Nutritional depletion and dietary manipulation: effects on the immune response

The association between nutritional depletion and the increased susceptibility for infectious diseases has been recognized for a long time. The complexity of the immune system, however, makes it difficult to unravel the underlying mechanisms. It appears that depletion adversely affects virtually all components of the immune system. This review provides an overview over the specific requirements of substrates by immune cells and the effects of nutritional depletion on various components of the immune response, with special attention to gut-associated lymphoid tissue. The literature concerning effects of dietary interventions with specific nutrients on the immune response is also discussed. Finally, we offer a hypothesis with regard to the improvement of composition of "trauma" nutrition solutions.