Malnutrition and Immunity

One of the things I like talking about is building and boosting the immune system.  The idea of boosting your immunity is enticing, but the ability to do so has proved elusive for several reasons. The immune system is precisely a system, not a single entity. To function well, it requires balance and harmony. The immune system is your body's protective network designed to fend off invasion by harmful substances, including bacteria, viruses, and harmful chemicals, and to act as a surveillance system against the development of diseases. A compromised immune system cannot work as well as one that is fully functioning.   Micronutrient malnutrition, particularly vitamin A deficiency (VAD), iron deficiency anemia (IDA), and iodine deficiency disorders (IDD) are major public health concerns globally. They pose a serious threat to the vulnerable groups of the population esp. in developing countries e.g. infants, preschool children, school-age children, and women of child-bearing age. Kenya, like any other African countries is grappling with over-nutrition and under-nutrition where at national level, 26 percent of children under five are stunted and 11 percent are underweight. Deficiencies of micronutrients do not cause obvious symptoms of disease, but they can affect your mental abilities, your coping abilities, and your body's ability to resist disease and infection.  Eating a variety of healthful foods packed with immune-system-enhancing nutrients is an essential step towards a strong immune system.

Vitamin A: Vitamin A helps regulate and support the healthy development of immune cells. Vitamin A plays a role in infection and maintaining mucosal surfaces by influencing certain subcategories of T cells, B cells and cytokines. Another important part of its protective roles is also through its ability to enhance antibody responses, especially IgA antibody responses in mucosal tissues. Vitamin A deficiency is associated with impaired immunity and increased risk of infectious disease.

B-vitamins: B vitamin deficiency is a major factor associated with rapid disease progression. Vitamin B6 deficiency can lead to a decrease in white blood cell response and shrink the thymus which is a critical immune system organ. Frequent dieting and improper eating habits like eating too much sugar and refined foods is the common cause of vitamin B6 deficiency. Vitamin B12 promotes cell division, multiplication and growth. White blood cells cannot mature and multiply in the absence of B12 or insufficient B12.

 

Relationship between Age and Malnutrition 

Researchers believe that the aging process leads to a reduction of immune response capability, which in turn contributes to more infections, more inflammatory diseases etc. A reduction in immune response to infections has been demonstrated by older people’s response to vaccines. For example, studies of influenza vaccines have shown that for people over age 65, vaccine effectiveness was 23%, whereas for healthy children, it was 38%.  This is attributed to malnutrition among other factors. A form of malnutrition that is surprisingly common among elderly people is known as “micronutrient malnutrition.” Micronutrient malnutrition, in which a person is deficient in some essential vitamins and trace minerals that are obtained from the diet, can be common in the elderly. Older people tend to eat less and often have less variety in their diets. Older people should seek nutritional advice, because micronutrient malnutrition can have serious repercussions in this age group.