The world is dwindling right now. So, you have to take responsibility for your health.
Your immune system is the first line of defense against deadly pathogens, bacteria, and viruses.
To protect yourself from encountering any infection, boosting the functionality of your immune system is essential. Certain foods and medications help give the right nutrients to the immune system. But to maintain the surplus and constant supply of nutrients, it is better to rely on supplements.
Supplements promote well-being and ensure that the immune system is functioning properly. Here are the top six immune-boosting supplements you should take every day.
Understanding Immune System
The outside world is polluted with harmful agents and pathogens like bacteria, viruses, microbes, and toxins. It is extremely easy to catch a disease as the air contains these agents. Hence, in this case, apart from taking special care of yourself, it is also important to work on your immune system.
The immune system is the body's natural defense against these agents. When you encounter a disease, your immune system becomes immediately active and fights the problems effectively. It contains organs like the thymus and spleen, proteins such as antibodies, and cells like white blood cells. All of them work together to fight the disease.
Not only that, but the immune system also keeps a memory of a microbe so that the next time you encounter it, your body knows how to deal with that.
The immune system contains two different types of immunities which are:
Innate immunity: This type of immunity is present in your body when born.
Adaptive immunity: The immunity that you develop after encountering a microbe.
It is extremely important to maintain the health of your immune system. If your immune system is damaged or weak, you will develop infections and diseases. It will also lower your life expectancy.
But when you have a stronger immune system, you do not even know that you have encountered a bacteria or virus, as your body takes care of it.
Role of Vitamins and Minerals in Boosting Immunity
Eating nutrient-rich and healthy food is necessary to maintain optimal health. Along with working on other key areas, your diet also helps your body boost immunity, so you can better deal with infections. Some foods like ginger berries have a prominent role in increasing immunity.
Your diet affects your overall health and prepares your body for microbial attacks and infections. Some nutrients that play an important role in boosting the immune system are zinc, vitamin D, vitamin C, selenium, and iron. They are found in many naturally occurring foods.
The role of these vitamins and minerals in boosting immunity has also been proven by research. It has also been proven that specific vitamins and minerals have helped improve symptoms and life expectancy in older people suffering from COVID-19.
When on one side, these nutrients help in boosting your immune response, then on the other, the deficiency of these vitamins and minerals can also alter your immune system function.
Undernutrition can result in many problems and cause many diseases and lower your immunity. That is why it is necessary to make up your dietary needs with some special foods that contain these nutrients or supplements that contain normal dosages for these nutrients.
Top 6 Supplements to Boost Immune System
Here are the top six supplements that will help boost your immune system:
1. Vitamin D
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin with many important functions in the body. It also aids in the absorption of calcium which further helps in maintaining bone health and helps in absorption of calcium and phosphorous, thus aiding in maintaining normal levels in the body. Besides that, vitamin D has an important role in boosting immunity.
Vitamin D can play a prominent role in altering the immune response. It also can either increase or decrease adaptive and innate immunity. Vitamin D deficiency can cause severe problems such as increased autoimmunity, susceptibility to infections, and negative bone health.
Vitamin D deficiency is quite prevalent globally because of factors like lack of sunlight in some regions and unavailability of fish in different regions. Hence, it is important to have some vitamin D supplements to fulfill vitamin D requirements in the body.
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2. Multivitamins
A multivitamin is a specific preparation consisting of adequate doses of different vitamins and minerals. It contains all fat-soluble and water-soluble vitamins. Older people at risk of developing infections and diseases should consume multivitamins for their health. It is important in various body functions, such as oxidative stress and bone health.
The research shows that using multivitamins is safe and effective for respiratory infections. They also ensure that your immune system works properly to deal with diseases and maintain your micronutrient status. Accurate micronutrient status in the body will ensure that you do not encounter any vitamin or mineral-specific diseases like beriberi, pellagra, or scurvy.
A multivitamin supplement that contains a combination of all vitamins and minerals is important in combating diseases and increasing the immune response in the body. The supplement will also help in making up for the deficiencies of micronutrients.
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3. Probiotic
The live bacteria and yeasts that are safe for consumption and have many health benefits fall under probiotics. They are good and friendly bacteria needed by your gut to maintain digestive health. They help in dealing with multiple gut-related diseases such as irritable bowel syndrome or, in some cases, diarrhea.
The role of probiotics in increasing host-mediated immune response has been proved by research. Various components and genes in probiotics play an essential role in boosting immune system function. Thus, it is safe to say that a probiotic supplement will help in increasing the immune response.
The probiotic supplement also helped children suffering from HIV deal with episodes of diarrhea. A quality probiotic supplement helps maintain optimal digestive health and also aids in improving the digestion of nutrients in the body.
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4. Omega 3 Fatty Acids
Omega 3 fatty acids are polyunsaturated fatty acids that play a key role in decreasing inflammation. They also play an essential role in improving cardiac health and brain function. They help in modulating the inflammatory response in the body, which further helps in improving the severity of diseases.
The role of omega-three in the immune system has been under study for several years. It is an important constituent of the cell membrane and plays a role in various signaling pathways. Moreover, omega-3 also plays a prominent role in altering the immune response by improving innate or adaptive immunity.
The role of omega 3 in COVID 19 is also quite prominent, as it changes the composition of the fatty layer of cell membranes which block the entry of the virus. An omega-3 supplement also helps in fighting depression, dealing with anxiety, and improving the texture of skin and hair.
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5. Vitamin C
Vitamin C or ascorbic acid is a water-soluble vitamin necessary for health. You should make sure to maintain vitamin C intake so that your body can deal with oxidative stress. Vitamin C also plays an essential role in boosting the immune response in the body.
Vitamin C deficiency can make your immune system weak, so you will be at a greater risk of developing infections. On the other hand, if your vitamin C intake is balanced, your immune system will work at a better rate. Vitamin C works in the body as an antioxidant.
Vitamin C supplementation helps in stimulating the immune system. As reported by research, it also helps prevent excessive damage to the DNA and decreases the risk of various diseases.
6. Zinc Supplement
Zinc is a mineral that helps facilitate various body functions and is crucial for maintaining health. It helps in fighting diseases by increasing the immune response. Along with that, zinc also works its magic to improve acne, speeding the wound healing process and reducing the inflammation in the body.
The nervous system, reproductive system, and immune system, in particular, are dependent on zinc. The deficiency of zinc is often related to the lower immune response in the body, thymic atrophy, and a compromised cellular response. The research also shows that a constant zinc deficiency can lead to the reprogramming of the immune system.
Hence, it is important to use zinc-rich foods in the diet, such as oysters, meat, nuts, and seeds. But, the best option to make up for the deficiency in a quick time is to have a quality zinc supplement.
Takeaway
Ensuring a healthy immune system should be your priority, especially now when the world is fighting infections and diseases. It is best to consume healthy food and follow a proper workout routine to strengthen your immune system.
With that, you can also incorporate supplements into your diet to boost your immunity. It is ideal to consult a physician before starting any supplement. Make sure to read all instructions before having a supplement to gain maximum benefits.
It is also essential to be mindful of your daily eating patterns, as your lifestyle directly influences your health. Spend enough time researching a supplement and enjoy what suits you the most.
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