Having a strong immune system is the foundation for staying healthy. With the recent pandemic taking over the world, people are looking for ways to stay healthy. A healthy immune system is able to fight off germs and illnesses.
There are many ways people can keep their immune system strong with one popular method being vitamins and supplements.
What Vitamin Boosts Your Immune System?
The immune system is not a single entity. It is a system that requires balance and harmony. And while researchers are still studying all the intricacies of the immune system, there are some ways to help keep it strong. One such method is vitamins and supplements. Below are some popular vitamins and supplements for immune system support (1).
Vitamin B6
This vitamin is essential to keeping your immune system in good condition and is often found in fortified cereals.
Vitamin C
One of the most popular ones out there and usually one of the first ones people think of when they start feeling under the weather. It can help people fight a cold faster and ease cold symptoms, but it’s important to take it prior to getting sick. Vitamin C is rich in antioxidants that can reduce inflammation.
Vitamin D
You can get vitamin D from sun exposure, but oftentimes people do not get enough of it and taking it in supplement form is necessary. Vitamin D is good for the respiratory system. It also helps the body maintain calcium and phosphorus.
Zinc
Zinc can help produce and activate T-cells that trigger the body to respond to infections. It can also be taken to shorten the length of rhinovirus colds while helping symptoms such as nasal congestion, sore throat and cough to resolve faster.
Elderberry
Elderberry is becoming more well-known for its antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties. It can help reduce swelling in the mucus membranes.
Garlic
Not a vitamin, but a popular choice to ease symptoms of colds and flus due to its antiviral properties.
How To Boost The Immune System Naturally With Superfoods
A lot of the vitamins and minerals we need to stay healthy are found in foods we should be eating. Here are some superfoods you should add to your diet every day.
- Citrus Fruits - Full of vitamin C, make sure to add oranges, grapefruit, clementine, even lemons and limes to your daily meals.
- Red Bell Peppers - These are even higher in vitamin C than oranges, plus they are rich in beta carotene.
- Broccoli - Full of vitamins A, C and E as well as antioxidants and fiber, this vegetable is one of the healthiest ones out there.
- Ginger - Ginger can help a sore throat as well as digestive issues. It may help reduce inflammation.
- Spinach - Full of vitamin C, as well as antioxidants and beta carotene, it can help the immune system increase its infection-fighting abilities.
- Yogurt - Certain yogurts like Greek yogurt are high in vitamin D, which can help regulate the immune system
- Nuts and Seeds - Certain nuts and seeds like almonds and sunflower are full of vitamin E which helps regulate and maintain the immune system.
- Tea - Certain teas like green and black are full of flavonoids, a certain type of antioxidant. Green Tea also has EGCG, a powerful antioxidant that aids the immune system functions.
Is It Good To Take Multivitamins Daily?
We know that certain vitamins can be an immune system booster, but is it better to take it all in one pill form known as a multivitamin? Well, it depends. For some people it can help, but it’s always good to talk to your doctor to see what he or she recommends.
While it’s best to get your nutritional needs through diet alone, that is often not always possible so taking a vitamin, such as a multivitamin, may be beneficial.
Do Immune System Boosters Work?
There are some products that claim they are immune system supplements that solely work to boost the immune system. While it is a good idea, it doesn’t always work.
The immune system is a complex system that requires balance. It has to be able to fight viruses and bacteria that cause illnesses and infections, but it cannot be hyperactive which can cause allergies as well as other types of auto-inflammatory and autoimmune disorders (2).
This is why it is better to make sure you are eating a healthy diet full of nutrients that can build a strong immune system rather than relying on specific immune system boosters to do the trick.
Do Multivitamins Boost The Immune System?
If you eat a poor diet, a multivitamin is likely going to benefit you. Even if you eat a healthy diet, you may not be getting all of the vitamins and minerals you need. Taking a large dose of one particular vitamin has not been proven to help the immune system. So when you hear someone wanting to take a lot of vitamin C because they feel a cold coming on, it may not actually work the way they want.
Are Vitamins A Waste Of Money?
With nearly half of all American adults taking a multivitamin, is it really necessary or just a waste of money? There are immune system vitamins that can really help. And while it is ideal to eat the nutrition you need, it isn’t always possible.
It’s interesting to note that researchers actually found that multivitamins don’t reduce the risk for heart disease, cancer or cognitive decline. And taking too much of some vitamins (like vitamin E and beta-carotene supplements) can actually be harmful at high doses.
This is why it is recommended to make sure you get the vitamins you need through a healthy diet. But it’s important to weigh your options and talk to your doctor to make the right choice for you. At the end of the day, it’s important to make sure your body has been provided with the vitamins and minerals it needs.
Supplements Can Help Support The Immune System
Spermidine from spermidineLIFE® is a unique supplement that contains the highest concentrated formula of food-safe spermidine in the world. Spermidine aids the body’s own recycling system known as autophagy where cells recycle old unnecessary or dysfunctional components, revitalizing the cell.
Autophagy also destroys antigen or foreign invaders like germs, helping to build a stronger immune system. Spermidine also helps with immunological cellular memory in which the body remembers an invader and works to rid the body of it. It is working with the body’s own natural processes and strengthening them.
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