How to Support Your Immune System While Aging

While aging can be a beautiful experience, it’s also accompanied by dramatic aging-related changes in our bodies, including the immune system.² Understanding the nuanced relationship between aging and the immune system is an important first step toward helping to maintain your well-being as you age. Learn about the effects of aging on the immune system and explore some strategies for supporting your immune system.

 

How the Immune System Works

 

The immune system is a complex network of cells, tissues and organs that work together to protect and defend your body. It consists of white blood cells, antibodies, mucus and more, all of which play an important role.¹

 

Innate vs. Adaptive Immunity

 

Innate immunity and adaptive immunity are the two main parts of your body's defense system. Innate immunity acts as the initial line of defense by providing immediate, general protection against a wide range of threats. It includes physical barriers like your skin, mucous membrane, or stomach acid, which prevent entry of potential threats.¹

 

On the other hand, adaptive immunity is more specific and develops over time. It involves specialized cells like B lymphocytes that create targeted responses to pathogens and enhance your body's ability to recognize and combat specific threats.¹

 

How Aging Affects Your Immune System

 

Unfortunately, aging can impact your immune system by lessening the speed and strength of its responses.² Understanding these changes can help you adapt your lifestyle to support your immune system as you age.

 

Immunosenescence

 

The gradual changes of the immune system due to aging is termed immunosenescence. This natural process can weaken the body's ability to defend against new pathogens and can negatively affect your overall immune health.²

 

Supporting Your Immune System as You Age

 

Supporting your immune system becomes increasingly important as you age. Here are some tips and lifestyle changes you can implement to support an aging immune system.

 

1. Eat a Balanced Diet

 

A balanced diet—a diet rich in vitamins C, D and E along with zinc and selenium— is one way to maintain your immune system. Research emphasizes the importance of consuming fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean proteins to support your immune health. A healthy diet helps optimize the immune system.³

 

2. Make Time for Regular Exercise

 

Engaging in regular physical activity not only contributes to your overall health but also supports immune function. Exercise stimulates your immune system and helps circulate your immune cells, which supports your immune system.3

 

3. Get Plenty of Quality Sleep

 

Quality sleep helps your body recover and regenerate, making it  another important lifestyle factor to help support your immune system. During sleep, your body repairs itself and produces cytokines—proteins that are vital to the immune system. Adequate sleep helps you produce plenty of these cytokines to support your body's natural defense system.³

 

4. Manage Your Stress Levels

 

Stress can significantly impact the immune system. Prolonged or chronic stress can disrupt the body's natural balance and compromise the immune response. Stress prompts the release of hormones that can suppress the immune system.³

 

Practices like meditation, yoga and mindfulness help manage stress and result in better immune health. By reducing stress levels with these practices, you can build a healthier immune response and support your overall wellness.³

 

5. Stay Hydrated

 

Water plays a role in the production of the lymph, a critical component of the immune system. Staying hydrated helps your immune system efficiently transport cells throughout the body.³

 

Understanding the effects of aging on the immune system is the first step in supporting your immune health. By adopting a holistic approach to health and lifestyle, you can  support your body's immune system as you age.