Adequate intakes of vitamins and trace elements are required for the immune system to function efficiently. Micronutrient deficiency suppresses immune functions by affecting the innate T-cell-mediated immune response and adaptive antibody response, and leads to dysregulation of the balanced host response. This increases the susceptibility to infections, with increased morbidity and mortality. In turn, infections aggravate micronutrient deficiencies by reducing nutrient intake, increasing losses, and interfering with utilization by altering metabolic pathways. Insufficient intake of micronutrients occurs in people with eating disorders, in smokers (both active and passive), in individuals with chronic alcohol abuse, in patients with certain diseases, during pregnancy and lactation, and in the elderly. With aging a variety of changes are observed in the immune system, which translate into less effective innate and adaptive immune responses and increased susceptibility to infections. Antioxidant vitamins and trace elements (vitamins C, E, selenium, copper, and zinc) counteract potential damage caused by reactive oxygen species to cellular tissues and modulate immune cell function through regulation of redox-sensitive transcription factors and affect production of cytokines and prostaglandins. Adequate intake of vitamins B₆, folate, B₁₂, C, E, and of selenium, zinc, copper, and iron supports a Th1 cytokine-mediated immune response with sufficient production of proinflammatory cytokines, which maintains an effective immune response and avoids a shift to an anti-inflammatory Th2 cell-mediated immune response and an increased risk of extracellular infections. Supplementation with these micronutrients reverses the Th2 cell-mediated immune response to a proinflammatory Th1 cytokine-regulated response with enhanced innate immunity. Vitamins A and D play important roles in both cell-mediated and humoral antibody response and support a Th2-mediated anti-inflammatory cytokine profile. Vitamin A deficiency impairs both innate immunity (mucosal epithelial regeneration) and adaptive immune response to infection resulting in an impaired ability to counteract extracellular pathogens. Vitamin D deficiency is correlated with a higher susceptibility to infections due to impaired localized innate immunity and defects in antigen-specific cellular immune response. Overall, inadequate intake and status of these vitamins and minerals may lead to suppressed immunity, which predisposes to infections and aggravates malnutrition.

Adequate intakes of micronutrients are required for the immune system to function efficiently. Micronutrient deficiency suppresses immunity by affecting innate, T cell mediated and adaptive antibody responses, leading to dysregulation of the balanced host response. This situation increases susceptibility to infections, with increased morbidity and mortality. In turn, infections aggravate micronutrient deficiencies by reducing nutrient intake, increasing losses, and interfering with utilization by altering metabolic pathways. Insufficient intake of micronutrients occurs in people with eating disorders, in smokers (active and passive), in individuals with chronic alcohol abuse, in certain diseases, during pregnancy and lactation, and in the elderly. This paper summarises the roles of selected vitamins and trace elements in immune function. Micronutrients contribute to the body's natural defences on three levels by supporting physical barriers (skin/mucosa), cellular immunity and antibody production. Vitamins A, C, E and the trace element zinc assist in enhancing the skin barrier function. The vitamins A, B6, B12, C, D, E and folic acid and the trace elements iron, zinc, copper and selenium work in synergy to support the protective activities of the immune cells. Finally, all these micronutrients, with the exception of vitamin C and iron, are essential for antibody production. Overall, inadequate intake and status of these vitamins and trace elements may lead to suppressed immunity, which predisposes to infections and aggravates malnutrition. Therefore, supplementation with these selected micronutrients can support the body's natural defence system by enhancing all three levels of immunity.

