Immunity and Aging

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The immune system helps protect human body from foreign or harmful substances. Examples are bacteria, viruses, toxins, cancer cells, and blood or tissues from another person. When growing older, the body’s immune function declines.

While some people age healthily, the conclusion of many studies is that, compared with younger people, the elderly are more likely to contract infectious diseases and, even more importantly, more likely to die from them. Respiratory infections, influenza, and particularly pneumonia are a leading cause of death in people over 65 worldwide. The aging process somehow leads to a reduction of immune response capability, which in turn contributes to more infections, more inflammatory diseases, and more cancer.

How to protect overall immunity?
A strong immunity is the first line defense for illness. Healthy life style and behaviors are the essential factors. The immune system will functions better when protected from environmental assaults and bolstered by healthy-living strategies.

Although the immune response is a body function you can’t control, these healthy habits and behaviors will benefit immunity:

1. Prioritize sleep and maintain regularity of daily routine: During sleep, your immune system releases proteins that help fight off infection. Sleep deprivation may decrease the production of these protective cells. Maintain adequate sleep (7 – 9 hours at night) is beneficial for good health. Sufficient rest will allow body to recover from physical fatigue and mental exhaustion.  Human body has an internal body clock that follows a daily 24-cycle known as a circadian rhythm. The body clock, also known as a circadian clock, responds primarily to environmental cues, such as light and darkness, as well as genes that influence how quickly or slowly our body clock runs and, as a result, how closely it aligns with the 24-hour day. Nearly every tissue and organ in the body is governed by its own circadian clock, which is responsible not only for controlling our sleep patterns, but for synchronizing every biological process — body temperature, blood pressure, hormones, etc, to the time of day. When the body clock is disrupted, whether by occasional or continuous interruptions of sleeping patterns, and the natural circadian rhythm is either slowed or accelerated, may impair body immunity.

2. Exercise safely and regularly – Being active contributes to general good health and therefore benefits the immune system.  However, extremely challenging physical activities and high intensity training is a stressor to the body and weaken the immunity. Exercises also support self control of extreme emotions and mood swings and maintain a peaceful and content mentality.

3. Healthy eating and keep body weight within normal range for your age: There appears to be a connection between nutrition and immunity in the elderly. Micronutrient malnutrition, in which a person is deficient in some essential vitamins and trace minerals that are obtained from or supplemented by diet, can be common in the elderly. Healthy immune system warriors need good, regular nourishment. Eat healthy food rather than processed food or supplements. For example, a whole orange has more nutritional value than the orange juice or vitamin C pills.  

4. Maintain good personal hygiene and proper hand washing reduce the risks of infections. DO NOT smoke and limit alcohol intake.

5. It is important for older adults to keep preventive care and keep vaccines current.

            

Vaccination for older adults

The most important vaccinations seniors should discuss with their physicians include the flu vaccine, pneumococcal vaccine to prevent pneumonia, shingles vaccine, and COVID-19 vaccine.

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, the vaccine is much less effective compared to healthy children (over age 2). But despite the reduction in efficacy, vaccinations for influenza and S. pneumoniae have significantly lowered the rates of sickness and death in older people when compared with no vaccination.

Go to https://qualitylifeforum.weebly.com/2025-jan-immunity-and-aging-update.html to learn more for Influenza Vaccine, COVID 19 Vaccine, Pneumococcal Vaccine, Shingles Vaccine, and Tdap vaccine for adults. 

The take home messages

• A strong immunity is the first line defense for illness and it is built overtime. No magic for a quick fix. Healthy life style and behaviors are the essential factors. The immune system will functions better when protected from environmental assaults and bolstered by healthy-living strategies.
• Well regulate quality nutrition, exercise, and rest/sleep is the key to build and maintain a strong immune system.  Most importantly, keep up a positive, peaceful, and content mentality.  Emotional state and mood swings weaken the immune system.
• Many products on store shelves claim to boost or support immunity, but the concept of boosting immunity actually makes little sense scientifically. 
• Vaccination for prevention is strongly encouraged for older adults, as immune systems tend to decline over time, putting seniors at higher risk for certain diseases.   The most important vaccinations seniors should discuss with their physicians include the flu vaccine, pneumococcal (pneumonia) vaccine, shingles vaccine, and COVID-19 vaccine.

References:
https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/how-to-boost-your-immune-system
https://www.ncoa.org/blog/4-important-vaccines-seniors-covered-medicare/