Vitamins that Boost the Immune System

We encounter millions of bacteria, fungi and parasites on a daily basis. These germs pose a serious threat to us, though we hardly recognize it. Sometimes we can take our immune system for granted and only recognize its importance when the body goes through serious illnesses such as cancer, AIDS and pneumonia that weaken the immune system.

During illnesses like these, the body has little or no immunity against germs that would otherwise not affect the body. Then, the importance of the immune system is even more pronounced. But on a day-to-day basis we sometimes ignore that the immune system keeps invaders at bay so they don't wreak havoc on our health.

Maintaining a healthy immune system is easy to do, provided you don't have a serious illness that compromises the immune system. A wide range of vitamins and nutrients work in concert to boost the immune system. Therefore, if the immune system is to function at its optimal capacity, every single nutrient must be at normal levels in the body or our health will pay the price. To boost the immune system for optimal immunity against harmful germs, consider taking these vitamins and nutrients:

Vitamin A

Vitamin A is the defensive line of the immune system. Vitamin A keeps viruses, infections and other germs from getting into our bodies. Vitamin A keeps mucous membranes which line the throat, nose, mouth and other parts of the body, soft and moist. When these membranes are kept soft and moist they are better able to trap germs, stopping their infiltration. Furthermore, vitamin A helps to boost the immune system by making enzymes that look for and kill germs that manage to get inside the body.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C, unlike vitamin A, is not a part of the defensive line for the immune system. Rather, vitamin C takes the offensive line against germs. Vitamin C boosts the immune system by boosting the cells that are responsible for killing germs in the body. Vitamin C makes interferon, a protein that helps destroy viruses in the body. Vitamin C also increases the level of glutathione, which boosts the immune system.

Vitamin E

Vitamin E has also been known to boost the immune system. Vitamin E boosts the immune system by producing interleukin-2, an immune protein that kills bacteria, viruses and even cancer cells. Interleukin-2 is produced in the body when the body suspects it has been invaded by germs and it helps white blood cells multiply and mature to fight off infections and diseases. The FDA has approved the use of Interleukin-2 in the treatment of some forms of cancers.

B-Vitamins

B-vitamins are energy-boosting vitamins that also boost the immune system. Vitamins such as folate, B6 and B12 do a lot to strengthen and boost the immune system. Vitamin B6 especially, has been shown in studies to boost the immune system by increasing white blood cell count in the body. The Department of Nutrition and Food management at Oregon state University conducted a study and found that when women increased their B6 intake from 1.5 milligrams to 2.1 milligrams, their white blood cell count increased by 35%.

Zinc

Zinc is the most important mineral to add to your diet when you want to boost the immune system. Zinc helps to boost the immune system by helping to manufacture infection-fighting white bloods cells. Zinc reduces the symptoms of colds and flu when given within 24 hours of the first signs of these illnesses. Zinc also lowers our chances of getting fevers, coughs and lowers the build up of mucus.

Boosting the immune system is an easy thing to do. All you have to do is eat a wide range of healthy food containing vitamins and minerals known to boost the immune system, while avoiding food that weaken the immune system. Foods that are high in fat speed up the aging and weakening of the immune system. When the immune system is weakened we are prone to germs and cell-damaging free radicals.