Vitamin C concentrations in the plasma and leukocytes rapidly decline during infections and stress. Supplementation of vitamin C was found to improve components of the human immune system such as antimicrobial and natural killer cell activities, lymphocyte proliferation, chemotaxis, and delayed-type hypersensitivity. Vitamin C contributes to maintaining the redox integrity of cells and thereby protects them against reactive oxygen species generated during the respiratory burst and in the inflammatory response. Likewise, zinc undernutrition or deficiency was shown to impair cellular mediators of innate immunity such as phagocytosis, natural killer cell activity, and the generation of oxidative burst. Therefore, both nutrients play important roles in immune function and the modulation of host resistance to infectious agents, reducing the risk, severity, and duration of infectious diseases. This is of special importance in populations in which insufficient intake of these nutrients is prevalent. In the developing world, this is the case in low- and middle-income countries, but also in subpopulations in industrialized countries, e.g. in the elderly. A large number of randomized controlled intervention trials with intakes of up to 1 g of vitamin C and up to 30 mg of zinc are available. These trials document that adequate intakes of vitamin C and zinc ameliorate symptoms and shorten the duration of respiratory tract infections including the common cold. Furthermore, vitamin C and zinc reduce the incidence and improve the outcome of pneumonia, malaria, and diarrhea infections, especially in children in developing countries.

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The time course of radioactivity in plasma and urine after oral administration of a single dose of (1-14 C) ascorbic acid has been followed in healthy male volunteers smoking more than 20 cigarettes per day. The investigation was carried out under steady state conditions with regard to ascorbic acid plasma levels at intakes of about 30 to 180 mg/day. Smokers had a higher metabolic turnover than that found for nonsmokers. It was concluded, as a consequence, that a daily intake of at least 140 mg is required for smokers to reach steady state concentrations and total body pools comparable to nonsmokers for whom a daily intake of about 100 mg was previously reported to be appropriate.

The time course of radioactivity in plasma and urine after oral administration of a single dose of (1-'4C)ascorbic acid has been followed in healthy nonsmoking male volunteers. The investigation was carried out under steady state conditions with regard to ascorbic acid intake (30 to 180 mg/day).Using pharmacokinetic principles, turnover, pool size, and rates of metabolism and excretion could be calculated. It was found that the half-life of ascorbic acid was inversely related to the dosage and that the pool could be increased to about 20 mg/kg bodyweight by increasing the dosage. It was concluded that on a daily intake of about 100 mg ascorbic acid this pool size would be reached in 95% of the population.Am.

With the progressive elimination of dietary protein-energy deficits, deficiencies of micronutrients are emerging as the limiting factors in ensuring children's optimal health. Data from several countries in Asia and Latin America indicate that deficiencies of vitamin C and zinc continue to be at alarming levels. This article reviews the roles of vitamin C and zinc in supporting children's growth and development, with a particular focus on the complementary roles they play in supporting immune functions and combating infections. The contemporary relevance of vitamin C and zinc deficiency in the Asian and Latin American regions, both undergoing a rapid nutritional transition, are also discussed. Overall, there is increasing evidence that deficiency of vitamin C and zinc adversely affects the physical and mental growth of children and can impair their immune defences. Nutrition should be the main vehicle for providing these essential nutrients; however, supplementation can represent a valid support method, especially in developing regions.

The influence of high dose intake of ascorbic acid on the urinary excretion of oxalate was investigated in five healthy male volunteers. Oxalate was measured by a newly developed specific method using isotachophoresis. With intakes of 10 g ascorbic acid (5 X 2 g daily for 5 days; four subjects) mean urinary oxalate excretion was enhanced from about 50 mg to 87 mg (range 60 to 126 mg) per day. At least 25% of the ascorbic acid was absorbed and excreted with the urine. On discontinuing ascorbic acid administration, oxalate excretion returned to baseline values within 24 h. The time-course of oxalate excretion revealed that following the 3rd dose of 2 g ascorbic acid a plateau in urinary oxalate excretion was reached (0.6 microgram ml-1 min-1) which was not exceeded despite additional 2-g doses of ascorbic acid. On termination of ascorbic acid administration the oxalate excretion rate remained at this level for a further 6 h and then decreased to prestudy rates. No effect of high-dose ascorbic acid ingestion was found on the daily urinary excretion of creatinine, uric acid, and inorganic phosphate. Calcium excretion was slightly reduced. In comparison to the large amounts of ascorbic acid ingested, the increase in urinary oxalate excretion as measured by isotachophoresis in these healthy male volunteers was very low, and is thus similar to the change in urinary content of oxalate which results from consuming normal diets.