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As we age, the immune system gradually declines and becomes less effective at responding to infections and vaccines. This process, known as immunosenescence, contributes to the increased risk of age-related health issues in older people and can weaken the response to vaccinations.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, over 92% of COVID-related deaths occurred in people over 60. In addition, vaccination is crucial in reducing severe illness and death, but older adults often produced lower levels of protective antibodies and T-cell responses following vaccination, for example against influenza, limiting vaccine effectiveness compared with younger populations.
Researchers from the Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, led by Professor Katja Simon and Associate Professor Ghada Alsaleh, set out to explore whether immune function, and therefore vaccine response, in older adults could be improved with daily spermidine supplements.
Spermidine is a naturally occurring molecule made by our cells, but it is also found in foods such as wheat germ, mushrooms and some cheeses, and previous studies have suggested it can support cellular maintenance processes that decline with age.