Short- and long-term β-carotene supplementation do not influence T cell-mediated immunity in healthy elderly persons

Abstract

Supplementation of healthy elderly persons with β-carotene has been considered a way to enhance immune responses. In study 1 the short-term effect of β-carotene (90 mg/d for 3 wk) on immunity was assessed in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled longitudinal comparison of healthy elderly women. In study 2 the long-term effect of β-carotene (50 mg every other day for 10-12 y) on immunity was assessed in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled longitudinal comparison of men enrolled in the Physicians' Health Study. Subjects from both studies taking active supplements had significantly greater plasma β-carotene concentrations than did subjects taking placebo. The pre- to postintervention change in delayed- type hypersensitivity skin test responses between β-carotene and placebo groups in the short-term study was not significantly different, nor was the response between treatment groups in the long-term study. There were no significant effects due to β-carotene supplementation on in vitro lymphocyte proliferation, production of interleukin 2, or production of prostaglandin E2 as a result of short- or long-term β-carotene supplementation. In addition, there were no differences in the profiles of lymphocyte subsets [total T cells (CD3+), T helper cells (CD4+), T cytotoxic-suppressor cells (CDS+), and B cells (CD19+)] due to short- or long-term β-carotene supplementation, nor were there differences in percentages of CD16+ natural killer cells or activated lymphocytes (cells expressing interleukin 2 transferrin receptor) due to long-term β-carotene supplementation. Consistent results from these two trials show that β-carotene supplementation did not have an enhancing or suppressive effect on T cell- mediated immunity of healthy elderly.