A randomized observational analysis examining the correlation between patients’ food sensitivities, micronutrient deficiencies, oxidative stress response and immune redox status

Abstract

Background: Malnutrition due to insufficient intake of micronutrients, or due to impaired delivery of micronutrients to patients’ cells, is suppressing immune functions that are fundamental to host protection. Concurrently, an excessive triggering of patients’ immune reactions as the result of adverse responses to certain food antigens, can also lead to various chronic health conditions.

Objective: To examine nutritional and immunological status in patients’ groups varying in age, dietary regimens and gastrointestinal condition; and explore a possible correlation between an impaired patients’ immune status and micronutrient deficiencies, food sensitivity and oxidative stress responses.

Methods: This is a population-based study consisting of a American residents, age 13 and older, who completed the investigator’s provided questionnaires with application of cell-based individualized functional assays. Data for this paper were collected from 845 individuals between May and September 2019, as part of CSS CNA beta study. Micronutrient deficiencies, immune Redox status, antioxidative responses and food sensitivity profiles were assessed for each patient participating in this study.

Results: The group of patients with low Redox status demonstrated significantly higher percent of immune reactivity (17%) to food antigens as compared to15% reactivity detected in the groups with the average and strong Redox response. An average number of identified micronutrient deficiencies, as well as beneficial anti-oxidative protective compounds, was also significantly higher in the group with the weak immune function as compared to other two groups.

Conclusion: This study suggests that high food sensitivity is associated with a higher nutrient deficiency, a stronger oxidative stress response and a lower immune redox status.