Although our immune system does an excellent job of protecting our bodies from pathogens and infections, it sometimes fails.
According to research, providing your body with specific vitamins, minerals, and herbs can boost your immune response and overall health [1].
Dietary supplements contain essential vitamins and minerals that are essential for the optimal function of the body’s systems and organs.
If our body does not get enough nutrients from the diet, nutritional supplements are required.
These nutrients act as vital components of our immune responses, amplifying defense cell production and boosting the immune system.
Diet is the best way to get nutrients. But sometimes, you fail. In this case, Nutritional supplements are essential to boosting the immune system.
Boost the immune system with the 10 best nutritional supplements
1- Vitamin C to support the immune system
The best vitamin C to support the immune system
Vitamin C may be the most effective vitamin against infection. This vitamin supports several actions essential to immune health. For example, Furthermore, vitamin C promotes mitochondrial health [2].
Mitochondria are the powerhouse of the cell and are essential for cell metabolism and energy production.
So, it promotes the production and proliferation of immune cells. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant [3] and protects cells from damage caused by increased oxidative stress.
It also helps reduce inflammation in the body and strengthen our immune system.
Vitamin C is necessary for the death of damaged cells, that is, the removal of the remnants of old cells and their replacement with new cells, and to support the immune system.
After all, it is found in many foods, the deficiency of which is rare. But if you fail to get them through diet, see your doctor.
2-Vitamin D to strengthen the immune system
Vitamin D’s classic action is to maintain optimal levels of calcium and phosphorus in your body.
Besides these actions, it also supports the body’s immune system through the following actions:
For example, vitamin D stops the production of excessive cytokines (inflammatory factors).
It also enhances the immune response by amplifying the pathogen-fighting abilities of white blood cells [4].
This sunshine vitamin also increases the humoral immune response of children after influenza vaccination .
Accordingly, vitamin D stimulates certain peptides in the respiratory tract and fights pathogens that enter your lungs.
Vitamin D deficiency is very common. In this case, supplementation is necessary to boost your immune system.
3- Vitamin E and antioxidants
Like Vitamin C, Vitamin E is also a powerful antioxidant that acts as a free radical scavenger.
It involves nearly 200 biochemical reactions in your body.
It has the following immunological actions in the body.
Vitamin E increases lymphocyte and interleukin-2 production and increases delayed-type (DTH) hypersensitivity response.
It also reduces the production of interleukin 6 and thus strengthens the body and increases the strength of the immune system.
You can get vitamin E from high-fat plant foods such as nuts, soybean oil, sunflower oil, corn oil, palm oil, and cottonseed oil.
4- Zinc for immune system health
Zinc is an important mineral for a healthy immune system and for the development of immune cells. It is found in many immune boosting formulations.
Zinc deficiency can increase susceptibility to viruses. On the other hand, zinc helps your body reduce the production of inflammatory cytokines.
It also protects the body’s tissue barriers and restricts entry of pathogens.
Zinc protects your body from respiratory infections such as the common cold and reduces their duration by an average of two days.
5- Niacin and strengthening our immune system
Niacin is vitamin B3 found in red meat, poultry, fish, brown rice, fortified cereals, nuts, and legumes.
It is also necessary for the synthesis of two important coenzymes in the body: Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide (NAD) / Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide Phosphate (NADP).
These coenzymes are necessary to produce cytokines that have an anti-inflammatory response , resulting in a boosted immune system.
6- Glutathione and stimulating the immune system
Or N-Acetyl Cysteine is the body’s most potent antioxidant (often called the “master antioxidant”). Glutathione has the following immunomodulatory actions.
It also promotes mitochondrial health [2] and reduces oxidative stress of cells.
In addition, glutathione protects the body from infections and enhances the activity of natural killer cells.
It also specifically protects the cells of the respiratory system by acting as a free radical scavenger.
It improves the functions of T lymphocytes to enhance the immune response.
Finally, glutathione helps strengthen the immune system, which helps fight autoimmune diseases and psoriasis.
7-Probiotics and boosting the immune system
Probiotics are “good bacteria” that include Escherichia coli, Streptococcus, Bacillus, Enterococcus, and fungal strains of Saccharomyces .
In addition, these strains have strong immunomodulatory activity and prevent the growth of harmful bacteria in the intestine.
Probiotics also promote the production of IgA-producing cells, T lymphocytes, and natural killer cells .
It also increases the innate immunity of the body, thus supporting the body’s immunity.
8- Reishi mushroom and the health of our immune system
Ganoderma lucidum) is a bitter, polycystic mushroom of the Ganoderma family. It is an ancient drug known to increase the body’s immune response
It is also mainly due to its three components, triterpenoids, polysaccharides, and peptidoglycans.
Moreover, reishi mushroom also increases the production of natural killer cells which are vital to the innate immunity of the cell and thus the strength of the immune system.
However, these effects have not yet been proven.
9- Curcumin and increasing the speed of the immune system
Curcumin is an active ingredient found in Turmeric (Curcuma longa). Curcumin is an essential ingredient used in Ayurvedic and Ayurvedic medicine.
Thus, it has anti-inflammatory , antiseptic and antiviral properties. Curcumin helps fight infection and inflammation and strengthens the immune response 19.
Which helps support the immune system.
10- Elderberry
The elderberry plant includes different species of the Sambucus tree.
The most common type is Sambucus nigra (European elderberry or black elderberry).
Elderberry contains powerful antioxidants (vitamin C, phenolic acids, flavanols, and anthocyanins), which support the production of white blood cells.
It also has anti-inflammatory and antiviral properties [20]. These properties help reduce swelling of the mucous membrane. Elderberry syrup is used to treat sinus infections, colds [21], and influenza.
Finally: Although supplements help modulate the immune response and boost the immune system, they are not a substitute for a healthy lifestyle. Large amounts of nutrients can cause poisoning in the body. Therefore, always consult before starting
