Nutrition and immunity : lessons for COVID-19
Nutrition and immunity : lessons for COVID-19
The role of the immune system is to protect the individual against pathogenic organisms. Nutrition is one of multiple factors that determines the immune response and good nutrition is important in supporting the immune response. Immunity can be impaired in older people, particularly those who are frail, in those living with obesity, in those who are malnourished and in those with low intakes of micronutrients. The immune impairments associated with nutritional inadequacy increase susceptibility to infection and permit infections to become more severe, even fatal. The adverse impact of poor nutrition on the immune system, including its inflammatory component, may be one of the explanations for the higher risk of more severe outcomes from infection with SARS-CoV-2 seen in older people and in those living with obesity. Studies of individual micronutrients including vitamin D and zinc suggest roles in reducing severity of infection with SARS-CoV-2. Good nutrition is also important in promoting a diverse gut microbiota, which in turn supports the immune system. The importance of nutrition in supporting the immune response also applies to assuring robust responses to vaccination. There are many lessons from the study of nutrition and immunity that are relevant for the battle
with SARS-CoV-2.
Calder, Philip
1797e54f-378e-4dcb-80a4-3e30018f07a6
23 June 2021
Calder, Philip
1797e54f-378e-4dcb-80a4-3e30018f07a6
Calder, Philip
(2021)
Nutrition and immunity : lessons for COVID-19.
European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 11 (1), [19].
(doi:10.1038/s41430-021-00949-8).
Abstract
The role of the immune system is to protect the individual against pathogenic organisms. Nutrition is one of multiple factors that determines the immune response and good nutrition is important in supporting the immune response. Immunity can be impaired in older people, particularly those who are frail, in those living with obesity, in those who are malnourished and in those with low intakes of micronutrients. The immune impairments associated with nutritional inadequacy increase susceptibility to infection and permit infections to become more severe, even fatal. The adverse impact of poor nutrition on the immune system, including its inflammatory component, may be one of the explanations for the higher risk of more severe outcomes from infection with SARS-CoV-2 seen in older people and in those living with obesity. Studies of individual micronutrients including vitamin D and zinc suggest roles in reducing severity of infection with SARS-CoV-2. Good nutrition is also important in promoting a diverse gut microbiota, which in turn supports the immune system. The importance of nutrition in supporting the immune response also applies to assuring robust responses to vaccination. There are many lessons from the study of nutrition and immunity that are relevant for the battle
with SARS-CoV-2.
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Calder_Nutrition and immunity_EJCN_Finalised
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s41430-021-00949-8
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Accepted/In Press date: 17 May 2021
Published date: 23 June 2021
Additional Information:
Funding Information:
PCC has research funding from Bayer Consumer Care and acts as an advisor/ consultant to BASF AS, DSM, Cargill, Smartfish, Nutrileads, Bayer Consumer Care and GSK Consumer Healthcare.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2021, The Author(s).
Copyright:
Copyright 2021 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 449162
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/449162
ISSN: 0954-3007
PURE UUID: 3fc1bf00-eadc-470d-b9ac-89c69be45a7e
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Date deposited: 18 May 2021 16:33
Last modified: 17 Mar 2024 06:34
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