No one likes to get sick, so improving your immune system is likely one of your health goals. Keeping your immune system healthy requires you to eat healthily, exercise regularly, keep your stress down, and avoid detrimental habits like smoking and excessive drinking. Lifestyle and dietary changes can make a difference and so can supplementation.
Here are three of the top supplements to boost your immune system.
1. Vitamin C
Vitamin C is the most well-known immune system booster and for good reason.
Vitamin C is a strong antioxidant. Antioxidants like vitamin C help to protect you from the oxidative damage caused by free radicals. Being protected from free radicals means your cells are in a better state to protect you from infection and disease.
Research also tells us that vitamin C can boost the production and function of certain immunities that work to protect your body from infection.
Vitamin C may even be able to help prevent your susceptibility to illnesses like pneumonia.
Foods rich in vitamin C include:
- Oranges
- Grapefruits
- Tangerines
- Strawberries
- Bell peppers
- Spinach
- Kale
- Broccoli
You can also take a vitamin C supplement although a healthy diet full of fruits and vegetables should provide you with a sufficient amount of vitamin C.
2. Vitamin D
You might be a bit less familiar with vitamin D, but it’s just as important to your immune function.
Vitamin D influences your health by helping to activate an immune system response. It can also enhance certain immune cells that work to protect you against infection. For example, it can enhance macrophages that destroy pathogens.
Vitamin D is so important to your immune system because it might help you fight off the flu. One study found that children who were given vitamin D supplements had a reduced rate of influenza infection when compared to children not taking the supplements.
A safe way to increase your vitamin D levels is to take supplements or eat foods rich in vitamin D.
Foods high in vitamin D include:
- Sardines
- Egg yolks
- Salmon
- Vitamin D fortified foods e.g. fortified orange juice or milk
3. Fulvic Acid
Fulvic acid is a naturally occurring compound that can have a significant effect on your immune system and health.
This acid is thought to help induce an immune response, enhance antioxidant activity, and improve your resistance to certain diseases. These are all immune-boosting actions that can help to protect you from infection and disease.
Fulvic acid may also be able to reduce inflammation, and inflammation is known to have a serious negative effect on your immune system.
Fulvic acid is often found in soil, compost, or sewage, but you don’t have to eat dirt to get fulvic acid into your system! You can purchase fulvic acid supplements at most health food stores.
The Bottom Line
Supplements such as vitamin C, vitamin D, and fulvic acid can help boost your immune system.
While supplements can help to fill gaps in your diet, they shouldn’t replace food as your primary source of immune-boosting nutrients. Look to them as an extra boost, rather than your only source of nutrition.
It’s better to get natural vitamins from food first to maintain overall well-being and a healthy immune system.
