Nutrizione di Base
The immunomodulating role of diet in the pediatric age: properties and clinical implications
Diego G. Peroni, Beatrice Polito1
1Dipartimento di Medicina Clinica e Sperimentale, sezione di Pediatria, Università di Pisa, Pisa
In the last few years many studies have investigated the role of nutrients in the diet of both pregnant women, infants and children, as well as their effects as immunomodulators of the immune system. Evidence suggest that nutrition as an entity has a fundamental role in influencing the development of immune tolerance, the prevention of allergic diseases and the mitigation and treatment of respiratory (including COVID-19) and nonrespiratory infections. These effects are related to the presence in the diet of specific nutrients that could also be supplemented in specific cases. In the present narrative review data from the literature on the role of nutraceuticals in immunomodulation are shown and discussed.