All about C3d on the P88

C3d is a complement antigen and an activator of our complement cascade system. Reaction to the specified food will worsen if C3d activation is present along with an IgG antibody response. The C3 protein attaches to the antigen and amplifies the IgG response, increasing the inflammatory potential of IgG titer. Complement is not dependent on exposure or antibody presence and represents innate immune function.

Complement was first discovered to have an influencing role on symptoms when it was noted in the context of polio. It was found that those who had the highest titer to polio were not the ones with the greatest amounts of symptoms. It was those who had an elevation in IgG and complement present who experience the greatest severity of disease. From this observation, researchers began to see if they could duplicate this finding in relationship to food reactions. They found, also in the case of foods, that when there was both IgG and complement, this is when the reaction was the strongest.

The Precision 88 food test looks at both IgG and complement. When both are present, these are the foods that will create the most inflammation, in some cases one thousand times greater than just IgG alone. If only complement is present, it is far less reactive, as it is the combination of the two that escalate immune response. If there are many foods that provoke a complement reaction, it can be wise to add curcuminoids or immunoglobulins as both decrease the production of complement. Food removal should be considered when both IgG and complement are present. In rare cases, you may remove foods that just provoke complement. In conditions that are highly driven by complement, this will be pertinent. Rheumatoid arthritis is an example of a condition highly driven by complement. The P88 Physicians guide provides a table of conditions that are highly reactive to complement.

– Dr. Cherly Burdette, ND.