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May 7, 1997, Vol 277, No. 17 >
ARTICLE | May 7, 1997

Graying of the Immune System: Title and subTitle BreakCan Nutrient Supplements Improve Immunity in the Elderly? FREE

Ranjit Kumar Chandra, OC, MD, FRCPC
[+] Author Affiliations

Dr Chandra holds US patent 5,556,644 for a combination of vitamins and minerals that is not commercially produced.

Reprints: Ranjit Kumar Chandra, OC, MD, FRCPC, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Janeway Child Health Centre, St John's, Newfoundland, Canada A1A 1R8.


JAMA. 1997;277(17):1398-1399. doi:10.1001/jama.1997.03540410076034
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References

It is recognized that nutrient intake should not only prevent the classic deficiency diseases, but also could reduce illness and improve health. The type of nutrients and the quantity required to achieve such a beneficial effect varies with the index being studied and whether more than one nutrient is being administered simultaneously. For some nutrients, the amounts proposed as being healthful apparently cannot be provided by a reasonable quantity and variety of natural foods. Thus, nutrient supplements may be important for health promotion and prevention of certain chronic diseases.1,2 This view goes against the prevailing dogma in nutritional science that a balanced diet is sufficient to achieve all nutritional objectives.

See also p 1380.

Aging is associated with a reduction in many immune responses in most, but not all, elderly individuals. Changes in immunity associated with aging include decreased delayed hypersensitivity, reduced interleukin 2 production, decreased lymphocyte response to

REFERENCES

1 +
Hoffer LJ.  Nutritional supplements and health . Ann R Coll Physician Surg Can . 1996;;29:11-16.
2 +
Bendich A, Deckelbaum RJ, eds. Preventive Nutrition: The Comprehensive Guide for Health Professionals . Totowa, NJ: Humana Press; 1997;.
3 +
Chandra RK.  Nutritional regulation of immunity and risk of infection in old age . Immunology . 1989;;67:141-147.
4 +
Keusch GT, Wilson CS, Waksal SD.  Nutrition, host defenses, and the lymphoid system . Arch Host Def Mech . 1983;;2:275-359.
5 +
Gershwin ME, Beach RS, Hurley LS. Nutrition and Immunity . Orlando, Fla: Academic Press Inc; 1985;.
6 +
Chandra RK, ed. Nutrition and Immunology . St John's, Newfoundland: ARTS Biomedical; 1992;.
7 +
Lesourd BM, Mazari L. Environmental influences on immune aging: the role of nutritional factors. In: Nutrition and Immunity: Proceedings of the Nutrition and Immunity Conference. Washington, DC; ILSI. In press.
8 +
Combs GF Jr. The Vitamins: Fundamental Aspects in Nutrition and Health . Orlando, Fla: Academic Press Inc; 1991;:179-204.
9 +
Machlin LJ. Vitamin E. In: Machlin LJ, ed. Handbook of Vitamins . New York, NY: Marcel Dekker Inc; 1991;:99-144.
10 +
Meydani SN, Meydani M, Blumberg JB, et al.  Vitamin E supplementation and in vivo immune response in healthy elderly subjects: a randomized controlled trial . JAMA . 1997;;277:1380-1386.
11 +
Chandra RK.  McCollum Award Lecture: nutrition and immunity: lessons from the past and new insights into the future . Am J Clin Nutr . 1991;;53:1087-1101.
12 +
Chandra RK, Imbach A, Moore C, Skelton D, Woolcott D.  Nutrition of the elderly . Can Med Assoc J . 1991;;145:1475-1487.
13 +
Meyers DG, Maloley PA, Weeks D.  Safety of antioxidant vitamins . Arch Intern Med . 1996;;156:925-935.
14 +
Baehner RL, Boxer LA, Allen JM, Davis J.  Autooxidation as a basis for altered function by polymorphonuclear leukocytes . Blood . 1977;;50:327-335.
15 +
Prasad JS.  Effect of vitamin E supplementation on leukocyte function . Am J Clin Nutr . 1980;;33:606-608.
16 +
Talbott MC, Miller LT, Kerkvliet NI.  Pyridoxine supplementation: effect on lymphocyte responses in elderly persons . Am J Clin Nutr . 1987;;46:659-664.
17 +
Meydani SN, Barklund MP, Liu S, et al.  Vitamin E supplementation enhances cell-mediated immunity in healthy elderly subjects . Am J Clin Nutr . 1990;;52:557-563.
18 +
Sahyoun NR, Jacques PF, Russell RM.  Carotenoids, vitamins C and E, and mortality in an elderly population . Am J Epidemiol . 1996;;144:501-511.
19 +
Chavance M, Herbeth B, Mikstacki T, Fournier C, Vernhes G, Janot C.  Nutrition support improves antibody response to influenza virus vaccine in the elderly . BMJ . 1985;;291:1348-1349.
20 +
Bogden JD, Oleske JM, Lavenhar MA, et al.  Effect of one year of supplementation with zinc and other micronutrients on cellular immunity in the elderly . J Am Coll Nutr . 1990;;9:214-225.
21 +
Penn ND, Purkins L, Kelleher J, Heatley RV, Mascie-Taylor BH, Belfield PW.  The effect of dietary supplementation with vitamins A, C, and E on cell-mediated immune function in elderly long-stay patients: a randomized controlled trial . Age Ageing . 1991;;20:169-174.
22 +
Chandra RK.  Effect of vitamin and trace-element supplementation on immune responses and infection in elderly subjects . Lancet . 1992;;340:1124-1127.
23 +
Chandra RK.  Nutrition, immunity and infection: from basic knowledge of dietary manipulation of immune responses to practical application of ameliorating suffering and improving survival . Proc Nati Acad Sci U S A . 1996;;93:14304-14307.
24 +
Munro H, Schlierf G, eds. Nutrition of the Elderly . New York, NY: Raven Press; 1992;.

