The Role of Nutrition in the Prevention and Recovery from Infectious Diseases

Dear Colleagues,

Nutrition plays an important role in providing key substrates for healthy immune responses.  The concept paper, a multi-faceted description of how nutrients affect immunity, is best illustrated by examining nutritional deficiencies that serve to increase susceptibility to a wide variety of infectious diseases, such as HIV/AIDS and Covid-19.  Each disease has its own unique pathophysiology, and depending upon which components of immunity are involved, will be related differently to nutrition. 

The concept paper will examine key nutrients that are important to all immune responses and will, additionally describe, several acute and chronic infectious diseases and their nutrient deficiencies unique to each disease.  We will explore nutrients related to innate immune responses as well as acquired immunity. We will investigate nutrition and susceptibility to infection.  The metabolic demands of infection can create nutritional deficiencies, even among individuals consuming a healthy diet, and therefore we will also study the impact of nutrient deficiencies on disease recovery.  Finally, the paper will conclude with suggestions for foods and consumption patterns that can strengthen immune responses, prevent infection and improve disease recovery.