Micronutrients and Immunity Among Elderly Living in Nursing Homes in Alexandria City, Egypt

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Food and Human Nutrition, Home Economics Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Alexandria University (Egypt)

2 home economics department-faculty of agriculture-Alex University-Egypt

Abstract

The number of older people (above 60 years old) is expected to increase in the world. It is projected to reach 20.8% in 2050, in Egypt. Elderly nursing homes have increased in Egypt over the past 20 years due torapid demographic change. Most older people over the age of 60–65 years experience some immune dysregulation that makes them less able to respond to immune challenges. Eating healthy food and sufficient nutrients may keep the immune system strong.Therefore, the aim of this study was to identify the impact of some micronutrients on the immune function among people living in nursing homes in Alexandria, Egypt.The research sample consisted of twenty-one elderly men, and twenty elderly women selected from nursing homes in Alexandria (2021) to evaluate the level CRP, IgA, IgG, IgM as indicators for the immunity status as well as of some vitamins and minerals in blood to find the impact of micronutrients status on the immunity.
most of the studied elderly suffered from high levels of serum CRP. About of men had a normal range of IgA compared to  women(38.10% and 30%), respectively. Males had lower normal levels of IgG than females but the deference was not significant. The majority of elderly males (90.48%) and only 35% of elderly females had normal levels of IgM.

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Alexandria Science Exchange Journal
Volume 43, Issue 4
OCTOBER- DECEMBER
December 2022
Pages 543-553

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