Top 10 Supplements for Your Immune System
You may have heard about claims on the internet about food, supplements, drugs or other methods that can help prevent, treat or cure this COVID-19 infection. In actual fact, there are currently no medications or supplements available to cure or prevent this disease. But building a strong and healthy immune system is a key to overall health and wellbeing, especially during this pandemic. Your immune system is very important, and vitamins and supplements are a way to help your body get what it needs to build up your immune system and potentially protect against illness. That said, we have listed out some of the vitamins and supplements you may need to help you achieve this.
Medicinal mushroom
There are many types of medicinal mushrooms available including cordyceps and turkey tail. Mushrooms are high in selenium, polysaccharides (which is a sugar-like molecule) and vitamin B such as riboflavin and niacin, which keep our immune system healthy. Below listed are 2 types of medicinal mushroom which can also serve as B-glucan supplements:
- Tiger Milk Mushroom Supplement (e.g. VitaPack’s Tiger Milk Mushroom)
Being one of the “super” mushrooms, tiger milk mushrooms gained more reputation during the COVID pandemic. Due to its Beta-1,3/1,6- Glucan, tiger milk mushroom can stimulate the production of our immune cells, enhancing our body’s ability to fight infections and eliminate foreign substances. Moreover, it has anti-inflammatory effects which reduces inflammation in the lungs and airways, improving our overall lung health. Overall, tiger milk mushroom is rich in antioxidants, allowing a stronger overall immunity and health.
- Reishi Mushroom Supplement (e.g. VitaPack’s Reishi Mushroom)
Reishi mushroom also serves as an immune modulator. Similar to tiger milk mushroom, it contains 1,Beta-1,3/1,6- Glucan that helps to enhance the immune system by increasing its effects on white blood cells and further helps to fight infection. It can even help to reduce stress and lessen fatigue!
Vitamins
All vitamins play different roles in our body to stay healthy. Here are some examples of vitamins and their benefits!
- Vitamin A Supplement (e.g. Now Foods Vitamin A 10,000 IU)
Vitamin A is another vitamin you should not overlook. Vitamin A is especially important for your eyesight as your eyes need vitamin A to make the components necessary for a healthy eyesight. That is why a lack of vitamin A is often associated with night blindness, especially in kids too! But, vitamin A has another function, which is to enhance your immunity by fighting off viral and bacterial infections.
- Vitamin B6 Supplement (e.g. GNC Vitamin B6 100mg)
As one of the vitamin B complexes, vitamin B6 has the ability to help produce white blood cells, red blood cells, and other immune cells. Moreover, vitamin B6 is important for healthy brain function & nervous system. Although vitamin B6 has these benefits, it is best not to forget the other vitamin Bs as they all work synergistically with each other to provide the most benefit to you.
- Vitamin C Supplement (e.g. Kordel’s Ester C 1000mg)
Initially discovered back in the sailor days due to scurvy, vitamin C is among the most popular supplements out there, and with good reason. A strong antioxidant itself, vitamin C can help your white blood cells to function more effectively, thereby helping to prevent infections. Vitamin C can be used to shorten wound healing time and also cold duration, due to its ability in strengthening the immune system. It is a water soluble vitamin that can be found in various fruits and vegetables.
- Vitamin D3 Supplement (e.g. VitaPack’s Vitamin D3)
Vitamin D3, also known as sunlight vitamin, is more commonly known to help in calcium intake and formation of our bones. In reality, vitamin D3 also plays an important role in modulating our immune response. It promotes the production of certain immune cells and anti-inflammatory cytokines to combat many infections in the body. You can usually get vitamin D from the sunlight, but sometimes due to the lack of outdoor activities you might need a supplemental dose of it.
Minerals
- Zinc Supplement (e.g. Abbott’s Surbex Zinc)
Zinc is involved in various biochemical processes in our body such as cell growth and development including the production of new immune cells. Besides, it is one of the main ingredients for one of the antioxidant enzymes present in your body. They help to scavenge the free radicals in your body that can otherwise cause damage to your healthy cells. Thus, zinc has a role in maintaining healthy hair and skin as well as speeding up our wound healing.
- Selenium Supplement (e.g. VitaHealth Selenium Plus)
A mineral that you may have seldom heard of, it is sometimes known as “vitamin S”. Although you will only need trace amounts of them, it is still undoubtedly important alongside zinc as the component of another antioxidant in your body.
Studies have shown that having increased selenium levels in your blood is associated with an enhanced immune response. In addition, selenium is a powerful antioxidant to fight oxidative stress and defends the body from chronic conditions including heart disease and cancer. Many foods contain selenium, such as whole grains, milk and eggs.
Other supplements
- Probiotic Supplement
Probiotics are good living bacterias in your gut, and did you know there are almost 30 trillion bacterias living inside you? Much of these bacteria resides in your gut, and they are not only beneficial to your gut health, it affects your immune system as well. They would compete with bad bacterias for places to live in your gut, and they can also help to activate your immune system to fight infections through a spot known as Peyer’s patch. It is certainly “you are what you eat”!
- Turmeric Supplement (e.g. Powerlife’s Gingko Turmeric)
Turmeric has been long used as an Ayurvedic herb to prevent and treat many conditions due to its strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. But what you might not know is it is also a potent immunomodulatory agent and it is a natural way to help your body bolster up the immune system.
It is always important to remember that vitamins and supplements are there to help you better, and if you have any doubts on whether they have interactions with your medication or other allergies, please consult your nearest healthcare provider!
Know more about your health to find out what vitamins or supplements your body needs here by clicking on this link here! https://www.vitapacknutrition.com/new-health-assessment
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