astroman said...
That th1 and th2 stuff is so confusing and I never found good literature on it.
Ive NEVER been one or the other, always a combo of both. Yet Ive had several proven autoimmune things (still do, just easier on my custom low cytokin diet.
Th1 and Th2 (Th17 and others) are all CD4+ cells, a form of T cell with the "h" standing for "helper".
When activated these cells release cytokines, and each type has its own cytokine profile/set of cytokines that it releases.
I guess ideally you have low CD4+ activity because you don't need it.. but if you do need it, you want the appropriate cytokine profile in action for whatever the insult is (bacteria, fungus, parasite, etc). The immune response usually works best if it's polarized one way or another. Borrelia are threatened by a Th1 response.
According to Buhner and in the context of chronic Lyme, a combo of both means that you likely had/have an accumulation of Th1 cytokines (proinflammatory) around all those old sports injuries, and perhaps some neurological issues. Th2, I think, is more responsible for autoimmune-like conditions, along with Th17 which can be active downstream of increasing Th1 and Th2.