Mycoplasma pneumonia, syncytial virus, influenza virus, adenovirus...... During this time, various pathogens took turns to swipe the screen, and "how to improve immunity" became a topic of great concern.
In addition to regular work and rest and reasonable exercise, "replenishing nutrition" is also very important.
Life Times interviewed experts to tell you which nutrients can help your immunity.
Experts interviewed
Feng Lijun, Chief Dietitian, Dietitian of the Nutrition Department of Sir Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University
The author of this article | Life Times reporter Wang Shuying
Recently, the Clinical Nutrition and Health Branch of the China Health Management Association, the National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Diseases (PLA General Hospital) and the Chinese Geriatrics Society jointly issued the Expert Consensus on the Clinical Application of Immunonutrients, which makes nutritional recommendations for their clinical use in specific diseases based on evidence-based evidence of 13 immunonutrients in six categories.
Among them, the first four categories (proteins and amino acids, fatty acids, nucleotides, β⁃1,3⁃1,6⁃ glucan) need to be supplemented through relevant supplements under the guidance of doctors or clinical nutritionists, and the last two categories (selenium and vitamins) need to be supplemented by supplements for special populations, and dietary supplements for ordinary healthy people.
1. Proteins and amino acids
1 Lactoferrin and whey protein
Lactoferrin is a natural protein with a variety of physiological activities, which helps regulate immune function, antimicrobial reproduction, and iron absorption.
Whey protein refers to the protein that dissolves and disperses in whey and plays a non-negligible role in regulating the body's immune function.
Recommendations:
- Lactoferrin supplementation in preterm infants can help reduce the risk of sepsis;
- Supplementation with whey protein in cancer patients can help improve immune function;
- Lactoferrin and whey protein supplementation in the elderly can help enhance immune function and improve inflammation.
2 Arginine
In addition to the nutritional function of general amino acids, arginine is also closely related to the body's immune function.
Recommendations:
- Arginine supplementation in patients with severe wounds (burns) and perioperative injuries can help enhance immune function and significantly reduce the incidence of sepsis in patients with severe burns.
- Supplementation for cancer patients can significantly reduce the incidence of infection and shorten the length of hospital stay.
3 Glutamine
Glutamine has the effects of improving immune function, promoting protein synthesis, and protecting the intestines.
Recommendations:
When the body is in a critical state such as systemic inflammatory response, trauma and major surgery, as well as specific disease states such as tumor radiotherapy and chemotherapy, glutamine should be supplemented as soon as possible.
4 branched-chain amino acids
BCAAs can reduce the breakdown of muscle proteins and visceral proteins, promote protein synthesis, and participate in inflammatory responses, oxidative stress, immune regulation, etc.
Recommendations:
- Supplementation for liver cancer patients can help reduce the recurrence rate and the incidence of complications;
- Supplementation for patients with liver cirrhosis can reduce the risk of complications such as ascites and edema, and improve muscle mass;
- Supplementation for perioperative patients can reduce the incidence of postoperative infection and complications.
2. Fatty acids
1 omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids
Studies have found that omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids can regulate the body's immune response and inflammatory response through a variety of mechanisms, affecting a variety of cellular functions.
Recommendations:
- Supplementation for perioperative patients can help reduce the incidence of postoperative complications and shorten the length of hospital stay.
- Supplementation for cancer patients can improve cachexia (a common lethal factor for malignant tumors), reduce inflammatory factors, etc., and reduce the toxicity of anti-tumor-related drugs.
2 conjugated linoleic acid
Conjugated linoleic acid has physiological functions such as antioxidant, antibacterial, and improving immunity.
Recommendations:
- Moderate supplementation can improve symptoms in patients with rheumatoid arthritis;
- Improve the immune function of cancer patients;
- Reduce the level of inflammatory indicators in the human body, improve symptoms such as asthma, inflammatory bowel disease, and pollen allergies.
