Diet and immune function

Adequate human nutrition is essential to maintain all normal physiological functions including defence of the self. Controversy exists about the precise constituents of diets optimal for all stages in the human life-span. Dietary composition may also need to be altered under such stressful conditions as infection or recovery from major surgery. Understanding how specific nutrients can alter immune responses may add to the quality of human lives by minimising the impact of disease morbidity and mortality. Dietary modification also offers hope of new therapeutic regimens for human diseases.