Good nutrition is integral to keep immune cells healthy and functioning properly to provide protection against harmful pathogens.
While the majority of the nutrition needed for a strong immune system can be obtained through diet alone, using supplements to boost your immune system is a great way to fill any nutritional gaps and prime your body to fight infection and disease.
Top 10 supplements to boost your immune system
If you want to give your immune system a boost, here are 10 supplements with valuable immune-boosting properties:
1. Vitamin C: Widely accepted as a cure for the common cold, vitamin C may reduce the longevity of colds and prevent infection.(Read more about Health Benefits of Vitamin C.)
2. Vitamin E: Critical for proper immune function, vitamin E is a valuable infection-fighting antioxidant.
3. Vitamin D: Provides valuable immune support by stimulating the production of antimicrobial peptides (organically-produced antibiotics).
4. Folic Acid: Known for providing various health benefits, deficiencies in folic acid have been shown to alter the immune response.
5. Iron: Iron is an essential mineral needed for the growth and development of immune cells.
6. Selenium: Selenium is known to decrease oxidative stress, which in turn reduces inflammation and enhances the immune response.
7. Zinc: Zinc is an important mineral needed to produce new immune cells. It has also been shown to reduce the length of colds.
(To learn more about Zinc Supplementation please refer to this article)
8. Probiotics: Shown to inhibit the growth of pathogenic bacteria while stimulating immune cell activity.
9. Curcumin: A powerful antioxidant which has been shown to support immune system function by modulating the growth and response of certain immune cells.
10. Glutathione: Can boost important white blood cells known as lymphocytes, which form a considerable part of the immune system.
11. Andrographis Extract: A herbal supplement which has been proven to treat the early symptoms of Covid-19, while also reducing the severity of the illness.
A complete approach to immune health
While nutrition and supplementation can go a long way to supporting overall immune health, complete health requires a holistic approach.