Best Vitamins to Boost Your Immune System in 2022

Having a hardy immune system is a critical piece of your health and wellness. Here are some of the best vitamins and supplements to consider for your immune system this year.

As the global pandemic continues to rage on, many have noticed that cold and flu season is also upon us. There’s no better time than now to be focused on a healthy immune system. But anyone who has walked down the supplements aisle knows that overwhelming feeling of encountering hundreds of different vitamins and supplements on the shelves. Not to mention the dozens of different brands, formulations, and dosages. How can someone make sense of what’s important and what’s not?

First, let’s consider what the job of your immune system is. The immune system is a complex network of cells and proteins that work together to keep the body safe against illnesses and infections. There are two main parts to every person’s immune system which include the innate immune system (born with it) and the adaptive immune system (developed over time as the body is exposed to microbes and chemicals). 

That being said, there are some techniques that can be used to upkeep and strengthen your immune system. 

Here are a few things to consider if you want an immune boost this year!

Liposomal Vitamin C 

Vitamin C is the classic item that everyone reaches for in the early stages of a cold or sniffles. Ascorbic acid, otherwise known as vitamin C, is a water-soluble vitamin. Once the vitamin dissolves in water, it is delivered to the tissues in your body but is often not stored efficiently. This poor storage capacity of vitamin C means that it’s important to get a daily dose from your diet or from a consistent supplement. 

Vitamin C also plays a critical role in controlling infections and healing wounds. It’s a powerful antioxidant which means that it has properties that can neutralize free radicals within the body. Foods with naturally high doses of vitamin C include citrus fruits, potatoes, tomatoes, bell peppers, and cruciferous vegetables.

According to the National Institutes of Health, the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) of vitamin C is:

  • 90 mg per day for men over the age of 19
  • 75 mg per day for women over the age of 19
  • 2,000 mg maximum per day for adults over the age of 19

Liposomal vitamin C for immune support is a supplemental option to increase your daily dose. The difference between regular vitamin C supplements and those that are liposomal is that the liposomal vitamin C is encapsulated in pockets of fat cells. 

Our choice for the best Liposomal Vitamin C product is Optimunity. 

This Optimunity Liposomal Vitamin C supplement is a 1500 mg supplement that quickly absorbs into your body due to its unique formulation. The supplement can work to boost your immune system against the cold, flu, and other infections. Optimunity products are 100% vegan and made with natural ingredients that are non-GMO. All Optimunity products pass clinical tests in the industry and are made with the highest standards.

Vitamin D

The next consideration should be vitamin D for immune system support. Unlike vitamin C, vitamin D is fat-soluble (meaning it absorbs best when taken in conjunction with fat such as dairy or nuts). Vitamin D is known for its ability to absorb and retain calcium and phosphorus which is critical to build and retain bone mass. 

Unfortunately, vitamin D is not naturally found in large quantities in many foods. Some foods are fortified, such as milk, to ensure that better daily intake is met in the average diet. Vitamin D for immune system support can also be absorbed through the sun’s UVB rays, but this is not a recommended way to meet the daily vitamin D intake due to the dangerous risks of skin damage and cancers. 

Vitamin D supplementation is usually recommended by medical doctors for most of the general population. Especially for those who live in countries that don’t have consistent daylight or warm weather. Vitamin D supplementation comes in two forms; D2 (ergocalciferol) and D3 (cholecalciferol). While both forms increase overall vitamin D in your blood, D3 has been shown to be more effective for longer in the body. 

According to the National Institutes of Health, the recommended dietary allowance of vitamin D for immune system support is:

  • 15 mcg (600 IU) per day for adults aged 19-70
  • 20 mcg (800 IU) per day for adults aged 71 years and older
  • 100 mcg (4000 IU) maximum per day for adults aged 19+ years old

Our choice for the best Vitamin D product is Carlson Labs. This Carlson Labs Super Daily® D3 supplement comes in liquid drop form which is designed to be added to food or drink. When compared to pill form, drops may be slightly superior. When drops are added to food it’s more likely that you will ingest the drops alongside some fat to encourage better uptake once ingested.

Elderberry

As a supplement, elderberry has been used by people for centuries to fight infections, clear complexions, and to boost overall immunity. However, before being consumed in supplement form, elderberries must be cooked to remove their toxicity. While many believe in elderberry’s ability to boost immune systems, there is currently a need for continued scientific study into its medicinal benefits as a supplement.

Some preliminary research does show the potential for elderberry to relieve the symptoms of the flu or respiratory infections. Sales for elderberry supplements doubled between January and March of 2018 to more than $100 million in the USA. At this time, elderberry has not been shown to have any proven efficacy against the COVID-19 virus.

