Hormesis and immunity: A review

Abstract

The hormesis concept demonstrates that in contrast to the toxic effect of high doses of materials, irradiation, etc., low doses of them are beneficial and, in addition, help to eliminate (prevent) the deleterious effect of high doses given after it. By this effect, it is an important factor of (human) evolution protecting man from harmful impacts, similarly to the role of immunity. However, immunity is also continuously influenced by hormetic effects of environmental [chemical (pollutions), physical (background irradiations and heat), etc.] and medical (drugs and therapeutic irradiations) and food interactions. In contrast to earlier beliefs, the no-threshold irradiation dogma is not valid in low-dose domains and here the hormesis concept is valid. Low-dose therapeutic irradiation, as well as background irradiations (by radon spas or moderately far from the epicenter of atomic bomb or nuclear facilities), is rather beneficial than destructive and the fear from them seems to be unreasonable from immunological point of view. Practically, all immune parameters are beneficially influenced by all forms of low-dose radiations.