Research

Mixed

Activation of the immune system can reduce longevity upon starvation, indicating a trade-off between beneficial and detrimental effects of immunity on aging.

While immune fitness may support longevity, chronic immune activation during metabolic stress (like starvation) can be harmful, highlighting the importance of context in immune health.

ModerateRefutesMEDIUM confidence
By contrast, it has been reported that activation of the immune system can reduce longevity upon starvation.
Brian DeVeale et al. · Aging Cell · 2004

Why this rating

Based on reported studies, but the mechanism is less detailed than the positive links.

Source

Immunity and aging: the enemy within?

Brian DeVeale et al. · Aging Cell · 2004

DOI 10.1111/j.1474-9728.2004.00106.x

narrative_reviewCited 172×
Read the paper
DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10

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