When our immune systems let us down, we often reach for the vitamins we should have been taking in the first place.
The phrase ‘closing the stable door after the horse has bolted’ springs to mind. While vitamins can help us boost, tune and enhance our immune response, endeavouring to avoid easily-rectified nutritional deficiencies is the best policy.
Eating a diet rich in these immune-boosting vitamins is key if you wish to not only avoid seasonal colds, but maintain a good state of health year-round.
Vitamin A
Also known as retinol or retinolic acid, vitamin A has a crucial effect on immunity – particularly by nourishing the gut mucosal immune system.
This matters a great deal, since 70 to 80% of our immune tissue is actually located in the digestive tract.
Vitamin B6
Known as a catalyst for multiple biochemicals reactions that take place in the immune system, vitamin B6 is one of the most essential dietary immune-boosters.
Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 is the second immune-enhancing B vitamin, though don’t forget that B vitamins work in tandem: it is therefore advised to ensure a plentiful supply of all of them.
Our comprehensive guide to vitamin B is a good resource, and lists both the functions of each nutrient and the best dietary sources.
The problem with vitamin B12, at least in the eyes of vegetarians, is that it can only be found in animal products: eggs, meat, shellfish and dairy. A vitamin B12 supplement is therefore advised.
Vitamin C
Does vitamin C boost the immune system? Absolutely. In fact, it is one of the most important anti-stress, detoxifying and antioxidant agents in existence.
Vitamin C bolsters immune defence by facilitating cellular functions of the innate and adaptive immune systems; supplementation also appears to prevent and treat respiratory and systemic infections.
Vitamin D
Lastly, we come to vitamin D – probably the best-known immune system ingredient.
So effective is vitamin D that analysis published in the British Medical Journal last year suggests it could spare more than three million Brits from colds or flu each year.
Supplements are actually recommended for all of us during autumn and winter, when sunlight is scarce.
Our immune systems rely on vitamin D to fashion antimicrobial weapons which target bacteria and viruses. Just like vitamin C, it is particularly effective at preventing respiratory tract infections (sniffles, flu, pneumonia etc).
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