TY - JOUR
T1 - Strengthening the immune system and reducing inflammation and oxidative stress through diet and nutrition
T2 - Considerations during the covid-19 crisis
AU - Iddir, Mohammed
AU - Brito, Alex
AU - Dingeo, Giulia
AU - Del Campo, Sofia Sosa Fernandez
AU - Samouda, Hanen
AU - La Frano, Michael R.
AU - Bohn, Torsten
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.
PY - 2020/6
Y1 - 2020/6
N2 - The coronavirus-disease 2019 (COVID-19) was announced as a global pandemic by the World Health Organization. Challenges arise concerning how to optimally support the immune system in the general population, especially under self-confinement. An optimal immune response depends on an adequate diet and nutrition in order to keep infection at bay. For example, sufficient protein intake is crucial for optimal antibody production. Low micronutrient status, such as of vitamin A or zinc, has been associated with increased infection risk. Frequently, poor nutrient status is associated with inflammation and oxidative stress, which in turn can impact the immune system. Dietary constituents with especially high anti-inflammatory and antioxidant capacity include vitamin C, vitamin E, and phytochemicals such as carotenoids and polyphenols. Several of these can interact with transcription factors such as NF-kB and Nrf-2, related to anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, respectively. Vitamin D in particular may perturb viral cellular infection via interacting with cell entry receptors (angiotensin converting enzyme 2), ACE2). Dietary fiber, fermented by the gut microbiota into short-chain fatty acids, has also been shown to produce anti-inflammatory effects. In this review, we highlight the importance of an optimal status of relevant nutrients to effectively reduce inflammation and oxidative stress, thereby strengthening the immune system during the COVID-19 crisis.
AB - The coronavirus-disease 2019 (COVID-19) was announced as a global pandemic by the World Health Organization. Challenges arise concerning how to optimally support the immune system in the general population, especially under self-confinement. An optimal immune response depends on an adequate diet and nutrition in order to keep infection at bay. For example, sufficient protein intake is crucial for optimal antibody production. Low micronutrient status, such as of vitamin A or zinc, has been associated with increased infection risk. Frequently, poor nutrient status is associated with inflammation and oxidative stress, which in turn can impact the immune system. Dietary constituents with especially high anti-inflammatory and antioxidant capacity include vitamin C, vitamin E, and phytochemicals such as carotenoids and polyphenols. Several of these can interact with transcription factors such as NF-kB and Nrf-2, related to anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, respectively. Vitamin D in particular may perturb viral cellular infection via interacting with cell entry receptors (angiotensin converting enzyme 2), ACE2). Dietary fiber, fermented by the gut microbiota into short-chain fatty acids, has also been shown to produce anti-inflammatory effects. In this review, we highlight the importance of an optimal status of relevant nutrients to effectively reduce inflammation and oxidative stress, thereby strengthening the immune system during the COVID-19 crisis.
KW - Coronavirus
KW - Cytokines
KW - Infection
KW - Innate immune system
KW - Macronutrients
KW - Nuclear factors
KW - Nutrient
KW - Protein intake
KW - Reactive oxygen species
KW - Trace elements
KW - Transcription factors
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85085714582&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3390/nu12061562
DO - 10.3390/nu12061562
M3 - Review article
C2 - 32471251
AN - SCOPUS:85085714582
SN - 2072-6643
VL - 12
JO - Nutrients
JF - Nutrients
IS - 6
M1 - 1562
ER -