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Country-Specific Mortality and Growth Failure in Infancy and Yound Children and Association With Material Stature

Use interactive graphics and maps to view and sort country-specific infant and early dhildhood mortality and growth failure data and their association with maternal

1 +
Hoffer LJ.  Nutritional supplements and health . Ann R Coll Physician Surg Can . 1996;;29:11-16.
2 +
Bendich A, Deckelbaum RJ, eds. Preventive Nutrition: The Comprehensive Guide for Health Professionals . Totowa, NJ: Humana Press; 1997;.
3 +
Chandra RK.  Nutritional regulation of immunity and risk of infection in old age . Immunology . 1989;;67:141-147.
4 +
Keusch GT, Wilson CS, Waksal SD.  Nutrition, host defenses, and the lymphoid system . Arch Host Def Mech . 1983;;2:275-359.
5 +
Gershwin ME, Beach RS, Hurley LS. Nutrition and Immunity . Orlando, Fla: Academic Press Inc; 1985;.
6 +
Chandra RK, ed. Nutrition and Immunology . St John's, Newfoundland: ARTS Biomedical; 1992;.
7 +
Lesourd BM, Mazari L. Environmental influences on immune aging: the role of nutritional factors. In: Nutrition and Immunity: Proceedings of the Nutrition and Immunity Conference. Washington, DC; ILSI. In press.
8 +
Combs GF Jr. The Vitamins: Fundamental Aspects in Nutrition and Health . Orlando, Fla: Academic Press Inc; 1991;:179-204.
9 +
Machlin LJ. Vitamin E. In: Machlin LJ, ed. Handbook of Vitamins . New York, NY: Marcel Dekker Inc; 1991;:99-144.
10 +
Meydani SN, Meydani M, Blumberg JB, et al.  Vitamin E supplementation and in vivo immune response in healthy elderly subjects: a randomized controlled trial . JAMA . 1997;;277:1380-1386.
11 +
Chandra RK.  McCollum Award Lecture: nutrition and immunity: lessons from the past and new insights into the future . Am J Clin Nutr . 1991;;53:1087-1101.
12 +
Chandra RK, Imbach A, Moore C, Skelton D, Woolcott D.  Nutrition of the elderly . Can Med Assoc J . 1991;;145:1475-1487.
13 +
Meyers DG, Maloley PA, Weeks D.  Safety of antioxidant vitamins . Arch Intern Med . 1996;;156:925-935.
14 +
Baehner RL, Boxer LA, Allen JM, Davis J.  Autooxidation as a basis for altered function by polymorphonuclear leukocytes . Blood . 1977;;50:327-335.
15 +
Prasad JS.  Effect of vitamin E supplementation on leukocyte function . Am J Clin Nutr . 1980;;33:606-608.
16 +
Talbott MC, Miller LT, Kerkvliet NI.  Pyridoxine supplementation: effect on lymphocyte responses in elderly persons . Am J Clin Nutr . 1987;;46:659-664.
17 +
Meydani SN, Barklund MP, Liu S, et al.  Vitamin E supplementation enhances cell-mediated immunity in healthy elderly subjects . Am J Clin Nutr . 1990;;52:557-563.
18 +
Sahyoun NR, Jacques PF, Russell RM.  Carotenoids, vitamins C and E, and mortality in an elderly population . Am J Epidemiol . 1996;;144:501-511.
19 +
Chavance M, Herbeth B, Mikstacki T, Fournier C, Vernhes G, Janot C.  Nutrition support improves antibody response to influenza virus vaccine in the elderly . BMJ . 1985;;291:1348-1349.
20 +
Bogden JD, Oleske JM, Lavenhar MA, et al.  Effect of one year of supplementation with zinc and other micronutrients on cellular immunity in the elderly . J Am Coll Nutr . 1990;;9:214-225.
21 +
Penn ND, Purkins L, Kelleher J, Heatley RV, Mascie-Taylor BH, Belfield PW.  The effect of dietary supplementation with vitamins A, C, and E on cell-mediated immune function in elderly long-stay patients: a randomized controlled trial . Age Ageing . 1991;;20:169-174.
22 +
Chandra RK.  Effect of vitamin and trace-element supplementation on immune responses and infection in elderly subjects . Lancet . 1992;;340:1124-1127.
23 +
Chandra RK.  Nutrition, immunity and infection: from basic knowledge of dietary manipulation of immune responses to practical application of ameliorating suffering and improving survival . Proc Nati Acad Sci U S A . 1996;;93:14304-14307.
24 +
Munro H, Schlierf G, eds. Nutrition of the Elderly . New York, NY: Raven Press; 1992;.

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