3. Medium-chain fatty acids
In recent years, studies have confirmed that medium-chain fatty acids have a variety of physiological functions such as regulating glucose and lipid metabolism, improving cognition, and enhancing immunity.
Recommendations:
- Appropriate supplementation can better improve the immune function of healthy people, burn patients and patients after gastrointestinal surgery;
- Substitution of some long-chain triglycerides may reduce inflammatory levels in patients with type 2 diabetes.
3. Nucleotides
Nucleotide derivatives are involved in the metabolism and synthesis of many nutrients and have physiological functions such as immune response regulation.
Recommendations:
- For infants and young children, nucleotide-containing milk is preferred, in order to maintain their immune function;
- Patients with malignant tumors in the perioperative period and chemoradiotherapy should be supplemented with nucleotides.
4. β⁃1,3⁃1,6⁃dextran
β-1,3-1,6-glucan (BG36) is a natural polysaccharide with certain immune functions.
Recommendations:
- A dose of BG36 can prevent and treat immunosuppression and myelosuppression, improve the decline in quality of life due to immunocompromise;
- Supplementation for patients with recurrent respiratory tract infections can help reduce the incidence and duration;
- Can be used as an adjunct to the standard treatment of allergic rhinitis.
5. Selenium
Selenium plays a role in the body as an antioxidant, regulates thyroxine secretion, and maintains normal immune function.
Recommendations:
- Selenium supplementation can be used in patients with autoimmune thyroid disease to help regulate immunity, except for subclinical hypothyroidism;
- Supplementation in patients with sepsis reduces the incidence of certain pneumonias, all-cause mortality, and length of hospital stay.
Seafood, animal offal are good sources of selenium. For healthy people, as long as the diet is balanced, selenium deficiency will not occur.
6. Vitamins
1 vitamin A
Vitamin A plays an important role in maintaining vision, promoting growth and development, and protecting the integrity of the body's epithelial cells and mucous membranes, helping to maintain immunity and reduce the risk of infection.
Recommendations:
Vitamin A supplementation in people deficient in vitamin A can enhance the body's immune function.
- The best sources of vitamin A are animal liver, kidneys, egg yolks, cream, and fatty fish.
- Carotene can be converted into vitamin A in the body, so orange-yellow and dark green fruits and vegetables rich in carotene, such as carrots, pumpkin, mango, papaya, and various dark green leafy vegetables, are good sources of vitamin A.
Healthy people should eat these foods regularly to help replenish vitamin A. If you eat less of these foods, you are at greater risk of vitamin A deficiency. If you have dry skin and eyes, or you can't see clearly at night, you may be more likely to have a vitamin A deficiency.
2 vitamin C
Vitamin C helps to maintain and protect the body's homeostasis and has a positive effect on the immune system.
Recommendations:
For people at high risk of infection during the onset of common cold patients (such as obesity, diabetes, the elderly, etc.), oral supplementation with a reasonable dose of vitamin C can help improve immune function, but it is not recommended to take oral supplementation to prevent disease in healthy people.
Vitamin C content is rich in fresh pepper, rape, amaranth, mustard greens, rapeseed, fresh dates, kiwi fruit, etc. For healthy people, eating enough vegetables and half a catty of fruits every day can meet the body's demand for vitamin C.
3 vitamin D
Vitamin D has the effect of maintaining the body's normal immune function and reducing the risk of infection, and deficiency can affect normal immune function.
Recommendations:
There are not many sources of vitamin D in food, only a few sources such as cod liver oil, animal liver, whole milk, butter, egg yolk, and fatty fish.
Regular sun exposure is the best source of vitamin D for the human body. If you usually have less sun exposure and do not like the above foods, there is a risk of vitamin D deficiency, and it is recommended to consult a professional after serum testing to choose relevant supplements. ▲
Editor of this issue: Zheng Ronghua
Copyright Notice: This article is the original of "Life Times" and is not reproduced without authorization.