Can what you eat improve your immunity?
Like every cell in your body, healthy immune system cells need good, regular nourishment.In fact, scientists have long recognized that people who are malnourished are more vulnerable to infectious diseases. But the effects of nutrition on the immune system are complex, and science still doesn’t have a complete picture. For example, researchers don’t know whether malnutrition causes an increased rate of disease, or if disease and malnutrition are unrelated.There are still relatively few studies of the effects of nutrition on the immune system of humans.
There is some evidence that some micronutrient deficiencies—including of zinc, selenium, iron, copper, folic acid, and vitamins A, B6, C, and E—alter immune responses in animals, as measured in the test tube. However, it’s less clear how these immune system changes impact the health of animals, and researchers have not yet studied the effect of similar deficiencies on the human immune response.
So, what can you do?The best thing you can do for a healthy immune system is to eat a healthy, balanced diet that provides your body with the wide range of vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients it needs.If you suspect your diet is not providing you with all your micronutrient needs—maybe, for instance, you don’t like vegetables—you can take a daily multivitamin and mineral supplement. This may benefit both your overall health and your immune system. However, more is not necessarily better. Taking large amounts of any vitamin is not beneficial.
There are also many herbal preparations that claim to “support immunity” or otherwise boost the health of your immune system. And some herbal preparations have been found to alter some components of immune function. However, so far there is no evidence that any supplements bolster immunity to the point where you are better protected against infection and disease. Demonstrating whether an herb—or any substance, for that matter—can enhance immunity is a highly complicated matter. Scientists don’t know, for example, whether an herb that seems to raise the levels of antibodies in the blood is actually doing anything beneficial for overall immunity.
Source: https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/how-to-boost-your-immune-system
