technology Commission Science Popularization Funding Project