Effect of Immune Dysregulation on Longevity

Is anyone’s life more important than the other?

The answer may seem straightforward, but there was a heated argument in our WhatsApp group chat when someone asked that question right after we heard health workers and the elderly were the first to be vaccinated against Covid.

Health workers, some could understand. But the elderly, who already have fewer years of life ahead, many couldn’t.

Ignoring their ageism, it makes sense to prioritize the elderly because they are generally at more risk of infections and diseases due to weakened immunity.

Instead of worrying about who gets vaccinated first, we should worry more about how effective our own immune systems will be as we age.

Wouldn’t you love to maintain an optimally functioning immune system well into your golden years?

Read on to learn about the immune system and how you can boost it to slow down the effects of aging.

The

Immune System

Without immunity, nobody will be able to survive any infection.

The immune system is how the body defends itself against dangerous pathogens responsible for many diseases.

Like all body systems, the immune system functions as a collective effort of cells, tissues, and organs working together.

More specifically, it is a complex interaction of chemicals and white blood cells—including the organs that produce, store, transport, and get rid of them.

The system works effectively except in immunocompromised people and those with weak immunity. In such cases, boosting one’s immunity is essential.

But apart from those possibilities, boosting the immune system is generally beneficial because everyone’s immunity reduces with age.

In fact, immune function decline is one of the most significant consequences of aging [1].

That’s part of why scientists believe boosting the immune system can make you age slower.

But to fully understand the link between aging and immunity, you’ll need to know how the immune system works.

How the

Immune System works?

Earlier, we stated that immunity is a complex process that involves white blood cells and chemicals. So let’s break that down.

The immune system marches on like a defensive army ready to battle any foreigner invading its territory. The white blood cells are the soldiers, and the chemicals are their means of communication.

When an invader (disease-causing microorganism) enters the body, macrophages and neutrophils (white blood cells) are the first troops that respond.

That initial response is the first line of defense, called innate immunity, and sometimes it is breached. But the invader won’t get away that easily.

Once innate immunity is triggered, other soldiers are signaled by the communication chemicals known as cytokines and chemokines.

That intense battle leads to inflammation—the part of the process you may now notice as fever, redness, or swelling. But the war is not over yet, at least not for the soldiers.

Some soldiers ensure they present the invader to a special troop division known as the lymphocytes.

The lymphocytes learn to recognize the invader and will have troops specifically designed to target that particular pathogen next time.

That mechanism is called acquired or specific immunity and forms the principle of vaccinations.

Interestingly, the reduced effectiveness of vaccines in the elderly is one of the most common inferences for the link between age and immunity [2].

But why does immunity reduce with age?

Aging and

Immunity

A man in his 50s certainly would have less stamina and strength than he did in his 20s.

As we age, many body systems function less optimally; the same is true for the immune system.

That’s why the elderly are more prone to infections and diseases [3].

Even during the recent covid-19 pandemic in 2020, people 65 years and older accounted for about 90% of all related deaths across 14 European countries and the United States [4].

Unfortunately, apart from this increased susceptibility to disease, as the immune system ages, it also becomes less effective at regulating itself.

Remember, a normal immune response leads to inflammation, which plays a crucial role in eliminating pathogens.

However, prolonged inflammation drives the progression of many age-related diseases [5].

Usually, the same immune system actions that lead to inflammation also regulate it through a complex network.

But in the elderly, this mechanism is not as effective because of a process called immunosenescence or immune dysregulation.

Immunosenescence happens when most of the normal lymphocytes become specific against previously recognized pathogens throughout a person’s life.

Ultimately, these specialized cells become the majority and do not respond effectively to new pathogens.

Under those conditions, immune cells then release more signaling chemicals that promote inflammation and less of those that regulate it, increasing the risk of several diseases in the elderly [6].

How to give your

Immune System a Boost

Although you can do little about the natural aging process, you can do a lot to boost the immune system and stall some of the effects of aging.

Eat more

Nutritious Meals

A 2019 study showed that following a healthy diet and lifestyle can be difficult because of how busy modern life is [7].

However, it remains essential for maintaining optimal immunity.

Several micronutrients and vitamins that make up a balanced diet have proven to have specific beneficial roles in immunity [8].

Clinical deficiency of those dietary components—Vitamins A, B6, B12, C, and D, copper, folate, iron, selenium, and zinc—harms immune function. Therefore, you should use supplements if they cannot be in the diet.

