Essential vitamins that support human immunity

Vitamins have a significant impact on human immunity. This is why they should be taken with food or in the form of food supplements. What are the best vitamins for the immune system? Which ones are worth taking?

Vitamin C

When it comes to vitamins for immunity, vitamin C is the leader among them. It is also known as ascorbic acid. It is a potent antioxidant whose task is to protect the epithelial barrier. Thanks to it, pathogens have limited access to the body. Vitamin C also protects against environmental oxidative stress. It also plays a vital role in producing reactive oxygen species, which help fight germs. This vitamin is also needed in the removal of already used neutrophils from sites of infection. Thus, it significantly speeds up healing.

It is also known that ascorbic acid affects lymphocytes, but here its role is still not entirely clear. In addition, vitamin C is involved in the production of white blood cells and increases iron absorption. If you want to know which vitamins for the immune system are worth taking, you should think about this vitamin in the first place. This vitamin is not produced by the body but only taken with food and supplements. It has been proven that taking 100 to 200 mg of vitamin C daily can reduce the risk of bacterial and viral infections, reduce inflammation, and speed up its healing. However, we must not forget that even vitamin C can overdose. Its excess is excreted in the urine and can cause short-term diarrhea.

Vitamin D

This vitamin is usually associated with solid bones and supplementation during the period of intense skeletal development. Vitamin D is sometimes called the elixir of life or the sunshine vitamin. This is due to the fact that sunlight stimulates its synthesis in the body. However, it is worth remembering that vitamin D deficiency may increase susceptibility to infections. Therefore, its consumption was also recommended during the coronavirus pandemic. It has been proven that deficits of this vitamin can lead to ailments and even increase the incidence of diseases such as influenza, tuberculosis, autoimmune diseases, neurodegenerative disorders, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and mental illnesses. The effects of a deficiency of this vitamin are a feeling of weakness, rapid fatigue, and a definite decrease in immunity.

Vitamin A

Vitamin A supports eyesight and is very important for the condition of the skin. It also has an anti-inflammatory effect. It participates in the development of the immune system and strengthens it. It is also essential as a regulator in the cellular immune response. However, excess vitamin A can cause dizziness, nausea, and severe damage to the fetus in the case of pregnant women. This does not change that vitamin A in its animal form – retinol – and plant form – beta carotene – is one of the most commonly supplemented vitamins. It has a positive effect on the appearance of skin and nails, so it is often found in supplements designed to strengthen them.

What vitamins are suitable for the immune system?

It is also worth remembering that you should take care of the correct levels of all vitamins, macro, and microelements for your own health. This is because they work together, and a deficiency of any of them may harm the state of the immune system. This is why it is so important to have a balanced diet and, if necessary, to supplement them. So if you are just wondering what vitamins I need for my immune system, you should probably answer – all of them. This will help you take care of proper hormonal balance, physical barriers, immunity at the cellular level, and even antibody production.

Diet or supplements?

Some say that the best thing for immunity is a balanced diet. However, eating vegetables, fruits, lean meats, and healthy fats is not enough to enjoy high immunity. Usually, dietary supplementation is also necessary. This is not a big problem. Nowadays, high-quality products are available on the market which effectively supports immunity. Let us remember that it is much easier to estimate the calorific value of each meal than to calculate the exact content of specific vitamins and how much of it will be assimilated by the body. During the preparation of meals, many vitamins simply disappear from vegetables or fruit. Heat treatment, for example, makes a large part of the vitamin C contained in cabbage or onions disappear irretrievably.

Therefore, there is no point in wondering and constantly calculating how many vitamins you actually take. Instead, rely on supplementing your diet with appropriate supplements, which will be the best support for your body’s immunity. This is particularly important during the period of falling ill, e.g., with flu or cold. Supplements for exemption can be taken at this time prophylactically or to heal faster from the infection.

If you have already fallen ill, you can also consult your doctor and ask what dosage of vitamins (especially ascorbic acid) you should take now to get back on your feet faster. A specialist will certainly be best placed to advise you on how you should proceed in this particular situation. Overdosing on vitamins can also be dangerous to your health, so if you’re thinking of increasing your dosage, you should always talk to your doctor about it beforehand and have blood tests done to show the current levels of each vitamin in your body.