Our immunity is governed by a complex system of cells, tissues, chemicals, and organs that work endlessly to find and destroy pathogens that could potentially make us unwell. During the colder months, our body is under attack from common winter bugs such as the viruses that cause colds, influenza, and the winter vomiting bug.
During these months, we tend to spend more time inside with the windows closed and the heating on, travel on crowded public transport with less ventilation and come into close contact with people in closed spaces. This creates the ideal conditions for bacteria and viruses to spread.
Therefore, looking after our immune system by making healthy lifestyle choices, and eating a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, lean protein, healthy fats, and wholemeal carbohydrates is arguably more important than in the summer months.
However, we can help our immune system even further, by taking a vitamin supplement that contains immunity-boosting ingredients.
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The most well-understood immune-supporting vitamin is vitamin C. Vitamin C is an antioxidant vitamin that helps the body combat free radical damage, which in turn supports a strong, healthy immune system. It’s often found in effervescent, or fizzy, supplements designed to help combat colds and flu.
Vitamin D is also essential for good immunity, as are the B vitamins and other types of plant-derived antioxidants and polyphenols.
Similarly, numerous supplements contain minerals and other compounds that can also benefit the immune system. These include the minerals magnesium and zinc, and less well-known ingredients such as medicinal mushrooms.
There are numerous vitamins available that support the work of the immune system, which can be especially beneficial during the colder months when winter bugs are rife.
Vitamin D is essential for strong teeth and bones, but it’s also vital for a healthy immune system. It supports the bacteria and virus-fighting effects of the white blood cells that form a major part of the immune response.
Studies show that taking a vitamin D supplement can reduce our risk of respiratory tract infections, suggesting an overall protective effect on the immune system.
Unlike most other vitamins, we don’t get most of our vitamin D requirements from our diet. Instead, our body manufactures vitamin D when our skin is exposed to sunlight.
During the autumn and winter months, we tend to spend less time outside, and when we do venture outdoors, our skin is covered. Therefore, the NHS recommend that adults take a minimum of a 10mcg vitamin D supplement every day between October and March.
Vitamin D3 and K2 drops with hemp oil from BioBloom are easily administered onto the tongue and are suitable for vegans. Free from artificial additives, the organic, CBD-free hemp oil acts as a carrier that increases the absorption of vitamins D and K. Vitamins D and K work synergistically in the body and are often found together in supplements.
Perhaps one of the most well-known vitamins for the immune system, vitamin C is a type of antioxidant vitamin that protects the important cells of the immune system from oxidative stress. Oxidative stress can impair the function of the immune system which can then leave us vulnerable to common infections such as colds and flu.
Vitamin C also has a two-fold protective effect on immunity – it supports the work of the immune cells to protect against infection and clears away old, dead cells and replaces them with new ones to help it run optimally. Not only that but supplementing with vitamin C can help to reduce the duration of a cold if we do succumb to one.
Vitamin C capsules with bioflavonoids from G&G Vitamins contain high-quality vitamin C with further natural antioxidant support. They’re free from soya, lactose, gluten, and GMOs, contain no artificial fillers or binders and are suitable for vegans.
If you and your household experience one winter bug after another during the colder months, taking vitamin C supplements could help to keep you free from bugs, or at least minimise the length of time you feel unwell from them.
The B vitamins are a group of several vitamins including:
Each one has a different specific role, however, they’re responsible for releasing energy from the food we eat and in part, managing our energy levels.
The B vitamins also play a role in the health of our immune system. They’re essential for the healthy production of red blood cells and as such, also help in the production of cells essential to immunity. Specifically, vitamin B6 helps the body to produce a protein called interleukin 2 that directly affects the activity of the white blood cells and their immune response.
It’s a good idea to take a vitamin B complex supplement that contains all eight B vitamins, as they all work hand in hand. Bioactive vitamin B complex capsules from G&G Vitamins contain a complete vitamin B complex in methyl form, developed to be more absorbable and effective than regular vitamin B supplements.
Like all products from G&G Vitamins, they contain the highest quality, purest ingredients, with no artificial fillers or binders and zero GMOs, gluten, lactose, or soya. They’re also suitable for vegans.
If you’re looking for a “catch-all” vitamin supplement to support your immune system, you should consider a multivitamin. A multivitamin supplement will contain several different vitamins, including vitamins A, C, D, and E and all the B vitamins. They may also contain various important minerals.
Taking a multivitamin can help to support all your biological systems, including your immune system, and will help to fill in any nutritional gaps that your regular diet doesn’t cover. They can also be useful during times of illness, recovery, and stress, and if you avoid certain foods such as meat and dairy products due to religious or cultural reasons or due to personal beliefs such as if you’re vegetarian or vegan.
Protecta multivitamin capsules from G&G Vitamins contain all the vitamins and minerals essential to a healthy body and a well-functioning immune system. Vegan-friendly and free from fillers, binders, soya, lactose, gluten, and GMOs, they also contain aloe vera, bioflavonoids and beta carotene that all work to support the immune system.
Antioxidants are compounds that ‘mop up’ or neutralise free radicals. Free radicals are unstable atoms of oxygen that have lost an electron. They move around the body, scavenging electrons from other oxygen atoms to stabilise themselves, thus setting off a chain reaction of free radicals.
If left unchecked, this can cause the cells of the immune system to become damaged, and in turn, this free radical damage can lead to oxidative stress and a higher chance of disease.
