Supplements Can Boost Your Immune System
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- Category: Build Your Immunities
- Created on Tuesday, 06 October 2020 14:06
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As humans age, the risk and severity of infections varies with how the immune system develops, matures, and declines. Your immune system consists of a complex collection of cells, processes, and chemicals that constantly defend your body against invading pathogens, including viruses, toxins, and bacteria. Several factors influence the immune system and its competence, including nutrition:1,2
- A bidirectional relationship exists among and between nutrition, infection and immunity. Changes in one component affects the others which means poor nutrition can compromise immune function and increase infection risk.
- Micronutrient deficiencies are a precursor to certain infections. Research has also shown that supplementing with certain vitamins, minerals, herbs, and other substances can improve immune response and potentially protect against illness.
Immune function may be improved by restoring deficient micronutrients to recommended levels, thereby increasing resistance to infection and supporting faster recovery when infected. Diet alone may be insufficient and tailored micronutrient supplementation can be built based on specific age-related and metabolic needs.3
Keeping your immune system healthy year-round is key to preventing infection and disease. Making healthy lifestyle choices by consuming nutritious foods and getting enough sleep, exercise and not smoking are the most important ways to bolster your immune system.
Various micronutrients are essential for immunocompetence, particularly vitamins A, C, D, E, B2, B6, B12, folic acid, iron, selenium, and zinc. For information on specific vitamins there are several resources from Survive & Thrive.
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Some supplements can interact with prescription or over-the-counter medications. 4
Resources:
1 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5091071/
2 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6156898/
3 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6212925/
4https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/immune-boosting-supplements
Note: Some supplements may not be appropriate for people with certain health conditions. Be sure to talk with your healthcare provider before starting any supplements. No supplement is intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
