What Happens to Your Immune System as You Age?

As you get older, your immune system shifts, affecting how you feel daily. Remember when you could shake off a cold in no time? Those days might seem far away now, but you don’t have to settle for a weaker immune system. Aging may bring changes, but understanding how your immune function evolves allows you to take control and keep your immunity strong, so you can age with power and confidence.

What Happens to Your Immune System as You Get Older

As you age, your immune system undergoes significant changes that can impact your overall health. The production of immune cells gradually decreases, weakening your body’s ability to fight infections and detect cell defects, potentially increasing cancer risk. This decline in immune function may also make vaccines less effective and increase your likelihood of autoimmune diseases.¹

Scientists have coined the term “inflammaging” to describe the chronic, low-grade inflammation associated with aging. Researchers link this inflammation to frailty and various age-related conditions like Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and osteoarthritis.² While changes like these can affect your immune system, there are many ways to keep it strong at any stage of life, helping you reduce these effects and stay healthier as you age.

7 Ways to Boost Your Immune System and Age Powerfully

1. Eat by the Plate

Balancing your meals with the trifecta of protein, fiber, and healthy fats—what I call eating by the plate—can significantly enhance your immune system and overall health:

• Protein provides essential building blocks for immune cells and antibodies.³ 
• Optimal fiber supports digestion and gut health, enhances nutrient absorption, and helps keep your immune system strong and healthy.⁴
• Healthy fats in coconut oil, avocados, and nuts help strengthen cell membranes to protect cells from harmful invaders. These fats also improve the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins like A, D, E, and K to maintain a strong immune system and support your ability to fight off infections.⁵

2. Lower Inflammation

Inflammation is a double-edged sword for your immune system. While it’s a necessary part of your body’s defense mechanism, chronic inflammation can overwhelm and weaken your immune defenses over time. When your body is constantly inflamed, your immune system stays on high alert, which can lead to exhaustion and reduced effectiveness in fighting off real threats.⁶ Use your fork to lower inflammation! Choosing the best anti-inflammatory foods—like omega-3-rich fish—can help your immune system stay balanced. 

3. Lift Heavy

You can boost your immune system as you age by engaging in resistance training. Lifting weights, using resistance bands, or working out with a TRX helps your body make more immune cells, which fight off illness better.** That’s because resistance training stimulates the production and activation of white blood cells, particularly T-cells and natural killer cells. 

My FREE Resistance Training Cheat Sheet has everything you need to kickstart your strength-training journey, including home gym essentials, an 8-week workout plan, and a progress tracker. 

To get even more benefits, take a walk after dinner. This simple habit helps your immune cells move around your body more, lowers inflammation, and reduces stress.^{7, 8} 

4. Get Great Sleep

Quality sleep is one of the most powerful (yet often, overlooked) ways to boost your immune system. While you sleep, your body repairs itself, produces infection-fighting cytokines, and strengthens your T-cells, which are crucial for defending against germs. Prioritizing good sleep lowers your chances of getting sick and helps you recover faster when you do. Plus, sleep reduces stress hormones that can weaken your immune system.^{9, 10}  

Aim for 7-9 hours of rest each night to give your immune system the support it needs to keep you healthy and strong. Consider a quality sleep supplement if you have trouble falling or staying asleep.*

5. Manage Stress

Chronic stress increases cortisol levels, hampering immune function by reducing the number of immune cells and making them less effective. It also raises inflammation, making you more vulnerable to illness as you age.¹¹  

Stress-reducing activities include walking, meditation, emotional freedom technique (EFT), and yoga.

6. Get the Right Nutrients

As you age, getting the right nutrients becomes even more important for strengthening your immune system. Even small shortages can greatly affect how well your immune system works and your overall health. My go-to immune-boosting nutrients include vitamin D, which helps control immune responses and lowers your risk of infections; omega-3 fatty acids to reduce inflammation and support your immune cells; and magnesium to help produce antibodies, activate T-cells, and reduce inflammation, enhancing your body’s ability to fight infections.*^12-14 

Collagen is another key nutrient that strengthens your gut lining, reducing inflammation and boosting immune function. It also helps repair and renew tissues, supporting your overall immune strength.¹⁵ Bone broth protein powder is a great source of collagen and contains compounds that help reduce inflammation, promoting a healthier immune response.* 

7. Support Your Gut

About 70% of your immune system resides in your gut. An imbalanced gut can increase your risk of illness. Maintaining a healthy balance of gut bacteria is essential for a strong immune response, protecting against harmful germs, and supporting overall health.^16-18

A Strong Immune System Starts in Your Gut

Your gut is your body’s first line of defense, and keeping it healthy is key to a strong immune system and so much more. That’s why I created 5 Gut-Healing Strategies, a guide packed with tips to boost your immune health. Inside, you’ll find a symptoms checklist to spot gut issues, top supplement recommendations to improve nutrient absorption, and a list of gut-friendly foods to support a strong microbiome. Plus, you’ll learn which foods to avoid to protect your gut and immune system as you age.