Some studies have looked specifically into the Mediterranean diet consisting primarily of fruits and vegetables with little protein.

One of those studies concluded that the Mediterranean diet positively impacts the immune system and health in general [9].

On the other hand, some foods, like those high in sugars, may reduce immune cell effectiveness and increase inflammation [10].

Be Physically

Active

Moving around as you get older may get more tedious, but even a little exercise routine improves your health. Many things characterize aging; among them is the loss of muscle mass that weakens older adults. Interestingly, skeletal muscle regulates immune function through its signaling chemicals called myokines. The myokines protect the immune system and reduce inflammation associated with immunosenescence and chronic age-related diseases [11].

And since exercise builds and maintains muscle mass, staying physically active strengthens the immune system.

Keep your Weight

in Check

Although exercise has its way of directly boosting immunity, it also does so indirectly by keeping your weight in check. You may already be aware that being overweight puts you at risk of various medical problems. And obesity has been linked to impaired immune function [12].

Fat tissues contain many inflammatory cytokines that may contribute to prolonged inflammation, weakening the immune system [13].

Get regular good

Quality Sleep

There’s no debate that regular good quality sleep is necessary to maintain good health. And one method sleep contributes to health is by boosting your immune system. The regular sleep-wake cycle has been shown to regulate immunity strongly, and several immune system functions are enhanced during sleep [14]. Conversely, research has also clearly proven that sleep deprivation—and by extension, sleep disorders—negatively impacts the immune system [15].

So getting adequate hours of sleep—seven or more—every night promotes balanced and efficient immunity.

Avoid smoking

Cigarettes

By now, you must be tired of being told all the dangers of smoking cigarettes, which is understandable. Even the cigarette packs have it written that smokers are liable to die young. Unsurprisingly, smoking can weaken the immune system and make you more likely to fall sick.

A 2017 research had an even bleaker conclusion, likening cigarette smoke to a double-edged sword that either reduces immune system effectiveness or worsens its defects [16].

Reduce consistent

Stress

Many things can contribute to stress, which may differ for several people. But ultimately, anything that causes stress releases the stress hormone cortisol, which can suppress the immune system. However, that suppression of the immune system mostly happens in long-term stress. Short-term stress, on the other hand, like that from exercise, can enhance immune responses [17].

So while it’s recommended you avoid anything that consistently causes stress, it doesn’t apply to physical stress from exercise.

Stay up to date on your

Vaccines

The Covid-19 pandemic exposed how skeptical people still are about vaccinations despite how beneficial it is for immunity. Because of how the acquired immune system works, we can boost immunity by actively teaching the body to recognize and mount a defense against a particular disease-causing organism.

That’s precisely what vaccination does. Staying up to date with vaccinations will ensure continued adequate protection from several diseases, even in the elderly. Despite older people responding less effectively to vaccines, they are less likely to fall sick or die of infections when vaccinated.

What’s the takeaway?

You need your immune system to function at its best at all times. That’s the only way the body can defend itself against dangerous organisms that cause disease and death. The immune system is complex. But we can summarize most of its process into two defense mechanisms; an innate and an acquired immune response. Both responses are vital since the innate defensive response triggers the acquired, which allows the body to recognize the organism next time.

Unfortunately, however, the effectiveness of those mechanisms declines with age, making the elderly more prone to diseases. Not to mention that the failing immune system causes chronic inflammation, which increases the risk of many age-related diseases. With so many apparent links between aging and immunity, boosting the immune system can slow the effects of aging.

Research has shown that eating more nutritious meals, exercising, and maintaining a healthy weight can boost your immune system. And in light of the recent pandemic, it’s best to stay up to date on your vaccinations and to avoid things detrimental to immune function, like consistent stress and smoking cigarettes.

Lastly, we must emphasize the importance of regular high-quality sleep for proper immune function. Although, there’s still so much more to explore about the healing power of sleep.

You may find an article about it next time you’re here.

References:

[1]. Causes, consequences, and reversal of immune system aging – PMC.

[2]. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0091674920304218

[3]. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0891552007000669

[4]. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0013935120307854

[5]. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1471490608001567

[6]. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/acel.13316

[7]. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/nbu.12410

[8]. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/nbu.12470

[9]. https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/14/2/273/htm

[10]. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6723551/