Study on Time-Restricted Eating to Improve Immune Response and Vaccine Effectiveness in Adults 60 to 85 Years Old

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are studying the effects of a four-week time-restricted eating TRE intervention on immune cell autophagy, immune function, and vaccine responses in healthy older adults aged 60 to 85. The goal is to see if limiting daily food intake to an 8-hour window can improve the bodys response to seasonal influenza and COVID-19 vaccines by enhancing immune system processes that decline with age. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups one group will maintain their usual eating pattern with a daily eating window longer than 11 hours, while the other group will follow TRE by limiting their daily eating to an 8-hour window, starting with the first meal before 1000 AM. The intervention lasts four weeks, after which all participants will receive standard influenza and COVID-19 vaccinations arranged with their primary care doctors. Throughout the study, participants will undergo blood tests and physiological measurements at baseline, after the four-week eating intervention, and at two follow-up visits after vaccination 2 weeks and 12-14 weeks later. Researchers will monitor changes in autophagy in immune cells, body composition, blood pressure, metabolic markers, immune responses to vaccines, and other health indicators. This trial aims to provide insights into how TRE might support immune health and vaccine effectiveness in older adults.

VITAL: Vaccination, Immunity, Time-restricted Eating, Aging and Lifestyle