Our choice for the best Elderberry product is Gaia Herbs. This Gaia Herbs Black Elderberry Syrup supplement comes in liquid form which is both tasty and high quality. According to Gaia, the product is purity tested to ensure that it’s free of pesticides, microbes, and heavy metals.

Quercetin

Quercetin is part of a group of plant pigments that are also known as “flavonoids”. These pigments give flowers, vegetables, and fruits their unique vibrant colors. All flavonoids are also antioxidants, meaning that they have the power to neutralize free radicals within the body. In terms of health benefits, quercetin for immune support can help to protect against heart disease and cancer (due to its antioxidant properties).

Another major benefit of quercetin for immune support is its ability to act as an anti-inflammatory by preventing immune cells from releasing histamines. Histamines are a large factor in allergies and can cause hives, runny nose, sneezing, and swelling of the face or lips. 

Quercetin for immune support can most commonly be found in plants, herbs, and vegetables. Foods with high doses of quercetin include citrus fruits, tea, red wine, parsley, onions, and sage. Supplementation is also an option by taking quercetin in pill or capsule form or in a water-soluble form. 

Contact your doctor for dosing information as an elevated dose of quercetin could cause negative side effects and could affect your kidney function.

Our choice for the best Quercetin product is Organika. This Organika Quercetin with Bromelain supplement is intended to act as a powerful antioxidant and digestive enzyme blend. Bromelain (found naturally in pineapples) helps to improve overall uptake of quercetin in the body.

Zinc

As a trace mineral in the body, zinc is only necessary in small amounts. However, despite the small dosage, zinc packs a powerful punch for bodily development and chemical reactions. Zinc is a major factor in building proteins, healing damaged tissue, and in supporting a healthy immune system. Within the body, zinc helps cells to grow and multiply and is required most during times of rapid growth like childhood and pregnancy.

Foods that are naturally high in zinc include meats like shellfish, beef, and poultry. However, foods like legumes, nuts, whole grains, and seeds are also good sources of zinc in the diet as well. Supplementation can be considered in the form of pills or lozenges but may not be necessary if there is no obvious deficiency. Consult with your doctor for dosing if you are concerned about your zinc levels.

According to the National Institutes of Health, the recommended dietary allowance of zinc is:

  • 11 mg per day for men aged 19+ years old 
  • 8 mg per day for women aged 19+ years old 
  • 40 mg maximum per day for adults aged 19+ years old

Our choice for the best Zinc product is Pure Encapsulations. This Pure Encapsulations Zinc 15 mg supplement offers broad physiological and immune support. This product is made with hypoallergenic and vegan ingredients. 

Other natural ways to boost your immune system

Sleep: Adequate amounts of restful sleep work to reset your brain, body, and immune system. Listening to the body when it requires rest is incredibly important to boost and maintain a healthy immune system. Aim for 7-9 hours of uninterrupted sleep every day.

A balanced and diverse diet: As noted above, a balanced and diverse diet is key to acquiring many vitamins, nutrients, and minerals in a whole food form. Consider supplementation for things that are incredibly challenging to meet in your diet such as vitamin D or C. Some vitamin supplements may also require proper dietary actions to prevent wastage and promote uptake (ex. Vitamin C should be taken with water, vitamin D should be taken with food that includes some healthy fats). If you are curious about supplementation, consult your doctor before beginning any new vitamins or supplements.

Daily activity: Depending on the season and the stressors in your life, moving the body can be one of the last things that we want to do. However, daily activity has an incredible impact on the overall health and strength of your immune system. Exercise also helps to increase demand for vitamins and nutrients in your body such as proteins – which means a better uptake of the foods and supplements that you’ve been consuming. 

Websites referenced or researched:

  1. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/the-immune-system
  2. https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/immune-system
  3. https://www.wellandgood.com/liposomal-vitamin-c/
  4. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminC-HealthProfessional/#h2
  5. https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/vitamin-d/#:~:text=It%20is%20a%20fat%2Dsoluble,control%20infections%20and%20reduce%20inflammation.
  6. https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/elderberry
  7. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/is-elderberry-really-an-effective-cold-and-flu-cure/
  8. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4808895/
  9. https://www.mountsinai.org/health-library/supplement/quercetin
  10. https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/zinc/
  11. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Zinc-HealthProfessional/#h2
  12. https://optimunity.com/
  13. https://carlsonlabs.com/super-daily-d3-2000-iu/
  14. https://www.gaiaherbs.com/products/black-elderberry-syrup
  15. https://www.verywellfit.com/best-elderberry-supplements-4781138
  16. https://www.healthyplanetcanada.com/organika-quercetin-with-bromelain-120-caplets.html
  17. https://organika.com/products/quercetin-with-bromelain

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Adam Ali