Explain the role nutrition has in maintaining a healthy immune system. Give three examples of nutrients that have well-known, specific roles in immunity

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

The immune system is sensitive to the subtle changes in nutrition status. Malnutrition—whether undernutrition or overnutrition—compromises both immune system tissues and immune responses. From day to day, the immune system requires adequate amounts of protein, fat, carbohydrate, vitamins, and minerals to maintain its tissues and mount a response. The immune response demands greater amounts of nutrients for the synthesis of antibodies and cytokines, for cell multiplication, for free radical generation, and for the active process of ending the response. Exactly which nutrients are needed in greater quantities, and how much, is not yet fully known, but nutrients known to play key roles in immunity and their roles are:

Protein, which maintains healthy skin and other epithelial tissues (barriers to infection) and participates in the synthesis and function of the organs and cells of the immune system and antibody production.

Omega-3-fatty acids, which help resolve inflammation when it is no longer needed for the immune response through production of lipid mediators known as resolvins and protectins, which also play a role in enhancing host defense.

Vitamin A, which maintains healthy skin and other epithelial tissues (barriers to infection) and participates in the cell replication and specialization that supports immune-cell and antibody production and the anti-inflammatory response.

Vitamin D, which regulates cell (T-cell) responses and participates in antibody production.

Vitamins C and E, which protect against oxidative damage.

Vitamin B6, which helps maintain an effective immune response and participates in antibody production.

Vitamin B12 and folate, which assist in cell replication and specialization that support immune cell and antibody production.

Selenium, which protects against oxidative damage.

Zinc, which helps maintain an effective immune response and participates in antibody production.

Also, impaired immunity opens the way for infectious diseases, which typically raise nutrient needs and reduce food intake. Consequently, nutrition status suffers further. Thus, disease and malnutrition create a synergistic downward spiral that must be broken for recovery to occur.

So, optimal immunity depends on optimal nutrition—enough, but not too much, of each of the nutrients. People with weakened immune systems, such as older adults, benefit from a nutritious diet and supplements of selected nutrients.