Meta-analysis of micronutrient supplementation for immune function in older adults

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Frontiers in Medicine Published May 23, 2026 Medically reviewed May 23, 2026 DOI ↗ By Dr. Amelia Tan, PhD · Internal Medicine & Chronic Disease

Key Takeaway

Consider the modest immune benefit of micronutrients in older adults, noting limited safety data.

This is a systematic review and meta-analysis of nine randomized controlled trials examining micronutrient supplementation for immune function in older adults. The authors synthesized evidence on immunosenescence, finding that supplementation was associated with a statistically significant improvement in immune function. The pooled effect size was a standardized mean difference of 0.14, with a 95% confidence interval from 0.07 to 0.35. The p-value was not reported.

The review did not report on specific micronutrients, dosages, or comparators used in the included trials. Safety outcomes, including adverse events, serious adverse events, discontinuations, and tolerability, were not reported. The authors did not note any specific limitations in the provided abstract.

Given the modest effect size and the lack of reported safety data, the clinical relevance of these findings is uncertain. The review does not provide information on practice implications. Clinicians should interpret these results cautiously, as the evidence is derived from a small number of studies and key details are not reported.

Study Details

Study typeMeta analysis

EvidenceLevel 1

PublishedMay 2026

View Original Abstract ↓

BackgroundMicronutrient deficiencies are common in the older adults and exacerbate these changes. Micronutrient supplementation has been proposed as a method to reverse immunosenescence. However, its effectiveness has been inconsistent. This systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluate the impact of micronutrient supplementation on immune function in older adults.MethodsA comprehensive literature search was conducted in PubMed, the Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar, yielding 810 records. After removal of duplicates and applying the inclusion criteria, nine RCTs were included. Data extraction was performed according to the PRISMA checklist. Risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane ROB2 tool, and meta-analysis was conducted using a random-effects model.ResultsMicronutrient supplementation significantly improved immune function, with an overall standardized mean difference (SMD) of 0.14 (95% CI: 0.07 to 0.35, p