The study has shown diets higher in fibre can lead to stronger immune response to vaccines. Photo / 123rf
The study has shown diets higher in fibre can lead to stronger immune response to vaccines. Photo / 123rf
A high fibre diet can improve an individual's immune response to the first dose of a vaccine, a recently published New Zealand study has shown.
The Malaghan Institute of Medical Research has been investigating immune responses to the influenza vaccine, with findings published in Frontier in Immunology earlier this week.
Researchers recorded the diet and microbiome samples of participants prior to a first vaccination, and then analysed the antibodies in their blood following the vaccine dose.
Malaghan Institute immunologist Dr Alissa Cait, who was on the research team, said the goal had been to detect any specific bacteria that could predict immune response to the vaccine.
"Interestingly, we found that for participants who were receiving their influenza vaccine for the first time, those who had the best immune responses had a prevalence of fibre-specific bacteria in their gut."
Cait said human bodies needed gut bacteria to digest food, meaning gut microbiome was often a good reflection of a person's diet.
The study has shown a link between higher fibre diets and greater immune responses to vaccines. Photo / Supplied
"A large amount of fibre-specific bacteria indicates those participants ate a diet high in fibre," she said.
"These results suggest that those who consume a diet rich in fibre from foods such as fruits, vegetables and grains seem to produce a better immune response to the first dose of a vaccine due to specific colonies of bacteria that are cultivated in their guts."
As part of the study 122 healthy participants between ages 18 - 64 were given the 2016 trivalent influenza vaccine.
They were asked to report on their diets and provide samples of their gut microbiome to show the prevalence of bacteria pre-vaccination.
Malaghan Institute immunologist Dr Alissa Cait. Photo / Supplied
Following their first dose of the influenza vaccine, researchers analyzed blood samples of participants for antibodies to determine the responsiveness of their immune system.
The study's results have indicated diet is most influential for people receiving their first vaccine.
Cait said it is not the fibre on its own, but the molecules produced when bacteria ferments fibre – known as short-chain fatty acids – that influence the influence the immune response.
"Our bodies actively transport short chain fatty acids from our gut to our blood system where they circulate around the body," she said.
"Our previous research has shown that these molecules appear to have a balancing effect on our immune system – dampening allergic and autoimmune responses while stimulating immune responses towards invasive organisms like viruses or bacteria – and vaccines."
The study has come from Wellington's Malaghan Institute of Medical Research. Photo / Supplied
Led by Vaccine Alliance Aotearoa New Zealand, the study Ka Mātau, Ka Ora (from knowledge comes wellbeing), will observe the response of at least 300 New Zealanders over a period of 12 months after their second vaccination.
She suggests that increasing dietary fibre could have an added protective benefit for people receiving their first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine.
"It's the age-old advice, eat a balanced diet and reap a multitude of health benefits. Now we can potentially add improved vaccine protection to this long list."