Get your FREE 5 Gut-Healing Strategies for Lasting Energy & Weight Loss guide here. 

References: 

1. Weyand CM, Goronzy JJ. Aging of the Immune System. Mechanisms and Therapeutic Targets. Ann Am Thorac Soc. 2016 Dec;13 Suppl 5(Suppl 5):S422-S428. doi: 10.1513/AnnalsATS.201602-095AW. PMID: 28005419; PMCID: PMC5291468.
2. Zuo L, Prather ER, Stetskiv M, Garrison DE, Meade JR, Peace TI, Zhou T. Inflammaging and Oxidative Stress in Human Diseases: From Molecular Mechanisms to Novel Treatments. Int J Mol Sci. 2019 Sep 10;20(18):4472. doi: 10.3390/ijms20184472. PMID: 31510091; PMCID: PMC6769561.
3. Li P, Yin YL, Li D, Kim SW, Wu G. Amino acids and immune function. Br J Nutr. 2007 Aug;98(2):237-52. doi: 10.1017/S000711450769936X. Epub 2007 Apr 3. PMID: 17403271.
4. UCLA Health: If you want to boost immunity, look to the gut
5. Harvard University: Types of Fat 
6. Yale School of Medicine: Inflammation: A Double-Edged Sword for the Immune System
7. Nieman DC, Wentz LM. The compelling link between physical activity and the body’s defense system. J Sport Health Sci. 2019 May;8(3):201-217. doi: 10.1016/j.jshs.2018.09.009. Epub 2018 Nov 16. PMID: 31193280; PMCID: PMC6523821.
8. Harvard Health: 5 surprising benefits of walking
9. UC Health: The Sleep Routines that Strengthen your Immune System
10. Besedovsky L, Lange T, Born J. Sleep and immune function. Pflugers Arch. 2012 Jan;463(1):121-37. doi: 10.1007/s00424-011-1044-0. Epub 2011 Nov 10. PMID: 22071480; PMCID: PMC3256323.
11. Morey JN, Boggero IA, Scott AB, Segerstrom SC. Current Directions in Stress and Human Immune Function. Curr Opin Psychol. 2015 Oct 1;5:13-17. doi: 10.1016/j.copsyc.2015.03.007. PMID: 26086030; PMCID: PMC4465119.
12. Aranow C. Vitamin D and the immune system. J Investig Med. 2011 Aug;59(6):881-6. doi: 10.2310/JIM.0b013e31821b8755. PMID: 21527855; PMCID: PMC3166406.
13. Gutiérrez S, Svahn SL, Johansson ME. Effects of Omega-3 Fatty Acids on Immune Cells. Int J Mol Sci. 2019 Oct 11;20(20):5028. doi: 10.3390/ijms20205028. PMID: 31614433; PMCID: PMC6834330.
14. Ashique S, Kumar S, Hussain A, Mishra N, Garg A, Gowda BHJ, Farid A, Gupta G, Dua K, Taghizadeh-Hesary F. A narrative review on the role of magnesium in immune regulation, inflammation, infectious diseases, and cancer. J Health Popul Nutr. 2023 Jul 27;42(1):74. doi: 10.1186/s41043-023-00423-0. Erratum in: J Health Popul Nutr. 2023 Nov 2;42(1):117. doi: 10.1186/s41043-023-00461-8. PMID: 37501216; PMCID: PMC10375690.
15. Healthline: Top 8 Benefits of Collagen
16. Cleveland Clinic: What Is Your Gut Microbiome?
17. Bosco N, Noti M. The aging gut microbiome and its impact on host immunity. Genes Immun. 2021 Oct;22(5-6):289-303. doi: 10.1038/s41435-021-00126-8. Epub 2021 Apr 19. PMID: 33875817; PMCID: PMC8054695.
18. UCLA Health: If you want to boost immunity, look to the gut

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food & Drug Administration. Products mentioned are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. The views in this blog by JJ Virgin should never be used as a substitute for professional medical advice. Please work with a healthcare practitioner concerning any medical problem or concern. 

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