To neutralise free radical damage, we need to eat a diet rich in antioxidants. The most antioxidant-abundant foods are fruits and vegetables, followed by nuts and seeds. Each differently coloured fruit or vegetable will be rich in a different antioxidant, so variety is key.
Sometimes, such as during the winter, it can be helpful to take an antioxidant vitamin supplement for extra immune system protection. Super antioxidant plus capsules from G&G Vitamins are a powerful blend of antioxidant vitamins, minerals, and herbs. Free from artificial ingredients and vegan friendly, they’re best taken daily to help give your immune system the support it needs all winter.
As well as individual vitamin and antioxidant support, several minerals and supplement blends can also support healthy immunity.
Magnesium is a mineral that plays many different roles in the human body – including regulating blood sugar levels, supporting good bone health, and promoting better sleep. It also has a role in regulating the immune system and researchers are starting to get a better understanding of how.
It’s thought that magnesium supports the work of the white blood cells in their quest to detect and destroy invading pathogens such as the viruses that cause the common cold and influenza. If we’re deficient in magnesium, the body can lose its ability to fight these invaders as well, and we can develop inflammation, cell and tissue damage, and an increased risk of infections as a result.
Taking a daily magnesium supplement such as Magnesium citrate capsules from G&G Vitamins can help to keep our levels of this essential mineral topped up. They’re suitable for vegans and are free from gluten, lactose, soya, and artificial fillers.
Zinc is a mineral that’s required by the body for various reasons. In terms of the immune system, it’s essential in the manufacture of immune cells and in how the different cells and elements of the immune system communicate with one another. It’s also vital in creating the tissues of the body, including the skin, that form a physical barrier against invading pathogens, preventing them from getting inside the body and causing infection and disease.
Studies have shown that zinc is an important mineral in supporting the immune system and protecting us from disease. Taking a zinc supplement can help to protect against respiratory tract infections, including the common cold. Taking zinc with vitamin C if we already have a cold, can also reduce the time taken for us to feel better.
G&G Vitamins zinc picolinate capsules contain 22mg of fast-absorbing zinc. Picolinate means that these capsules contain a chelated version of zinc, that’s been combined with an amino acid to make them easier and faster to digest.
As with all supplements from this brand, they contain no fillers, binders, soya, gluten, or lactose and are suitable for vegans.
Just like a multivitamin supplement, a multi-mineral supplement contains a variety of different minerals. The body requires a range of minerals to carry out essential biological functions, such as digestion and cellular renewal, and for the health of the immune system.
A healthy immune system will help to protect against infection and disease, but if we lack certain minerals from our diet, then we may succumb to colds and other winter bugs. Taking a multi-mineral supplement can help to plug any gaps in our nutritional intake. Also, if we’ve been unwell or under a lot of stress, we may benefit from increasing our mineral intake by taking a supplement.
Multi-mineral capsules from G&G Vitamins contain a blend of 13 essential minerals, eight of which are chelated to improve absorption. These capsules contain magnesium, zinc, calcium and iron and are free from gluten, soya, lactose, GMOs and artificial filler and binders.
L-glutathione is a compound made up of three different amino acids - cysteine, glutamate, and glycine. It’s a powerful antioxidant that’s present in every cell of the human body, helping to protect them against free radical damage and oxidative stress.
Free radicals enter the body because of a poor diet, stress, smoking and breathing in environmental pollutants. However, we cannot avoid them completely as they’re also an unwanted by-product of essential bodily functions such as breathing and digestion. So, it’s important to consume an antioxidant-rich diet or to take a supplement that contains antioxidants.
L-glutathione is important for the health of the immune system as it protects the immune cells against damage that can impede their ability to do their job of seeking out and destroying pathogens that could otherwise make us unwell.
G&G vitamins L-Glutathione complex capsules contain L-glutathione alongside a combination of other immune system-supporting ingredients. Take them daily to help protect yourself against common winter bugs.
Medicinal mushrooms have been used for centuries to help ward off disease, treat ailments, and protect the body from common illnesses. They form an integral part of ancient medical systems such as Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and the Indian practice of Ayurveda.
More recently, in the Western world, researchers have discovered significant benefits associated with taking medicinal mushroom supplements, in particular, for the immune system.
One study showed that taking cordyceps could significantly increase the activity of natural killer cells, important cells of the immune system that help to protect against infection.
Another type, maitake mushrooms, contains a type of fibre that feeds the good bacteria and viruses in the gut (collectively called the microbiota) and helps them thrive. A thriving microbiota has a direct and positive impact on the immune system.
MyComplex medicinal mushroom blend capsules from Mushrooms 4 Life contains the bioactive parts of three mushrooms known to support immunity – cordyceps, reishi and maitake. Dual-extracted and third-party tested for purity, they’re organic, suitable for vegans and free from gluten, dairy and soya.
To get the best from any supplement, it’s always a good idea to purchase the highest quality product, within your budget. Either way, aim to take your vitamins at the same time each day to get the most benefit. Some supplements will suggest that you take them with food, whilst others won’t, so always read the instructions contained within each bottle.
Some supplements are best avoided if you have certain medical conditions or take certain medications. If in any doubt, speak to your GP or pharmacist.
This autumn and winter, try taking an immune-supporting supplement for at least eight to 12 weeks and throughout the colder months to see if you notice fewer colds and other bugs.
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A mighty team of natural health researchers led by Daniel Perez Vidal. We follow strict selection criteria and test everything we retail, from ground-breaking food supplements to natural skincare products. Our main area of expertise is CBD.