Wheat Germ Compound May Boost Vaccine Effectiveness in Older Adults, Study Suggests

A compound found in wheat germ and other foods may significantly enhance the effectiveness of vaccines in older adults and individuals with weakened immune systems, according to new research. Scientists are investigating spermidine, a naturally occurring substance, for its potential to bolster the immune response, which can decline with age, making vaccinations less potent.

Vaccines are crucial for preventing life-threatening infections like influenza and COVID-19, but their efficacy can be reduced in individuals with compromised immunity, including the elderly. This is because a weaker immune system may struggle to recognize vaccine components that prime the body to fight off future infections.

Studies indicate that by age 80, an individual's response to vaccines can be as little as half as effective as that of someone under 65. Spermidine, present in all living cells and found in foods such as mushrooms, broccoli, and aged cheddar cheese, plays a role in cell growth, DNA stability, and the immune system's ability to clear pathogens.

However, natural spermidine levels, along with the immune processes it supports, decrease with age, further weakening the body's defense against infections.

In a study conducted at the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in Berlin, researchers observed 40 healthy participants aged 65 and older who had received their third COVID-19 vaccine. Approximately 25% of these individuals did not produce sufficient antibodies for the vaccine to be fully effective.

Participants were then given either 6mg of spermidine or a placebo daily for 13 weeks. The study, published in the journal Aging Cell, found a substantial improvement in vaccine response among those who received the spermidine supplement, as measured by immune markers, including antibody levels.

Researchers suggest that spermidine may slow immunosenescence, the aging process of immune cells, thereby boosting their response to vaccines and accelerating the clearance of foreign organisms from the bloodstream.

"Our populations are ageing and after the age of 60, people are more susceptible to infections," said Katja Simon, a professor of immunology and co-leader of the study. "Unfortunately, data consistently shows that the effectiveness of various protective vaccines decreases with age."

She added that a simple intervention to improve immunity and vaccine efficacy in this demographic could potentially save many lives. The spermidine supplement used in the study was derived from wheat germ.

"Some might want a spoonful of wheatgerm on their porridge in the morning – it is also found in fermented food like kimchi and sauerkraut, which could be beneficial," Professor Simon noted. "It's difficult to say if you can eat enough spermidine in the diet to have the pathogen-clearing effect but it is unlikely to do harm and may do good."

Foods rich in spermidine include wheat, soybeans, aged cheeses like vintage cheddar and Parmesan (which can contain up to 20mg per 100g), chickpeas, lentils, oyster mushrooms, and green peppers.

Professor Paul Klenerman, an immunologist at Oxford University, described the findings as exciting but cautioned that the trial is small. "A few people in the trial with weak antibody responses made a much better response after the treatment. We need to find better ways of identifying those people and then perhaps we can target them with such interventions," he stated.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention currently recommends that older individuals receive higher doses of vaccines or formulations containing adjuvants to stimulate a stronger immune response. However, these enhanced vaccines can sometimes be less well-tolerated, leading to more side effects.

Experts also emphasize the role of lifestyle factors in supporting immune health. "Exercise, healthy diet and maintaining a safe weight will support a good immune response to vaccines," Professor Klenerman advised. "Vaccines can do some of the work but organs like the lungs and liver also need to be working well to provide good protection against infections."

Professor Simon is reportedly conducting further research into whether intermittent fasting could increase spermidine levels and improve vaccine effectiveness in older adults. She continues to urge individuals over 65 to get vaccinated against infections like the flu, even with a potentially reduced response, as it will help reduce unnecessary deaths.