The 5 Best Vitamins to Boost Your Immune System

When our body’s immune systems let us down, we often opt for the vitamins we should have consumed in the first place.

Whilst vitamins can help us improve, enhance and tune our immune system, endeavouring to eliminate easily rectified nutritional deficiencies is the wise thing to do.

Incorporating a diet rich in these immunity-boosting vitamins is crucial if you wish to not only avoid the common cold but also keep up a good state of health all year-round. Taking Solgar supplements help in maintaining a sound immune system.

1Vitamin A

Also known as retinol, vitamin A has a crucial effect on immunity – especially by enriching the gut mucosal immune system.

This matters a great deal, as 70 to 80% of the immune tissue is in the digestive tract.

The multitudinous mucosal surfaces of your body are continuously exposed to foods, toxins and microbes, each of which has the potential to trigger an immune response.

Vitamin A helps maintain mucosal tolerance and the gut to identify friend from foe. Specific genes that are responsible for immunity responses are also regulated by vitamin A.

Although vitamin A plays a crucial role, a study suggests that supplementation should only be used to rectify a deficiency; and that supplementation above typical levels may actually negatively affect the immune system.

Nevertheless, you will able to get the vitamin A you require from your diet. Dietary sources include a range of plant and animal-based foods such as kale, berries, carrots, sweet potato, eggs, and organ meats.

2Vitamin B6

Acts as a catalyst for various biochemical reactions that occur in the immune system. Vitamin B6 is one of the most vital dietary immune-boosters.

B6 is every bit as necessary and helps to improve immunity markers such as neutrophils and T lymphocytes. It also produces antibodies to combat harmful viruses and bacteria.

For terminally ill patients, a two-week course of high-dose B6 (50-100mg/day) helps boost immunity.

Foods rich in vitamin B6 include organ meat, chicken, fatty fish, whole grains and leafy green vegetables.

Although you will be able to get enough vitamin B6 from your diet, certain drugs are known to deplete its levels.

3Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 is the second immunity-improving B vitamin, don’t forget that B vitamins work in tandem: make sure that you consume all B vitamins.

The problem with vitamin B12, at least in the eyes of vegetarians, is that it is only be found in animal products: eggs, dairy, meat, and shellfish. A Biotin supplement is therefore advised.

Insufficient B12 affects numerous processes. In the immune system, it reduces the white blood cell count, boosting your vulnerability to infections.

4Vitamin C

Does vitamin C enhance the immune system? Absolutely. In fact, it is one of the most important detoxifying, anti-stress, and antioxidant agents in existence.

It is a great shame that humans are one of few species in the animal kingdom that are unable to naturally synthesize the nutrient.

Vitamin C improves immune defense by enabling cellular functions of the adaptive and innate immune systems; supplementation also helps prevent and treat systemic and respiratory infections.

Furthermore, vitamin C shields essential biomolecules from damage caused by oxidants created by pollutants and toxins.

Dietary sources of vitamin C include oranges, red and green peppers, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, strawberries, and blackcurrants.

5Vitamin D

Vitamin D is probably the best-known immune system component.

Our immune systems rely on vitamin D to aid antimicrobial weapons, which target viruses and bacteria. Just like vitamin C, it’s particularly great at preventing respiratory tract infections.