Diet, health & well-being, Lifestyle, supplementation
Top 13 Power Supplements for Boosting the Immune System
A weakened immune system can stem from a mix of vitamin and mineral deficiencies, family history, and several other factors. Keeping your immune system strong year round is the key to preventing infection and disease. There are many natural remedies for boosting your immune system functioning and overall vitality. In this post, I’ll be discussing the top 13 supplements to take to help bulletproof the immune system.
1. Vitamin D
Vitamin D is a fat soluble nutrient that many of us don’t get enough of during the winter months. It helps to regulate calcium and phosphate in the body. It is anti-inflammatory, and has antioxidant and neuroprotective properties that support immune health, muscle function, and brain cell activity. It is possible to get enough vitamin D via diet even if you don’t live in a year-round sunny environment. The best sources of vitamin D are salmon, mackarel, fortified juices and milks, as well as egg yolks and mushrooms. If you struggle to get enough vitamin D, supplementation is key. A high quality vitamin D3 supplement is what I’d recommend.
2. Zinc
The top roles that zinc plays in the body is for immune cell development and communication, in addition to protecting tissue barriers in the body and preventing foreign pathogens from entering. A high deficiency in Zinc can pose an increased risk for pneumonia, and this mineral deficiency is responsible for close to 20% of all deep respiratory infections.
Supplementing with zinc long term is not harmful, as long as it is under the set upper limit of 40 mg of elemental zinc. However, it should be fairly easy to get enough zinc in your diet through foods like seeds, nuts, shellfish, beef, legumes, and grains.
3. Vitamin C
Vitamin C is arguably the most important supplement to take for protecting against infection, and serves as a powerful antioxidant by protecting against oxidative induced stress. A large review of over 11,000 people proved that regular supplementation with vitamin D reduced cold duration by 8% in children and 14% in adults. This review also noted that regular vitamin C consumption reduced common cold occurrences in individuals under high physical stress by up to 50%(). The upper limit for vitamin C is 2,000 mg, and supplemental daily doses are between 250 & 1,000 mg. Top sources of vitamin C include citrus fruits, and turnip greens.
4. Elderberry
Black elderberry has long been used to treat infections. In test tube studies, elderberry extract shows powerful antibacterial and antiviral potential against bacterial pathogens that give way to upper respiratory tract infections and strains of the influenza virus. A study from 2004 found that people stricken with the flu that supplemented with one tablespoon of elderberry syrup 4 times a day experienced symptom relief a whole 4 days earlier than those who didn’t supplement with elderberry. This fruit is also high in Vitamin C, as 1 cup contains 52 mg, which accounts for 57% of daily value. It is available in liquid or capsule form.
5. Medicinal mushrooms
These mushrooms have been used since ancient times to treat and prevent infection of disease. Over 270 species of mushrooms are known to have immune enhancing properties. Some of the most potent ones include cordyceps, lions mane, maitake, shitake, reishi, and turkey tail. In addition, medicinal mushrooms may help reduce symptoms of other certain conditions, such as asthma and lung infections. For example, a study in mice that were plagued by tuberculosis found that cordyceps supplementation greatly reduced bacterial load in the lungs. It also improved immune response while reducing inflammation, compared to a placebo group.
6. Garlic
Garlic has been shown to enhance immune health by stimulating protective white blood cells, such as NK cells and macrophages. Garlic also contains sulfur, which helps the bodt to absorb the immune boosting zinc.
7. Licorice
Licorice contains many substances that may help prevent against viral infections, including glycyrrhizin. This substance displays antiviral activity against severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus, according to test tube research.
8. Circumin
This is the main active compound found in turmeric. It contains potent anti-inflammatory properties. It helps boost immune system responses through its prebiotic like properties, omega 3 boosting ability, and its cortisol-lowering effects.
9. B-complex vitamins
9. B-complex vitaminsB-vitamins, especially vitamins B12 & B6, are responsible for producing white blood cells & t-cells, which serve to regulate immune responses. In addition, vitamin B6 helps the body make the protein interleukin-2 to direct white blood cell activity.
10. Selenium
Animal research demonstrates that selenium supplements help to boost antiviral defense against influenza strains, namely H1N1.
11. Astragalus
Astragalus is a herb that is used regularly in traditional chinese medicine. Astragalus inhibits free radical production, which can damage cells and are linked to many health problems such as increased aging if left unchecked.
12. Echinacea
Echinacea is a genus of plants in the daisy family. Certain species have been proven to boost immune health and could have antiviral effects against several respiratory viruses, namely rhinoviruses and syncytial virus.
Conclusion
Boosting the immune system and minimizing sickness can be optimized by consuming the proper supplements in adequate dosages, along with a proper diet, exercise regimen, and managed stress levels. All 13 of these supplements do not need to be consumed to enhance immune system functioning, but if you’re interested in trying out a few of the lesser known ones, go for it.
A great rated and high quality mutivitamin that contains several of these aforementioned vitamins & minerals is by Amazon Basics. This multivitamin is rated 4.5 stars out of 5 based on nearly 22,000 ratings, and has 75 servings for just $8! Link to buy will be left below, if interested. A healthy life is a far more enjoyable life!