The Exposome and Immune Health in Times of the COVID-19 Pandemic

• Published in: Nutrients Vol. 14; no. 1; p. 24
• Main Authors: Morales, Javier S, Valenzuela, Pedro L, Castillo-García, Adrián, Butragueño, Javier, Jiménez-Pavón, David, Carrera-Bastos, Pedro, Lucia, Alejandro
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 01.01.2022; MDPI
• Subjects: Body weight; Body Weight Maintenance - immunology; Circadian rhythm; Circadian Rhythm - immunology; Circadian rhythms; Coronaviruses; COVID-19; COVID-19 - immunology; COVID-19 - prevention & control; COVID-19 vaccines; Cytokines; Diet - methods; Disease transmission; Environmental exposure; Environmental Pollutants - immunology; Exercise; Exercise - immunology; Exposome; Exposure; Folkhälsovetenskap, global hälsa, socialmedicin och epidemiologi; Gastrointestinal Microbiome - immunology; Health Sciences; Healthy lifestyle; Humans; Hälsovetenskap; Immune response; Immune system; Infectious diseases; Inflammation; Influenza; Intestinal microflora; Lifestyles; Light effects; Medical and Health Sciences; Medicin och hälsovetenskap; Microbiomes; Pandemics; Physical activity; Physical fitness; Prevention; Public Health, Global Health, Social Medicine and Epidemiology; Review; SARS-CoV-2; Sleep - immunology; Smoking - immunology; Stress, Psychological - immunology; Sunlight; Tumor necrosis factor-TNF; Vaccination; Vaccines; COVID-19; healthy lifestyle; vaccines; environmental exposure; infectious diseases
• ISSN: 2072-6643; 2072-6643
• DOI: 10.3390/nu14010024

Growing evidence supports the importance of lifestyle and environmental exposures-collectively referred to as the 'exposome'-for ensuring immune health. In this narrative review, we summarize and discuss the effects of the different exposome components (physical activity, body weight management, diet, sun exposure, stress, sleep and circadian rhythms, pollution, smoking, and gut microbiome) on immune function and inflammation, particularly in the context of the current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. We highlight the potential role of 'exposome improvements' in the prevention-or amelioration, once established-of this disease as well as their effect on the response to vaccination. In light of the existing evidence, the promotion of a healthy exposome should be a cornerstone in the prevention and management of the COVID-19 pandemic and other eventual pandemics.