Top Supplements For Supporting Your Immune System
Feb 06, 2022
Who couldn’t use a little extra immune support right now?
While there are a lot of things that a person could take, I think about supplementation in terms of trying to find things that have a wide variety of effects on the body. While this is not an exhaustive list, here are some of my top picks.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is not only a supplement that we can take but in its active form acts as a hormone in your body. For this reason, it would be at the top of my list since its effects do not just stop at the immune system but are also imperative for bone health, hormonal health, brain health, and more. I have written about this in previous blog posts which you can read here.
Typically vitamin D is dosed based on age and weight. To keep it simple Health Canada has set a safe upper limit of 4000 international national units (IU’s) per day so I typically will aim for that and then complete a test sometime in the winter to assess where my levels are. I typically take this in the dropper format but they now make small gelcaps that are 2500IU’s each.
Probiotics
Probiotics can also be classified as a supplement that helps in multiple categories. Most people think of probiotics in terms of regulating our microbiome but the benefits do not stop there. Approximately 70% of our immune cells are produced in the lining of our gut and the gut acts as the first line of defence for our immune system. So ensuring that you have optimal gut health will assist in your immune function.
Quality definitely matters here as these products are living organisms that typically have a shelf life. Talk to your local health food store (such as the knowledgeable staff at Parks Health) for a recommendation. They make different strains for different types of effects on the body and this is an area where there is emerging research monthly.
I like to switch up my probiotic supplement and currently am taking approximately 1 tsp of the Cultured Coconut product which you can find locally in Halifax.
Zinc
Zinc is helpful as ongoing immune support but can also be used at the onset of a cold to shorten its length. It does this by disrupting the replication of the virus and it also helps your immune system produce special types of cells to fight invasion and infection.
There are a few of these vitamins and minerals that you can easily get from food sources but it is sometimes difficult to get enough. Zinc is also on the list for men’s health which is why I will try and focus on foods high in zinc as well as take a weekly supplement if I feel I am not hitting my targets with diet.
- Oysters
- Red meat
- Pumpkin seeds
- Lentils
I use a product that also has copper because if you use too much zinc it can compete with copper and potentially create a deficiency. Talk to your trusted health food store for details and see the pic for what I am currently taking.
Vitamin C
This is a vitamin that has been studied for decades and has a role in supporting immune function, as a master antioxidant, as well as many other functions in the body.
I often hear people talking about drinking orange juice to ensure they get enough vitamin C but I disagree with this approach as the concentrated amount of fructose is a counter benefit to the naturally occurring (or added) vitamin C.
Here is a list of foods that contain the highest amounts and will help to ensure you hit this daily target.
- Bell peppers
- Broccoli
- Tomatoes
- Snow peas
- Kale
- Black currants
- Citrus fruits
- Guava
- Kiwifruit
- Strawberries
This is a good place to start and you can also increase things such as garlic and other herbs to further enhance your immune function. If you were taking any medications make sure you check with your pharmacist or family doctor to ensure there are no contraindications.
The recommendations I’ve given you above are typically very safe to use in the recommended amounts. Let’s keep our immune systems working great over the next few months!