If we are to rely on COVID-19 vaccines to end the pandemic, we must maximize their effects. But one thing that threatens to undermine their protection is nutritional deficiencies, especially in the elderly.
Older people have a weaker immune response and are known to respond less well than younger adults to many vaccines, including the seasonal flu vaccine. This is partly due to vulnerability, which is not easily remedied, but can also be due to deficiencies in vitamins and minerals – also known as micronutrients.
For the immune system to fight infections or generate good protection against disease after vaccination, it requires a variety of micronutrients. This is probably just as true for COVID-19 as it is for other diseases. Since malnutrition is common in the elderly, increasing their vitamin and mineral content before being vaccinated can be one way to increase the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines.
Strengthen the immune system
As the European Food Safety Authority points out, vitamins A, B6, B9, B12, C and D and the minerals zinc, selenium, iron and copper are all necessary for the immune system to function properly.
Each of these micronutrients – as well as vitamin E – have been shown to play multiple roles in supporting immune function and reducing the risk of infection. Research has found a link between having a weakened immune system and having low amounts of vitamins and minerals.
If the immune system is not properly nourished and weakened, it can lead to bad vaccine responses. For example, a review of nine studies – along with 2,367 people – found that individuals with vitamin D deficiency were less protected against two types of flu after vaccination than those who had adequate vitamin D levels.
In contrast, randomized controlled trials of micronutrient supplements (such as vitamin B6, vitamin E, zinc and selenium) in elderly people have been shown to increase the immune system’s ability to respond to challenges. In addition, it appears that in order to function optimally, the immune system requires vitamins C, D and E, along with zinc and selenium, in excess of amounts that can usually only be achieved through diet. For example, selenium levels above those typically considered optimal have been associated with better cure rates for COVID-19.
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Trials in older people have also shown that responses to vaccination are better after measures are taken to improve nutrition. For example, one study found that people aged 65 to 85 who ate five or more servings of fruits and vegetables per day had a significantly stronger response to a pneumococcal vaccine than people of the same age who ate only two servings of fruits and vegetables or less. .
In another study, taking vitamin E supplements daily in people over 65 increased the amount of antibodies they produced after vaccination against hepatitis B and tetanus. And in people deficient in selenium, daily supplements have been found to improve some aspects of their immune response to a live poliovirus vaccine and also reduce the emergence of mutant viral strains.
The latter result illustrates the fact that new viral variants are more likely to emerge in people whose bodies are “oxidatively stressed.” Oxidative stress can be caused by not taking enough antioxidants, such as selenium and vitamin E.
Time for booster supplements
This all becomes problematic when you know how often nutritional deficiencies occur. In a diet survey in seven Western countries, people over 60 consistently were found to be deficient in selenium, zinc, iodine and copper.
And while this problem disproportionately affects older people, it is not limited to older age groups. The UK National Diet and Nutrition Survey 2019 showed “a sustained deterioration in dietary intake and a chronic deficiency of various nutrients involved in supporting normal immune function” in all age groups. The micronutrients humans lacked included vitamins A, B12, C and D and the trace minerals zinc, selenium and copper.
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Such micronutrient deficiencies can limit the effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccines. Therefore, we propose that anyone at risk for nutritional insufficiency should take a supplement with the recommended daily allowance of nutrients important for immune function for a period of weeks before and after vaccine administration. People who can benefit from this include underweight elderly people, those on a restricted diet, and certain BAME communities who may be at risk for vitamin D deficiency.
It is possible to purchase a three-month supply of multivitamin and mineral supplements for no more than £ 3.00. Ideally, such a supplement would be provided free of charge by governments or health authorities to all people over 70. When compared to the average cost of vaccination per person, this would yield great potential profit for just a modest investment.