New research out of Harvard reveals that our thymus, long ignored as a valuable organ, plays a significant role in our health status and longevity, reports the Harvard Gazette. While the thymus has always been recognized as valuable for building our immune system in childhood, it remains valuable as we age. People with a healthy thymus tend to live longer, and have a lower risk of heart disease and cancer.
One of the two new studies found that people with a healthy thymus have a stronger immune system and respond better to cancer treatment. The researchers gave each study participant a “thymic health” score. And, they found that people with high scores had 50 percent lower risk of death, 63 percent lower risk of a heart attack or stroke, and a 36 percent lower risk of getting lung cancer as compared to people with low “thymic health” scores.
Your thymus sits in your upper chest behind your breastbone. Through the production of T cells, it helps your immune system protect you from disease and infections. The thymus shrinks as you age and, in the process, produces fewer T cells. People with more diverse T cells and better thymic health as they age have stronger immune systems to fight off cancer and other diseases. They respond better to cancer immunotherapies.
Lifestyle matters when it comes to thymic health. People who are overweight and people who smoke tend to have worse thymic health.
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