キムチ摂取せっしゅによる免疫めんえき機能きのう調節ちょうせつ作用さようの可能性かのうせい――最新さいしん研究けんきゅうが示唆しさする生理せいり活性かっせい効果こうか

Kimchi is widely known as a traditional fermented food representative of the Korean Peninsula. It is made by pickling vegetables such as napa cabbage together with salt, chili peppers, and salted seafood, and then allowing them to ferment through the action of lactic acid bacteria, which creates its distinctive sourness and umami flavor.

The various bioactive conversion products such as organic acids and peptides generated during this fermentation process are believed to have antioxidant effects, anti-obesity effects, and even immune-regulating effects.

However, the specific effects of kimchi on the human immune system have not been sufficiently clarified so far.

In such circumstances, a Korean research team conducted a two-week follow-up study on 13 obese adults.

The subjects were randomly divided into three groups: one group consumed naturally fermented kimchi powder, another consumed kimchi powder fermented with a starter culture kit, and the third was a placebo group. Each group was provided with a daily amount of powder equivalent to 30g of fresh kimchi.

The research group collected blood samples from the subjects before and after the intervention, and conducted a detailed analysis of immune cell dynamics using state-of-the-art single-cell RNA analysis technology.

The results indicate that, among people who used kimchi powder, the activity of antigen-presenting cells cells that ingest pathogens and present antigens increased significantly.

Furthermore, the expression of genes involved in signaling from these cells to helper T cells is also promoted, and the helper T cells themselves become more capable of responding quickly to pathogens that are the targets of the immune response.

T helper cells are involved in regulating the overall immune response, so these changes may contribute to the enhanced function of other immune cells.

On the other hand, significant changes due to this intervention were observed only in antigen-presenting cells and helper T cells, and no major effects were seen in other immune cells.

If the immune system is excessively activated, it can be harmful to health, so by eating kimchi, you can appropriately enhance immune function without causing excessive inflammatory responses.

Also, although both types of kimchi powder showed effects, the kimchi fermented using the bacterial culture kit had a slightly stronger effect.

From these findings, it is believed that kimchi may provide benefits in preventing viral infections, enhancing vaccine responses, and controlling inflammation.

However, since the number of subjects in this study is limited, larger clinical trials will be necessary in the future to confirm its actual effectiveness in infection prevention and inflammation control.